Here’s what you should know before making your next purchase.
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Specialty coffee is a booming sector and its getting almost as complex as choosing a bottle of wine.
food scientist and product development manager at Panaceutics
Heres what to look for before making your next purchase.
How to choose coffee beans
1.
Coffee beans are found in the cherry of the coffee plant.
Because theyre agriculturally derived, they dont have an infinite shelf life.
If the beans are old, theyll have a stale, flat flavor.
Just know the beans will lose flavor over time.
The darker the roast, the more intense the flavor will be.
Most coffee you purchase will likely be arabica, but its good to check, she says.
The reason to avoid already-ground beans whenever possibles is that the shelf life will be much shorter.
food scientist and product development manager at Panaceutics
Thats because more surface area of the bean is exposed to oxygen, says Jackson.
The grind size will entirely depend on the brewing method you prefer.
Theres natural or washed.
In the natural process, the coffee bean dries out in the cherry.
Different flavors come from different types of processing.
But its all preference, she says.
The majority of coffee beans are wet processed.
Neither is better or worse, but they do have different flavors profiles.
Some specialty coffee makers will denote the process pop in, but most do not.
Its the practices and philosophies of the company youre buying from.
Think about what attributes are important to you when you select produce.
This then extends to coffee too, says Jackson.
Coffee trees typically grow in regions where its easy for companies to exploit workers.
To me, its important to purchase from growers that have fair-trade practices.
Different beans for different brewing methods
Different brewing methods work best with certain grind sizes and roasts.
Cafe Femenino has a great mission and support women coffee growers.
Its also women-owned, says Jackson.
I love their single-originGuatemalanandPeruvianroasts.
Theyve exploded onto the specialty coffee scene and are from my home state of North Carolina.
I love using theirFast ForwardorHologramblends for everyday drinking, she says.
They also have an assortment of single-origin beans.
The company has great resources, and a variety of sources for their beans.
Their beans also tend to be lighter roast with more fruit-forward notes.
If you prefer light roast coffee, this option is a keeper.
The beans are also made to order and shipped directly from the roasting facility.
Shop now:Joe Van Gogh Let There Be Light Gourmet Coffee, $64 for 5 lbs.
These roasters have a thoughtfulness to their brand and process that I love, says Jackson.
Pretty sure sipping on either of those options would be a great way to start the day.
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