mdolla: Best Coffee Beans Tips

When it comes to determining where the best coffee beans come from, there is always a long argument about where one can get the best coffee beans in the world. After much research, I can boldly say that they best coffee beans can be obtained from Columbia, Hawaii, Kenya, Philippines, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Brazil, Uganda, Mexico, and South and Central America. Recently, India can also be included among the countries that have the best coffee beans. Almost all of these are derived from the Arabica bean.

To know the countries where the best coffee beans are grown, we have to investigate where in the world coffee can be cultivated. South America has the largest coffee plantations. Brazil alone contributes over than 50 percent of all coffee cultivated worldwide. Naturally, coffee does well between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, in an area known as the coffee region. Virtually all the coffee beans you buy have been grown in this area. Even though the coffee beans are harvested in this region, they may be roasted in another location

The coffee bean is a seed, and it grows within the fruit of the coffee plant, which looks a bit like a cherry with a pit inside. The coffee seed is called a bean simply because it physically looks similar to a true bean. While many different types of coffee beans exist, the most common types are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica beans are most of those on the market. Because Arabica is a higher quality bean, these beans make a coffee that is very smooth, with little acidic taste, although this is not always true. Robusta beans, as the name implies, produce a clearer and bitterer taste. They contain at least twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans do.

Sometimes, the taste and quality of a coffee bean depend on the environment in which it was cultivated. Coffee plants need lots of rainfall in the early months of fruit growth and less so afterward when the fruit begins to mature. For this reason, to get the best coffee beans, it is advisable to grow then in rainforest regions.

After harvest, the seeds need to be separated from the fruit. One process for doing this is called wet processing. The seeds are immersed in water for two or three days to get rid of the excess flesh or pulp which may be clinging to the seeds. A second method is called dry processing. In this case, the fruit is selected and spread out in the sun for two to three weeks, during which time it is turned regularly. This is the most efficient way to process coffee beans.

Roast ‘Em

The next step in creating a good cup of coffee is roasting. The roasting method heats up the beans at a temperature of around 240 degrees Celsius, which counterbalances the extreme, often offensive flavor profiles of unroasted beans. The newly roasted beans can offer many flavors, even smoky or spicy flavors. The amount of time that the bean is roasted for will determine the flavor profile and level of caffeine in the finished product. Beans roasted longer have a bright black color, and they have a bitter and thick taste. They are also known for producing a soothing sensation. Lightly roasted beans, which are roasted for a shorter period, can be better, sweeter, and softer, and even flowery in flavor.

Some people believe that more lightly roasted beans have more caffeine. For some coffee consumers, the amount of caffeine is the most important element to consider when buying beans. A Robusta bean coffee does have more caffeine than an Arabica coffee. Is the purpose of your cup of coffee to wake you up or to provide flavor? Those who need more caffeine may gain from an espresso instead of a natural drip blend.

On the Grind

After the roasting of the coffee bean is finished, it is ready for use in brewing coffee. The beans you buy in stores are usually divided between blends and single-origin coffees. Think of this as similar to wines: for example, a red blend is different from a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Coffee blends are exactly that: a mixture of two or more roasted beans, combined to make an excellent flavor of coffee. Coffee roasters will match beans to balance the bitterness and take the flatness off of unrefined beans. A mixture could contain different varieties of beans from all over the coffee belt.

A single-origin coffee implies that the beans originate from one area and one location only. Single-origin beans can have a surprisingly bitter taste, or they can have a strong sweet taste. Single-origin beans are for coffee lovers. They may have a mild taste, or they can provide a wide range of flavor profiles.

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