Choosing A Coffee To Suit Your Tastes - Made Simple
We're all working (or not working) from home so it’s likely you've had more time to contemplate your daily jolt of the luscious brown stuff. As someone who has spent possibly too much time pondering their next brown brew I thought I'd share my learnings below to help you find the right coffee for you amongst the plethora of options out there on the web.
Perhaps coffee is part of your morning ritual, or just a moment away from the screen to gain some clarity that you'd been missing. Either way - now that you're stuck inside without your trusty local barista at hand to guide you through what's on the menu I wanted to ensure that you aren't missing out on getting the good stuff. If you like good coffee then this handy little walkthrough will help you use your preferred tastes and brew methods to know what to go for.
1. Caffeine or Decaf?
The first question we’ve got to ask is, 'are you here for caffeine?' Because if you’re not we can point you straight to our our Peruvian Decaf which we have ensured is versatile enough to be brewed well on most brew methods. Ideally, it is pulled as an espresso, but is equally great on the Moka Pot and Cafetiere. Don’t worry if you think the beans are looking a little dark, decaffeinated beans tend to colour faster than regular beans in the roaster - we still roast them to highlight their origin, sweetness and body.
You’re still reading because you are after the good stuff and that we have plenty of.
2. Espresso or Filter?
Coffee roasters usually roast coffee to be best suited to certain styles of brewing method. Generally speaking you can pretty much classify these 'roast profiles' into Espresso and Filter roasts where Espresso is typically heavier and more full bodied compared to the lighter Filter profiles.
My advice is this: If you have an espresso machine, moka pot or automatic bean-to-cup machine then you should be looking for coffees roasted for espresso. Alternatively - if you just really want rich, full bodied coffee that's lower in acidity then take a look at espressos and especially espresso blends.
If you're using filter brewing methods like pour over, v60, Chemex and Aeropress or you just prefer a lighter more nuanced style of coffee then Filter roasts is where you want to be looking.
3. Flavour
Next we should determine what flavour characteristics you are after and then finally I have some specific recommendations on which brew method might work best with each- Do you like a coffee that is bright, juicy and full of fruit? If yes - then take a look at coffees specifically from Africa. The paper filter method of pour-over, v60 and Chemex really highlights the brightness in these coffees so is a perfect match.
-
Maybe you prefer something with a bit of body but easy drinking? Stick to Central and South American coffees and you cant go wrong. These are the best bet if you plan on adding milk too. Also try this if you're using Aeropress as it can really bring out the body to cut through milk;
- Do you prefer something a little less lively and favour nuts, chocolate and a creamy body? Try a darker roast or even one of the espresso blends for nice full and rich flavours that turn to caramel in milk
Soon you will begin to develop an understanding of what to expect from certain origins and how to brew best with what you have, but like everything good, there are always surprises along the way. Enjoy the journey.
