Choosing your ground or bean coffee is a difficult exercise… The commercial offer is plethoric and it’s difficult to find one’s way between appellation, origins, roasting, aromas, and so on. The taste of coffee changes according to different parameters, which we’ll explain in detail below.
In this article we guide you in your choice by delivering the key elements to take into account. Wondering how to choose the right coffee beans for you? Follow the guide!
How to choose your coffee beans
If you have an espresso machine with grinder, a coffee grinder or a thermomix, you have the chance to buy coffee beans, which preserves all the coffee’s aromas and flavor.
But then which coffee bean to choose for espresso machine? What criteria should you take into account?
Roasting
The roasting consists in cooking the green coffee beans to make them fit for consumption.
This crucial stage gives the coffee its taste, aroma, flavor and texture. A lightly roasted coffee will be acidic, while an over-roasted coffee will be bitter. So it’s important to find the right balance between these two extremes.
A light to medium roast produces a mild, balanced coffee. The higher the degree of roasting, the more full-bodied the coffee.
Arabica or Robusta?
Among coffee varieties, the two undisputed stars are Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica accounts for 70% of the world’s coffee production. With its delicate flavors and hint of acidity, it is prized by aficionados. Varieties include Blue Mountain, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, San Ramon, Typica, Tico and others.
Robusta, which contains twice as much caffeine, has a fuller-bodied taste. Robusta varieties include Java-Ineac, Nana, Congensis, etc.
Blend or pure origin?
Robusta is full-bodied, more bitter and powerful, but less aromatic than Arabica, which is finer and sweeter. Blending them allows you to blend flavours and gain in subtlety, but there’s nothing to stop you drinking them pure without blending if they suit your palate better.
Coffee origin
The range of flavors is immense, depending in particular on where the coffee is harvested. Brazilian coffee is rather mild, Colombian exhales notes of caramel, Costa Rican is fruity, Ethiopian is quite floral, Guatemalan is spicy… Choose the aromatic profile of the coffee according to your tastes, experimenting to find the one that suits you.
Which coffee by type of machine and coffeemaker?
Here’s how to choose coffee depending also on your coffee machine or coffee maker.
Which coffee to choose for an espresso machine
If your machine has a grinder, take bean coffee. If so choose a fine to medium-ground coffee for optimal percolation..
In fact, the water must be able to pass through at an appropriate speed to infuse perfectly. If it passes too quickly due to too coarse a grind, the espresso will be light and surely without crema.
So how to choose ground coffee for your espresso machine?
Make sure it’s compatible with a semi-automatic espresso machine, and start with a medium grind. If you want a stronger coffee, use a fine grind. It’s often necessary to experiment before finding the ideal grind.
Remember to pack it well for the best result.
Which coffee to choose for an Italian coffee maker
Don’t use ground coffee for espresso, as the grind is too fine, or ground coffee for filter coffee makers, as the grind is too coarse. A medium grind will be best for your filter coffee maker.
Which coffee to choose for a piston coffee maker
A fine grind is not suitable for a plunger coffee maker, as the grounds pass through the plunger grate during brewing. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee will be too light and will not infuse sufficiently.
A medium to coarse grind is recommended.
Which coffee to choose for a filter coffee maker
For filter coffee makers, use a medium grind to ensure good water flow. Too fine a grind slows down water flow and accentuates the coffee’s bitterness. If the grind is too coarse, the water runs off too quickly and doesn’t take on the taste of the coffee – the result is often very light!
And of course, make sure you find the right dosage to make a coffee that tastes just right.