How to Buy Good Coffee Beans

If you are a coffee drinker, you know how popular the beverage has become. It is difficult to travel for more than a couple of miles without coming upon a coffee shop. 1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed each day throughout the world.

With the beverage being as popular as it is, have you ever thought about how it got its start?

The Background and History of Coffee

The history of coffee is long and complex and goes back many centuries. The first mention of coffee being consumed dates back to ancient Ethiopia where wild coffee plants are plentiful on the Ethiopian plateau. A goat farmer named Kaldi was the first known person to find and use coffee beans. Both Kaldi and his goats began eating the coffee berries from bushes; both had excess energy and had a hard time sleeping.

Kaldi shared these beans with the local monastery, where monks would brew the beans into a liquid. This helped parishioners stay awake during long prayer sessions.

After coffee started becoming popular, more people began discovering the delicious taste and alertness it provided. By the 15th century, coffee was becoming popular in Persia, Egypt, Turkey, and other surrounding areas.

Coffee Becomes Popular in Europe

Travelers in the 17th century began bringing coffee back to Europe. Europeans felt that this new beverage was created by Satan, but later it received approval from Pope Clement VIII. Once it received this clearance, it was widely accepted and grew into a favorite beverage in England, Austria, France, and Germany. By the middle of the 17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London alone.

Coffee Comes to America

By 1715, more coffee was being planted in Europe and when the Americas were discovered, shoots and seeds were brought over to the New World and the rest is history.

Today, coffee is grown in over 70 different countries and is one of the most popular beverages in the U.S. with over 2 billion cups being served each day.

How to Grow Coffee from Coffee Beans?

If you are wondering if you can grow your own coffee beans from plants, listen up, Here is a tutorial on what you will need to do to start the process:

If you follow these steps, you can easily enjoy the fruits of your labor.

A few things to remember:

• The best choices to grow coffee beans at home are Coffea Robusta and Coffea Arabica, which is the most popular coffee bean in the world. Arabica beans grow to about 12 feet tall, which makes them an ideal bush for home growers.
• You can grow coffee plants from cuttings or seeds (beans). You can purchase seeds, which must be unroasted from a coffee bean retailer or health food store.

Step 1: Germinating the Beans

• Soak beans in a bowl of water for 24 hours. Drain the water and rinse the beans.

Step 2: Plant the Beans in Soil

• Combine seed starting mix and a good potting soil. Put them in the soil spaced an inch apart. They should be in a pot that receives indirect sunlight, and the soil should be kept moist.

Step 3: Germination/Potting

• In 2-3 weeks, you should begin to see the beans sprouting in the soil, Continue watering, and providing indirect sunlight. When plans are about 6 inches tall, they can be planted in deeper pots or outside. The pot should have bottom drain holes. They should be re-potted each spring in a pot that is just a few inches larger than the previous pot.

Step 4: Care for the Coffee Tree

• Coffee plants are easy to care for as long as you water them regularly when the soil feels dry. Do not overwater!
• You can prune the plant to encourage new growth and remove all dead branches.
• The coffee plant should be fertilized with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks while it is starting. Established plants only need to be fertilized twice a year.

Types of Coffee Beans

There are over 100 different types of coffee beans, but we are going to focus on the nuances of Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica, some of the most popular varieties.

Arabica Coffee Beans

Arabica coffee beans are the most popular type of coffee bean, and some people will notice their favorite blend contains Arabica beans. 60% of all coffee produced is made from Arabica beans.

Taste: Arabica beans create a delicate coffee flavor with a strong acid content and smooth rich flavor.

Where Grown? The taste of Arabica beans depends on where it is grown. Most Arabica coffee is now grown in Brazil, but Ethiopia, Guatemala, Columbia, and Indonesia are also big producers of the Arabica bean.

Robusta Coffee Beans

Robusta Coffee Beans have a high caffeine content and grow in hot and humid climates.

Taste: Robusta coffee beans have an earthy, woody flavors, especially those grown in Africa, while those from Asia tend to be smooth and less bitter.

Where are they grown? Most Robusta coffee beans are grown in Uganda, the Congo, Ethiopia, as well as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Brazil. These areas have the climate best suited for Robusta beans.

Excelsa Coffee Beans

Excelsa Coffee beans are unique with a dark maroon color and oblong shape. They grow best in high altitudes which provides deep rich flavors.

Taste: Excelsa beans have a unique and varied flavor profile. They have a mellow aroma, but complex flavor that includes notes of nuts, chocolate, and caramel.

Where are they grown? Most Excelsa coffee beans are grown and harvested in Asia, where they grow in high elevations.

Liberica Coffee Beans

Of the four varieties listed, Liberica is the rarest and you won’t find coffee brewed with them at your neighborhood Starbucks. Liberica is produced in small amounts overseas and has only 2% global consumption.

Taste: Liberica coffee has a distinctive flavor with nutty tones. It has a strong bold taste, unlike other blends.

Processing Methods of Beans

While it seems like technology has taken over many parts of our lives, in some countries coffee beans are still harvested by hand.

