Where to Buy Coffee Beans If you're a big fan of whole coffee beans Your local roaster or coffee shop is the best place to purchase the beans. If you're not lucky enough to be near one, you can search for online companies which roast and ship to you. Geography plays a huge role in what coffee tastes like, so pay attention to the origins of the beans you're buying. Arabica vs. Robusta There are more than 100 distinct coffee varieties. Two of the most well-known are Coffea arabica (Robusta) and Coffea Canephora. Robusta is more resistant to drought, disease and pests. It can be grown at lower elevations and produces more coffee cherries in a year. It is also cheaper to cultivate than arabica. Robusta is responsible for 40% of all coffee produced in the world. Although a poor-quality batch may taste like burnt rubber, a premium coffee made from specialty beans can match the taste of Arabica. The problem is with a few exceptions most of the robusta sold on the market comes only from plantations that are only focused on quantity. The high level of caffeine in the beans makes them invulnerable to diseases and pests. It's this fact that makes Robusta a popular option for traditional diner coffee and instant coffee. However, while certain companies advertise their product as 100 arabica-based, they typically mix it with other varieties of robusta to save money and offer their customers the least desirable cup of coffee. Robusta is known to have a stronger bitter, sour and more grainy taste than arabica. It may also have a nutty, peanut or dark chocolate taste. These flavors may be unpleasant to some or too strong for others. Origin Coffee beans are actually seeds that grow inside tiny, vibrant fruits called coffee berries. When https://www.coffeee.uk/categories/coffee-beans are mature, the fruit are removed from the coffee plant and split into two beans. The beans are then roasted and then used to make our favourite drink. Arabica is the most adored variety of beans around the world. They are well-known for their smooth, non-bitter taste. They are also renowned for their complexity and are able to provide many different flavors. The primary regions of cultivation for these beans are Africa, Central America and South America, where the conditions for making high-quality coffee are optimal. They are more expensive than Robusta because their growth requires more care. For the flavor profile to develop, they require specific temperatures and adequate rainfall. In fact, the finest coffee beans around originate from Africa and the continent of Africa, where many coffee farms are owned by family-owned farms that operate on a micro-scale. When buying coffee, it's important to consider whether the coffee is single origin or not. "Single Origin" could mean a number of things however it usually indicates that the coffee is from one particular farm, or region within a country. Third wave coffee is good because you can experience it in the purest form by knowing where it originated from. Grind A good-quality brew begins with the best coffee beans, however the process of grinding, brewing and serving can alter the flavor of your beverage. You can discover the perfect blend of coffee by playing around with different grind sizes and brewing methods. The size of the grind plays a significant role in how the soluble coffee solids are extracted from the ground during making, and this affects the taste of your coffee. If the grind is too fine, water isn't able to penetrate the ground to pull the soluble coffee solids out. This is called under extraction and could result in weak coffee. If the grind is too fine, water goes through the coffee too quickly and experiences an over extraction, resulting in bitterness. You can purchase pre-ground coffee however, it is recommended to buy whole bean and grind your own beans as soon as you can prior to brewing. This will keep your beans fresher and longer than if they had been pre-ground. A burr grinder is a preferred tool to create a consistent grind, but you can also use a hand-grinder or a food processor, or a mortar and pestle. Burr grinders come with two cutting discs, which break the beans into a specific grind consistency by adjusting the distance between burrs. A smaller gap creates the finest grind, whereas a larger one produces a coarser grind. Storage Coffee beans degrade at an astonishing rate once they've been opened. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep the bean bag tightly closed and only grind as much as you need for your next brew. It is possible to purchase the resealable containers that rid the air and permit CO2 to escape after the beans are ground. Whole bean coffee can remain in its best condition for up to a month when stored properly. However, once ground the quality of your coffee could begin to decline in less than 30 minutes. That is why it's best to only grind as much as you need and then store the rest in an airtight and opaque container. You can pick from a wide selection of attractive and simple-to-use containers for storing coffee. Some are vacuum sealed to stop moisture from getting inside. Some even have a single-way valve that releases the gasses released by freshly roasted coffee which can prolong the beans' freshness. The best place to keep the coffee you haven't used is in a cool, dark area with constant temperature. Avoid keeping your coffee near your oven or stove as the heat can accelerate chemical reactions that weaken the coffee. Also, keep the beans out of direct sunlight since they will absorb the light and reduce their flavor.