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How to choose quality coffee?

Most coffee fans are not coffee gourmets and are open-minded about their favorite drink. For "coffee lovers" taste and duration of action of Coffee matters. What is the difference between different types of Coffee, and how to choose quality Coffee?

There are not so many differences in coffee trees. These are representatives of the same species that adapt to growing conditions (different soils, environmental temperatures) and show corresponding differences in fruit size, grain size and yield. There are two diametrically opposed groups of coffee beans (Arabica and Robusta), which differ in the degree of content in them of a substance that acts on the nervous system (Caffeine alkaloid) - in Robusta beans its concentration is higher than in Arabica beans, but the concentration of volatile aromatic substances is distributed in the opposite way . That is Arabica beans are more fragrant than Robusta beans. Coffee packages do not specify exactly how many Robusta or Arabica beans are contained in the Coffee, but when indicating that the package contains Arabica beans, information is given about the fact that this type of Coffee will have a very strong and well-loved typical Coffee aroma. Robusta grains are mixed in a certain percentage to the total mass of grains in order to endow Coffee with a more effective invigorating effect. By manipulating these characteristics of the coffee bean, as well as the content of other chemical compounds in the beans, such as acids, oils, esters, proteins, the effect of a variety of coffee bean varieties is achieved.

There are several technologies for the preparation of the Coffee drink, which leave an imprint on the taste characteristics of Coffee and on its expected invigorating effect. Coffee bean roasting technology is of great importance, which affects the future taste of the Coffee drink and the time effect of drinking Coffee. Dried and unroasted coffee beans have a greenish-gray hue. If coffee beans are sold unroasted, which is very rare for the consumer, since only professionals in coffee production can engage in self-roasting coffee beans, then there should not be brown, black, or whitish beans among them, as this is considered signs of rotten or outdated coffee beans.

There are five degrees of roast for Coffee Beans, but for people who are used to buying Coffee and not preparing it for themselves, the most common are three degrees of roast, which are indicated on the packages of Coffee (bean, ground or freeze-dried) - this is “one-two " (lightly roasted), "three" (medium roasted) and "four-five" (heavy roasted). The degree of roast coffee affects its taste, which varies from slightly bitter to very bitter. The choice of the degree of bitterness of the taste of Coffee belongs to the sphere of personal preferences, and you can choose an acceptable intensity of the bitter taste of Coffee for yourself only by trying and comparing all the proposed options for roasting coffee beans.

What gives the pre-roasting of coffee beans is the ability to change the overall taste and aroma of the future drink, which will vary depending on the degree of roasting in the range from grassy taste to outright bitterness, from a weak aroma to a richer one. This taste and aroma is provided by the release during the heat treatment of the beans of such a component as Coffeeol (a volatile aromatic compound that gives the drink a typical coffee aroma, for which the alkaloid Tigonellin is responsible, which turns into Pyridine during heat treatment). Light roasted coffee beans are beige (light brown) in color, medium roasted coffee beans are rich brown in color, and heavy roasted coffee beans are black-brown in color. Despite the fact that heavily roasted coffee beans are very reminiscent of burnt coffee beans in taste and smell, this degree of roasting finds fans for itself, as heavily roasted coffee has a bitter and strong taste, which is also “invigorating” like any bitterness.

Coffee beans also contain organic acids, including citric acid, which gives the coffee some degree of acidity. On the packaging of coffee, as a rule, indicate the degree of acidity. The higher the acidity, the more careful you need to use Coffee, as a high degree of acidity harms the digestive tract.

In the preparation of coffee beans, a lot of technological methods are hidden that are inaccessible to the knowledge and ability to recognize the flavors of the coffee product being sold. For example, some firms may treat coffee beans with sugars, spices, and nutty flavors before roasting, which gives each coffee product its own distinct flavor profile, in addition to traditionally expected flavor differences. Such subtleties are not indicated on Coffee packages, which determines the dissimilarity and secrecy of the recipe for preparing coffee beans, and, therefore, creates opportunities for Coffee product manufacturers to offer their unique product on the market.

If you drink Coffee in small sips, savoring its taste, you can learn to distinguish shades of taste up to grassy, spicy and caramel flavors. This approach to the hobby of Coffee is like wine tasting, when you can learn to enjoy the taste of the drink, studying its composition by taste and smell.

It is important for the consumer to know that the Coffee drink has a brown color only if the Coffee is made as freeze-dried (powder, granules). In all other cases, the coffee bean drink (whole or ground) must be colorless until the coffee has been brewed. To determine the quality of Coffee, you need to throw a few coffee beans or a pinch of ground Coffee into cold water and stir with a spoon. If the water turns into any color, this indicates that dyes have been added to the Coffee. Natural Coffee (bean and ground) colors the water only after brewing (digestion of the corresponding natural coloring substances).

The size of the beans is important when choosing coffee beans, as the premium coffee differs from the first-class coffee in large grains. The best varieties of Coffee may not be available to the consumer due to the fact that the fruits of the coffee tree plant with high quality, as a rule, are not so productive that coffee beans can be distributed everywhere. But bean coffee is always preferable to ground or freeze-dried coffee, as there is little opportunity for it to be counterfeited.

The degree of grinding of coffee beans is no less important for choosing a method of preparing Coffee than its variety (variety). In total, there are eight degrees of grinding coffee beans - from coarsely ground to powdered (in the form of powder). As a rule, ground coffee in factory packaging has a coarse or medium degree of grinding, which does not allow it to be brewed with boiling water. This type of grinding Coffee is suitable only for brewing in a coffee machine, coffee maker or in a cezve. If a home coffee grinder allows you to grind coffee beans into powder, then it makes sense to grind ready-packed ground coffee to a state of powder before use, then such coffee can be brewed with boiling water and allowed to brew in a coffee pot.

Instant (sublimated) Coffee also has its own characteristics of quality. When brewing this type of coffee, it must be completely soluble in water, that is, no sediment should remain at the bottom of the cup or coffee pot. If the sediment still exists, this indicates that ground Coffee has been added to the freeze-dried Coffee. Some manufacturers write about it on the packaging, but not all manufacturers admit to adding ground Coffee impurities to freeze-dried coffee. This mixture of freeze-dried and ground coffee is not a quality product, since freeze-dried coffee releases its invigorating components even in cold water, and ground coffee powder cannot be brewed without boiling water.

Product Coffee is very demanding on storage conditions, which is always reflected on the product packaging. Too warm and humid atmosphere in the room where the Coffee is stored will contribute to its rapid molding, which will spoil the taste and aroma of the Coffee. Bean Coffee has a longer shelf life than ground coffee. And all types of coffee products lose their aroma over time, as aromatic compounds oxidize in contact with atmospheric oxygen and turn into other substances that do not have the original aroma.

When choosing high-quality Coffee, you should focus on its shelf life Coffee, storage method (packaging), grinding degree (or bean size) and your own taste preferences. The market for the Coffee product is so wide that each person can find a suitable Coffee option for himself, which will turn into a favorite drink for many years of life.