How to choose coffee beans: tips

It is difficult to find a person who is indifferent to coffee. A fragrant drink helps to invigorate, activates metabolic processes in the body, increases brain activity and gives strength. If you regularly drink a cup of coffee, you will significantly improve your working capacity and make decisions easier. However, you can get all the benefits only if you choose the right grain for the preparation of the drug. We will talk about this today.

What are the types of coffee

1. Robusta Grains practically do not have a characteristic fragrant smell. The final drink is slightly bitter, a similar trait characteristic of this variety. Robuste is much more caffeine than other similar types. However, if you prepare the drug only from these grains, it will turn out strong, but not very fragrant.
2. Arabica. Today, Arabica is cultivated everywhere, it is given 85-90% of the land on plantations.The same percentage of the variety is in blends (mixtures of coffee beans). The look is characterized by a rich coffee aroma. The final drink comes with sourness, a person can fully enjoy the aftertaste. Arabica is not a very strong variety, it has less caffeine than Robusta. This type of grains is valued by gourmets who understand the intricacies of taste and aroma.
3. Liberica. Among the most popular varieties of Liberica has a low cost. It belongs to the category of the least useful products. Liberia is often used by unscrupulous manufacturers of coffee beans. The variety is combined with Arabica and Robusta, thereby producing low-quality raw materials with a relatively low price.

The listed types of coffee beans require compliance with certain weather conditions, so it makes sense to separate them according to a territorial basis. Grain product can be Asian, African, American.

If we talk about the leading countries for the production of grains, the following are distinguished: Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, India, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Kenya. All varieties are different in color, taste, flavor.

What are the blends (combinations) of coffee

To date, more than 88 varieties of coffee are known, but 3 of them are the most popular - Robusta, Arabica, Liberica. It is based on them that they prepare blends - mixtures of several varieties, presented in an unequal ratio. From here the final taste of the drink also varies.

1. Arabica 100%. To date, pure Arabica occupies a leading position. Purchase option is considered the easiest and win-win. Of course, you will spend a lot of value, but you will not wrestle with other available varieties. A drink based on this type of grain turns out to be very fragrant, and the aftertaste is different in sourness. The difficulty lies in the fact that Arabica is often prepared from the same variety, but the grains are taken from countries on different plantations. From here the taste of coffee is different. In fact, it does not matter. The main thing is that Arabica should be diluted with Robusta or Liberica, without mentioning it on the label.
2. Arabica / Robusta (90/10 ratio). This type of blend is the most popular among both amateurs and professionals. Adding robusta to Arabica allows you to slightly reduce the cost of coffee and add bitterness to the drink. This option is suitable for people who "do not understand" sour coffee.Arabica / Robusta blend as a percentage of 90/10 is often used in coffee houses. A mixture of grains is used to make everyone's favorite espresso, latte, cappuccino, etc. As Robusta includes more caffeine, the strength of the drink rises.
3. Arabica / Robusta (80/20 ratio). If you like coffee without signs of sourness, this blend is for you. The incoming 20% ​​of Robusta grains make the drink strong and invigorating, so it is better to drink it with sugar. The variant is especially appreciated by those who prepare drinks from coffee with milk, cream and other fillers. You absolutely will not feel the difference, but you will save a lot. It is better to dilute the drink with milk in order to neutralize the characteristic bitterness of robuste.
4. Arabica / Robusta (70/30 ratio). Today, this version of blended coffee is considered the most inexpensive, but in demand. Fast-food restaurants resort to it, who want to treat their clients with natural coffee. If you decide to purchase a blend for home brewing, you should make sure that there are no impurities. The package must contain only Robusta and Arabica grains.
5. Arabica / Robusta / Liberica. Liberica, unlike other types of coffee, is considered the most fragrant. This combination is extremely rare, but it is claimed by connoisseurs.It is important to look for the percentage ratio of varieties of grains, in which Liberia will be given a small volume (about 5-10%). The trio is an order of magnitude cheaper than a duet from arabica and robusta.

How to choose coffee beans

After studying the varieties of coffee beans and existing blends based on them, you should take a responsible approach to the choice of product. Surely you already know exactly what you want. We will only send the buyer in the right direction, prompting what to pay attention to.

Grains

1. Try to buy coffee in a package with a transparent window. Before paying, you need to make sure that the grains are whole, there are no chipped granules and dust in the pack. High-quality raw materials have a dense shell without any cracks on the surface.
2. Choose coffee with granules of the same size if you buy 100% Arabica. In the case of other variants and blends, slight deviations in shape and size are allowed.
3. If there is an opportunity to buy and touch the grains, take one and try to get to the core. Copies suitable for cooking will easily disperse, the internal cavity of the grain is hard and dry.
4. It is important to appreciate the taste of the split element.It will be pleasant, with no signs of staleness. Never buy coffee beans if they are too soft.

Packaging

1. In supermarkets and specialty stores, coffee is released in multilayer foil packaging. This option allows you to preserve the aroma and freshness of the grains, which subsequently helps to get a quality drink.
2. Foil packaging does not transmit ultraviolet rays, which is very important for coffee beans. Also in the pack an optimal microclimate is maintained (humidity level, air circulation, etc.).
3. Good packaging has an air discharge valve, so that the raw materials are successfully stored in warehouses. And you can feel the pleasant aroma of the grains, which is distributed from the package.
4. If the choice fell on loose coffee, it is packed in paper bags that are lined with polyethylene from the inside. Such packing allows storing the grain for a short time (about 5—10 days).

Grinding
As you know, coffee can be produced already in a ground form. In this case, it is important to pay attention to the degree of grinding.

1. Large particles about 0.75 mm in size. suitable for cooking in a french press. In this case, the procedure will take 6-8 minutes.
2. Medium ground seeds are considered universal, regardless of the cooking appliance. Brewing time is 4-5 minutes.
3. Small particles are suitable for geyser coffee machines with a built-in filter. From this coffee drink brewed 2-3 minutes.
4. There is another class of grinding grains - extra fine. Powdered composition allows you to prepare a drink in cezve, French press, coffee machine and coffee makers.

Degree of roast
Even if you collect coffee beans from one bush, the taste of the final drink will vary depending on the degree of roasting.

1. Light heat treatment allows the raw materials to keep beige color with a slight shade of gold. At the same time the drink will turn out "watery" with a share of sourness.
2. Roasting medium gives the product a milky hue, enhances the flavor. Prolonged heating at high temperature allows you to remove bitterness when present. Such processing on the package is listed as "American".
3. Strong roasting makes the grains dark, brings esters to the surface, enhances the aroma and taste.
4. There is also a Vienna heat treatment - roasting between medium and maximum. It reveals the bitterness of the grains, but aims to enhance the flavor.

Modern manufacturers of coffee beans are trying to name their products sonorous name. But, despite the name, the basis of raw materials is made from the fruits of the coffee bush. It is a plant variety, not a marketing strategy, that determines product quality.

Video: how to choose the right coffee