Diving into the coffee world can prove to be a bit daunting. Considering all the nuances involved with bean selection, brew styles, and ways you can serve, it is enough to drive people to pick the first thing on the menu or store shelf.
However, it doesn’t need to be that stressful. When choosing the best type of coffee for your taste, considering the items below will help you make the best decision for your taste buds.
Look at the beans
While this may seem like an odd request, checking the beans out for yourself can point you in the right direction. When you open the bag and inhale the aroma of the delicious fresh roasted coffee beans inside, you will either love or hate what wafts through your nose.
When you can narrow down what flavors pique your interest, you can often discover if you are fond of light, medium, or dark roast. From there, finding varieties that you will enjoy becomes much more manageable.
Read the packaging
`After you fulfill your sniffing duties, take the time to review the packaging. You want to see what the brand mentions about the roasting location. The coffee beans of higher quality will have details about the geographic location and the methods they use for roasting.
You may not realize this, but beans taste different depending on where production occurs. You may come to find that blends from certain regions speak to your taste buds in a pleasant way. If this happens, you can narrow your focus to those specific areas when shopping in the future.
Check the date
While you may be used to looking for an expiration date on products, you will be looking for a \date of a different variation on your coffee. Scour the packaging for a “Roasted On” date. This date shows when producers made the beans into the flavor and roast that they are currently. The key to purchasing is looking for a package with the most recent roasting date you can find.
Most producers say that coffee beans reach their ultimate peak about a week and a half after roasting. Therefore, you will get the best taste within that time frame.
Gather the equipment
The last stage of the game is to brew your beverage in the right way to garner the best taste. This step starts with the type of machine you have. It’s essential to remember that you may need a more delicate coffee ground to get the best result if your device or drink of choice calls for a specific variety.
If you enjoy lattes, cappuccinos, or a standard espresso, you will want to practice drawing the right shots and foaming your milk. Top your drink off with your flavoring or creamer of choice, and you are ready to enjoy!
Before you go
Don’t become frustrated if your drink doesn’t taste the best right from the get-go. Those who sell drinks at coffee shops make hundreds per day and still make mistakes. Choosing the best coffee for your taste and brewing it the correct way is a process that will take several rounds of trial and error to figure out.