So what if you’re a complete novice and don’t have the luxury of a knowledgeable salesperson? Simply trust your eyes, and nose. Good coffee beans are well-shaped, smooth and smell good. If your gut says, “this is good coffee’ - it probably is. If the beans smell mediocre and look unappealing, the coffee will be too.
If it’s at all possible, try out a variety of different coffee beans to get a feel for what kind of flavor you prefer. Choose from mild or full-bodied; floral, nutty or wine-flavored for example. When you find one you like, you’re on your way to coffee heaven. Remember: Good coffee beans fulfill all the requirements listed above but must also meet your personal preference for taste!
If you think you’re hooked you might want to learn more about where coffee is grown and which beans are considered superior by connoisseurs. That way you can taste as many of them as possible (if only to see whether you agree!). The countries where good coffee beans are grown include: Latin America, Africa, Indonesia and even Hawaii
( Kona Coffee!)
.
What about roasts? Good coffee beans can be found in light, medium to dark roasts and even ‘French’ or ‘Italian’ roasts (which are very dark roasts). Experiment with different roasts until you find the perfect one for your taste and then buy it, in bagfuls if need be!
What about blended coffee? Some specialty and gourmet stores make their own coffee blends but you can also find some standard blends, for example, mocha-java - which is a blend from Yemen. Whatever the blend make sure it’s made from good coffee beans that are freshly ground and roasted.
Right! You’ve found the perfect coffee bean and bought a bagful (maybe two?) so now you need to keep it that way. Coffee is very sensitive to heat and moisture so make sure you know how to store it when you get home. Good coffee beans can soon become bad beans if you expose them to the wrong conditions.
Always store your coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dry area of the kitchen. If you aren’t going to use all the beans in one week or freshly ground coffee buy less next time and never store good coffee beans in the freezer as this will destroy the oils in the beans that give it its flavor.
For superior coffee we recommend buying a coffee grinder and making up a batch of good coffee beans each day. You don’t have to be a coffee expert to agree that there is nothing quite as satisfying as an excellent cup of coffee after a long day’s work or at break time. The trick to taste satisfaction lies in learning how to choose good coffee beans or rather the best coffee beans! Good luck and happy drinking!
