Pour-over coffee tasting guide: Choosing the perfect coffee beans

Choosing the Perfect Coffee Beans

Hand brewed coffee is a delicate culinary art, and choosing the right coffee beans is the most important step. Good coffee beans can bring you a rich variety of flavors and aromas, allowing you to enjoy a unique and delicious coffee experience.

First of all, you should choose fresh and well-preserved coffee beans. Freshness is crucial for hand-brewed coffee, because only high freshness can ensure that the beans are full of rich and complex flavor substances. When purchasing, you can check whether the roasting date is marked on the package, and try to choose products that are close to the roasting date or have good sealing and vacuum packaging.

Choose the one that suits your taste preferences and experience needs

Everyone has different preferences and needs for drinking coffee, and these factors also need to be considered when choosing hand-brewed coffee beans. If you like a strong and strong taste, you can choose deeply roasted coffee beans, which usually have a heavier taste and a mellow experience. If you prefer a light and soft taste, you can choose lightly roasted or medium roasted coffee beans.

In addition, you can also choose coffee beans according to your preferences for different flavor characteristics. Some people like coffee with obvious fruity aroma and high acidity, which is usually found in coffee beans produced in African countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya. Some coffee beans produced in South America such as Colombia and Brazil tend to have a nutty aroma and a balanced taste.

Learn about different origins and varieties

The rich and diverse flavors of hand-brewed coffee come from the small but important details between different origins and varieties. The unique climate conditions and soil composition of each origin will affect the special properties of the beans that are finally grown.

For example, Ethiopia is recognized as the "original land", and its coffee beans usually have strong floral and fruity aromas. Colombia is known for its soft taste and balanced acidity. Brazil is planted on a large scale, so it is more often used as a blended coffee around the world.

Effect of grinding method on taste

In hand brewing coffee, the grinding method is also an important part that cannot be ignored. Different degrees of grinding will directly affect the contact time and temperature between water and coffee, thus changing the flavor presented in the final cup.

Generally speaking, coarser particle sizes are suitable for drip-type hand-pour equipment such as V60, Indian pot, etc., while finer particle sizes are suitable for pressure-type hand-pour equipment such as French press, Moka pot, etc. After selecting beans, you need to make corresponding adjustments based on the equipment you have.

Master the water quality and temperature

In addition to choosing good beans and grinding them properly, water quality and temperature are also key factors in making perfect hand-brewed coffee.

First of all, the water should be clean and odorless. It is best to use filtered water or mineral water, and avoid using tap water that contains a lot of chlorine or other impurities.

Secondly, temperature control is also very important. Generally speaking, the best brewing temperature is between 90℃-96℃. If the temperature is too high, the coffee will be over-extracted and produce a bitter taste; if the temperature is too low, the flavor substances in the coffee beans may not be fully extracted.

Enjoy your own hand-brewed coffee

By choosing the right coffee beans, selecting the ones that suit your taste preferences and experience needs, understanding the different origins and varieties, mastering the grinding methods, and correctly adjusting the water quality and temperature, you will be able to make your own perfect hand-brewed coffee.

Each cup is a new journey of trial and discovery. In this process, you can adjust according to your personal preferences and slowly develop your sensitivity and appreciation for different flavors. Enjoy the process and savor each cup of your own hand-brewed coffee.