After they are harvested, there are four different processing methods.

• Washed or wet processing
• Natural or dry pressing
• Giling Basah
• Carbonic maceration

Each of these methods produces green coffee beans, which are then roasted.

Choosing Your Coffee Beans (Why it’s essential to use the right beans)

We all have different tastes, so choosing the right coffee beans is the difference between coffee that is too acidic, too strong and bold, or just right!

Origins and Flavor Profiles

There are several key regions where coffee beans are grown, each with its own nuances. Here are some tips based on the top five coffee growing areas:

1. Ethiopia: Beans from Ethiopia are usually wet-processed and tend to be bold and fully flavored.

2. Kenya: Kenyan coffee combines a full body richness and a fruity acidity.

3. Colombia: Columbia is well known as a coffee producer, where it is grown on many small farms throughout the country. It has a sweetness and is considered to be delicate in flavor.

4. Guatemala: Coffee from this area has a distinctive taste and flavor, due in part to the rugged, volcanic soil that it grown in. The flavors are medium to full-bodied with spicy and chocolate notes.

5. Costa Rica: Coffee from Costa Rica is known for having a medium body and acidic tones, and many consider it to have the perfect balance of all coffees.

Whole vs. Ground Beans

Whether you purchase ground coffee or purchase beans and grind them yourself, most people agree that the freshest beans are those you grind yourself.

Type of grind

There are several different types of coffee grinds, what is chosen is up to the coffee drinker and their preference:

• Extra Course
• Course
• Medium Grind
• Medium Fine
• Fine
• Extra Fine

Should you Choose Organic, Fair Trade, or Direct Trade Coffee

If you don’t know what type of coffee you should buy, here is what you need to know to make an informed decision next time you make a coffee purchase.

• Organic Coffee: Organic coffee is grown without pesticides and fertilizers and must meet the strict standards put in place by the USDA.
• Fair Trade: This means that the farmers cultivating the coffee beans received a fair price for their beans. This certification is regulated by Fairtrade International.
• Direct Trade: Direct trade coffee means that the farmers and buyers have direct relationships so they can negotiate better prices than going through third parties.

Specialty Coffee and Grading Scale

Specialty coffee is rated on a scale. It entails visual inspection, professional tasting, and overall quality. The industry was created to profile new variations of coffee needed to meet the demand of coffee consumption.

Specialty coffee is rated using the SCAA Cupping form and those coffees that score over 80 get a specialty coffee distinction. The highest mark is 100, and those getting this score are creating a coffee of distinction.

Popularity for Different Coffee Drinks

There are a plethora of popular coffee drinks and more are popping up all the time. Some popular options include:

• Caffe Latte
• Caffe Mocha
• Caffe au Lait
• Espresso and double espresso
• Cappuccino
• Cold brew
• Espresso con Panna
• Espresso Macchiato
• Frappe
• Iced Latte
• Iced Mocha
• Lungo
• Ristretto

Storing Coffee Beans to Maintain Freshness

The best coffee is made with fresh coffee beans. Here are some tips to keep your beans fresh:

• Store beans in a cool, dry place.
• Keep them in an airtight container.
• Keep the container in a cool place away from heat and sunlight.
• Use them within six weeks of being purchased.
• Buy smaller amounts more frequently.

Coffee Brewing Methods

Coffee lovers find great ways to enjoy their favorite beverage.

• Cold brew: If you are craving iced or cold coffee on a hot day, just combine the coffee grounds in water and let it steep for 12 hours. Strain, then serve over ice.
• Classic brew: Most people know how to classically brew coffee. Put the desired amount in the coffee maker, add water, and wait for the water to boil and deliver the perfect cup of hot coffee.

How the Beans Will Affect the Flavor When Brewing

Everyone has their favorite type of coffee flavor, so they typically choose their favorite blend when making coffee. Coffee beans are grown all over the world and each area has its own soil, light, and other specifications. So beans from each area will impart different levels of acidity and different notes when enjoyed.

Where to Buy Good Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are easy to buy and you can purchase your favorite selections from many different sources:

• Local: Your favorite grocery store or coffee shop stocks numerous blends so you are sure to find one to meet your favorite profiles.
• Online: There are numerous options for purchasing coffee online, Some top marketers include Stumptown Coffee, The Roasterie, Higher Grounds Coffee, and many others.
• Coffee clubs: Coffee is a big business and there are many coffee clubs to prove it. Some favorites include Atlas, Driftaway, and Bean Box.

Summary

Though it has been around for centuries, coffee still covets its place as one of our top beverages. Coffee shops still pop up all the time, with new ones entering the fold. New coffee drinks are constantly being made, in both cold and hot versions to meet the growing trend for novel coffee drinks.

It is hard to escape the love of coffee and it is easy to find just about any place you go. Every restaurant is going to serve coffee and every grocery store is going to be stocked full of beans and grinds to meet the needs of those craving their morning cup of Joe.

No matter what time of coffee blend you prefer, there is one that will give you the boost you need with the flavor you most enjoy.