Select Your Espresso Beans Wisely
Any gourmet coffee connoisseur knows that a great cup of espresso stems from good quality espresso beans. The three main areas of importance that contribute to the quality are what country it comes from, the roast, and the blend.
Coffee beans are harvested in over 70 countries worldwide, but was first grown in the Arab world. Brazil is by and large the current world-leader in coffee production. Indonesia, Colombia and Vietnam are not much behind. Generally speaking, the quality of beans from these countries continues to be consistently high. When coffee beans are purchased from these countries the chances are greatly reduced that you’ll wind up with a mediocre batch. Of course, exceptional coffee plants can be found in other places. It’s just good to keep in mind that the C. arabica plant is the most highly regarded. C. arabica plants thrive in high altitudes and lower temperatures. Lower altitudes produce the C. canephora plants that are of significantly lower quality. Be sure to know where your coffee beans are coming from.
The coffee we consume isn’t made with raw coffee berries. If it were, it would taste quite unpleasant and bitter. What we know as coffee beans are the result of raw coffee berries undergoing a roasting process. There are light, medium, and dark roasts. A light, or cinnamon roast, yields a somewhat delicate flavor. The term cinnamon is used to describe the light color of the roasted coffee bean, not the actual flavor. Medium roasts are maybe the most common. They are usually heartier and sweeter than light roasts. Many coffee grounds bought at the supermarket are in the medium roast family. Lastly, there are dark roasts. Dark roasted coffee possesses a noticeably strong and pungent flavor. It’s often consumed “black”, or without milk. The richly aromatic flavor of a dark roast makes it perfect for espressos.
Once the various roasts are understood, it can be easy to ascertain why coffee blends have grown to be quite popular. By mixing different beans, entirely new flavor combinations can be achieved. Some of the most common blends have names like “breakfast blend”, “espresso blend” and so on. The fact is that coffee bean blending possibilities are truly endless. Given that coffee is grown worldwide, and roasted in lots of different ways, it’s safe to assume that there are thousands of coffee blending choices. One just has to choose whether or not they prefer a commercial blend, such as the ones sold by Starbucks, or a uniquely concocted regional blend. It is important to remember that espresso drinks use darkly roasted beans. Make sure to examine the packaging of any coffee blend to make sure that only dark beans are used.
It may seem challenging trying to find the best espresso beans. All it takes is a basic knowledge of the different locales and roasts, and the way the beans are combined. Add in a true passion for coffee, and let the exciting search get started. Of course, it all boils down to personal tastes and preferences. What one person may find unpleasant might be your golden cup of joe.
Do you enjoy your espresso coffee, but don’t like being forced to drive all the way to the coffee shop to get some? Wish you could make great tasting espresso at home? Now you can. Espresso makers have evolved quite a bit in recent years, nowadays it’s not necessary to be an expert to brew a cup of great tasting espresso.