Do you know your coffee well ? Africa, the first word that comes to mind when you think of origins of Coffee. Eventually, the cultivation spread east and west, Europe, America and other countries across the globe. Coffee grows in regions with temperatures around 20 Deg C and moderate rain and rich porous soil. To buy some of our great coffee click here. But before you buy the coffee, know your coffee well.

1. ARABICA
2. ROBUSTA

Arabica coffee trees are grown at higher elevations (1800 feet or more), are more delicate and yield fewer beans per crop.

Robusta coffee trees are much hardier, may be grown at lower elevations, and have a high bean yield. The taste of Robusta beans is stronger than Arabica and the beans are smaller in size too.

Apart from these two there are Liberica, and Excelsa beans which are rarely found. If you are lucky you might run into the latter at a store in Southeast Asia. Although Liberia originated in West Africa. It soon travelled to Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines.

HOW TO BUY THE RIGHT COFFEE ?

1. IDENTIFY YOUR TASTE.

Every individual would most likely identify with a unique taste of coffee. Don’t get us wrong, everyone likes a little experimentation, but there is that very relatable taste of coffee that either you have grown up to or developed over time that you would call as your coffee taste. (tip: it can vary between couples, be prepared for a showdown)

Arabica coffee plants grow in high altitude hilly areas with low levels of oxygen and rocky grounds. Slightly acidic, smooth and rich taste. While, Robusta grows in lower altitude plains and has a relatively strong, bitter taste. 

2. DETERMINE CAFFINE CONTENT / ROAST PROFILE

Let us burst some myths first – contrary to the belief – dark roast coffee has the lowest amount of caffine. To get that real caffine kick first think in the morning you need to reach out to your light roast blend. Yes ! you read that right.

Coffee beans that are used to make espressos are in the medium roast category. Get the Roast right and your coffee will taste like heaven.

Tips to help you decide on the right roast :

• If you prefer coffee with lower acidity levels, then opt for a medium or medium-dark roast.
• To enjoy powerful naturally occurring flavor notes in your coffee, opt for a light roast. This will give you the best caffeine kick.
• Dark or Medium Dark Roasts and blended coffee beans play magic with the flavors, do give it a try rather than a single origin for this.
• A Dark roast with blended beans like Arabica and Robusta in ratio of 80/20 or 70/30 will add bitterness and body.

3. MATCH THE GRIND SIZE

Grind size of the Coffee Powder (if you buy ground coffee) depends on what equipment you use to brew the coffee. A quick reference is shown below that will help you identify and seek the best suited grind size for you.

Tip : In case you are not sure, always opt for a Medium Fine grind that works with most brewing equipment.

We aim to cover the basics to get you started with good quality coffee. In the next post you will find more details on the mistakes people make with coffee and other finer nuances.

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