The ultimate guide: All you need to know when buying coffee (2021)
This is the most comprehensive guide you'll find on buying coffee.
I understand how difficult it is to find coffee that tastes great.
Most of the coffee I've bought shouldn't even be called coffee.
If this problem is familiar to you, I've got you covered.
This is a complete guide on buying coffee. The best coffee you'll ever taste.
So if you want to bless your tastebuds with amazing, tasty, and delicious coffee this guide is for you.
Tip#1: Get Whole-Bean Coffee
Why is it important to get whole-bean coffee?
Whole-bean coffee contains more flavour, it's fresh and aromatic as opposed to ground coffee which tends to lose its aroma and flavour easily.
You can easily get whole-bean coffee and it's easy to locate as it's always written on the package of the coffee.
It's best if you grind your whole-bean by yourself before brewing.
The most important thing is ensuring that you have a good coffee machine and adequate coffee accessories so you don't end up wasting your coffee bean.
Tip#2: Check Roast Date
If you seriously want to buy coffee that tastes great then you must check the roast date.
Now while coffee isn't going to make you sick if it's been 4 or 5 weeks since its roast date, there's this freshness and taste that no longer exists by that time.
It's best to consume coffee anywhere between 7 to 14 days after its roast date.
But if it's not been up to 7 days since its roast date then such coffee beans should be avoided.
This is because the coffee bean is still too fresh and hasn't finished degassing.
Although some coffee beans are still great even after 14 days, there are a lot of factors that determine this so it's best to simply avoid it.
Tip #3: Know The Origin Of The Coffee Bean
The more you know about the coffee bean you're purchasing the better.
A coffee bean is an ingredient and it's not just enough to buy whole-bean coffee.
The origin of a coffee bean helps to determine the flavour, taste, if it has sugar even how long it can last after the roast date.
Here's a list of how coffee beans taste depending on its origin:
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South America(Brazil): Sweet flavour, light aroma.
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South America(Mexico): Slight acidic taste.
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South America(Columbia): Slight bitter taste, intense aroma.
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South America(Costa Rica): Fruity, sweet taste.
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Asia (Indonesia): Two coffee bean variants; Java (very bitter) and Sulawesi(intense flavour).
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Africa (Ethiopia): Fruity and Floral notes of citrus and jasmine.
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Africa(Tanzania): Intense aroma.
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Africa(Kenya): Fruity flavour.
Ensure to check the package for the origin so you know what you're going for before buying it.
Tip #4: Know The Classification Of Coffee Bean
There are two main classifications of coffee bean:
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Arabica
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Robusta
Arabica coffee bean: These coffee beans come with sweet notes of berries, fruits, and sugar. These beans have high acidity.
Robusta coffee bean: These beans contain two times more caffeine than Arabica coffee beans. They have a bold and strong flavour.
Tip#5: Know Your Taste Preference
This is the most important tip that should be stressed on, know your taste preference.
What kind of coffee do you like? not what kind of coffee your friend or neighbour says tastes great.
It doesn't matter how great a coffee is, if it's not what your taste bud wants you going to end up calling it trash.
Almost every single Tip I've listed is to prevent you from buying coffee that doesn't suit your taste.
Tip#6: Caffeine
I understand how addicting coffee can be, but then it sometimes affects the human body.
When the intake of coffee is high it can have adverse effects on the body but there are some cases when even with little dosage it has an effect on some people.
This is because of Caffeine.
According to a 2016 study, 1kg of Arabica beans contains 34.1-38.5g of caffeine while 1kg of Robusta beans contain 68.6-81.6g of caffeine.
Also the amount of caffeine in a cup is affected by the brewing method.
Espresso is served in smaller portions than other brewed coffee because it contains the highest amount of caffeine.
The method of brewing coffee that results in the least amount of caffeine is used for Decaffeinated coffee.
Tip#7: Packaging
Everyone is attracted to great packaging.
But does great packaging translate into great products? Not really.
Which is why this tip isn't really about how the package looks.
First, coffee beans in airtight packaging retain their flavour and aroma better. This doesn't necessarily mean that all good coffee beans come in airtight packages.
Second, the only way to follow most of the tips on this guide is to check the packaging for all the information you need to know.
It is important that the packaging contains most of this information so you have a clear idea of what you're buying.
Tip#8: Where To Buy Coffee?
While this is the ultimate guide to buying coffee, it's important for you to know the perfect place to get coffee from.
Well firstly don't get it from supermarkets, with supermarkets their main aim is to make sales and no one really bothers to check the coffee bean quality.
The best place you can get coffee from isn't actually a place, you just have to find a dealer that understands the importance of high quality coffee.
This could vary from local roasters to local coffee shops, etc.
This might be one of the difficult things to do but it is important.
That's it all you need to know when buying coffee.
This is all the information you need to buy great coffee, but ensure that you have the right machine and accessories so that you can truly enjoy great coffee.
Please feel free to check our website for the best coffee & accessories!
Here's one tip so you can enjoy your coffee: Grind it right before you brew.
This isn't exactly necessary but if you want your coffee to retain that freshness and flavor you might want to try this.