Now that you have the brewing tools, the next step is to choose your favorite coffee beans! If you want to make a cup of coffee at home, how can you do it without coffee beans? Even a good cook cannot cook without rice.

(photo by homebrewcoffees)

So how do you buy the right coffee beans for yourself? There are many kinds of coffee beans, including those from a single origin, suitable for hand brewing, and blended beans, suitable for Italian style. There are different roasting degrees, different origins, different processing methods, etc. How do you choose?

The most important principle is to choose according to your taste. Under this premise, what else do you need to pay attention to?

See where the roaster is located

Many friends around me always think of certain brands imported from Italy when they mention buying coffee beans. But as a staple food, don’t you have to see where it is roasted first? Just like takeout, don’t you have to buy it from the nearest place? Otherwise, the coffee beans will be stale when they are sent from far away? Don’t look at the shelf life of 1 or 2 years written on the packaging bag. Of course, after a long time, the coffee can be drunk, but the aroma and taste will be gone, unless you just want to consume caffeine!

Although express delivery is well developed nowadays, it is best to ensure that it reaches you one week after baking, otherwise it will miss the best tasting period.

(photo brasilspecialtycoffee)

Check the baking date

So when buying coffee beans, you must check the roasting date. If you have done the first point, you can purposefully find independent coffee shops near your area. Generally, decent small shops roast beans every week, so you can easily buy coffee beans that have been roasted within a week, and you can drink them right away without having to raise beans separately (after the coffee beans are roasted, they need to be left for a while to vent, otherwise they will smell roasted when you drink them!)

Freshly roasted beans

(video by counterculturecoffee)

Look at the roasting degree

Why do we need to look at the roasting degree? If you have read my previous articles, you should still have some impression that beans with different roasting degrees have different flavor characteristics.

Light: Like a lively and energetic girl;

Highlight the floral and fruity notes of the coffee beans, with high acidity. If the beans are of good quality and the supplier has excellent roasting technology, you can usually get a cup of coffee with high-quality fruit acidity, such as lemon, citrus, berry, etc.

Medium: Like a gentle and loving mother;

The acidity is moderate, and the overall taste is relatively soft and balanced. If you don't like it too sour or too bitter, you can choose coffee beans with this moderate roasting degree.

Dark: Like a mature, steady and sometimes a little cold career woman;

There is almost no acidity, and in most cases, the bitter taste is prominent. Those who like a rich and heavy taste can choose this.

(photo by octopus_loaf)

See origin information, processing method

More mature coffee shops will clearly state on the beans packaging bags they sell where the beans come from, the geographical environment, the processing methods, and other information about the origin of the coffee beans.

The same type of coffee beans, the same roasting degree, and different processing methods will have different flavors.

Washed: has a cleaner taste.

Natural: It tastes sweeter, but if it is not handled properly during the sun-drying process, it may have unpleasant flavors.

Honey: Between washed and sun-dried. Soft acidity, slightly less sweet than sun-dried. Medium-thick taste.

(L➡️R: w/h/n; photo by coffee_and_tea_innerpeace)

If you see no origin information on the packaging bag, then you can skip this store.

Buy beans

How much should I buy at a time? The best tasting period of beans is within 1 month after roasting. Minus the first week of bean cultivation after roasting, it is recommended to buy within 2 weeks. Buy after you finish drinking, so that you can ensure freshness, and you can change the taste frequently and try different beans. You may discover a new world!

(photo by localeespresso)

Okay, guys, it’s time to go buy some coffee beans!

SOGAs COFFEE:

We are committed to spreading the culture of fine coffee! In today's fast-paced era, we can always maintain a positive and open mind to meet challenges. No matter how difficult it is, it is better to be grateful than to be embarrassed! You deserve a cup of good coffee for your hard work!