Despite the huge selection of coffee in stores, most buyers have difficulty choosing.
So how do you tell good coffee from bad and what criteria should you pay attention to when choosing? You'll find out about this now.
What to choose: Arabica or Robusta
There are two types of coffee popular in the world - Arabica and Robusta. If you like delicate and aromatic coffee, then you should choose 100% Arabica, since Robusta has almost twice as much caffeine, and it also has a more tart and flat taste.
But it is not realistic to find 100% robusta in the city stores. Often you can find a mixture of Arabica and robusta.
The optimal ratio is 80% Arabica and 20% Robusta. For those who prefer to drink strong coffee, it is worth choosing a darker roast.
As for robusta, many coffee shops have stopped using it, because with the right selection and preparation, you can make both delicate and strong coffee from 100% Arabica, and robusta always has a strong taste.
Please note: Store-bought coffee will not have a rich taste due to old roasting. In this case, it is worth giving preference to buying coffee online with fresh roasting.
How to tell good coffee from bad
Good coffee should smell like chocolate, and its packaging should be equipped with a special degassing valve, since coffee releases carbon dioxide during roasting, and the valve is necessary to preserve the quality of the product. But how can you tell good coffee from bad coffee in a store?
The easiest way is to smell the coffee through the degassing valve - squeeze the packaging slightly and smell the coffee through the valve.
If it smells like burnt seeds or dampness, then you should refuse to buy such coffee. You should also refuse to buy coffee if there is no valve on its packaging. The risk of running into a low-quality product in this case is very high.
Roasting date
Roasting is an important stage in coffee production. Initially, the beans have a green tint, and after the roasting process they acquire a chocolate color. And the fewer days pass from the moment of roasting, the tastier the coffee will be.
The most pronounced and varied taste comes from freshly roasted coffee, the beans of which are no older than 2 months.
And it's even better if the coffee is roasted less than a month ago. But, unfortunately, it's almost impossible to find such coffee in a regular store.
If you manage to find a pack of coffee with a roasting date of no more than 6 months, then this is a normal option. However, coffee roasted more than a year ago is not worth taking, since it has already lost its taste and aromatic qualities.
Roasting degree
There are three types of roasting levels - light, medium and dark. The higher the roasting level, the less varied and strong the taste.
Expensive varieties are never roasted to the maximum values and are often lightly roasted, since the taste of the coffee is better revealed in this case.
Therefore, if you prefer Americano or espresso, it is better to choose light or medium roast beans, since such coffee has a wide range of flavors and does not interrupt the subtle notes of coffee bitterness.
For lovers of cappuccino and latte, it is worth choosing coffee with medium and dark roasted beans.
