The Worst Advice We've Ever Seen About Coffee Beans Coffee Beans
The Best Fresh Coffee Beans
Buying whole beans from a local coffee shop or roaster is a surefire way to enjoy the freshest and best tasting brew. Shopping with a retailer that offers a wide variety of blends is also an excellent option.
Koffee Kult's Thunder Bolt is a dark French roast that has an intensely delicious flavor. It's a little more expensive but it's organic1, fair-trade2 and does not contain any additives.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Famous for its delicate aroma and citrusy taste, the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is one of the most sought-after coffee beans around the world. It's also a fantastic source of antioxidants. It's best to drink it without milk or sugar in order to maintain the unique flavor profile. It goes well with spicy foods to balance the sweet-salty. It's also an excellent choice to take a break from the day.
Ethiopia is often referred to as the birthplace of coffee. According to legend, a goat herder named Kaldi noticed his flock became more energetic after eating the red berries that grew on a plant near his home. He decided to try the berries himself and noticed they had a significant effect on his energy levels. The herder then distributed the berry with his family members and this is the first time coffee became popular.
In the Yirgacheffe area of Sidamo, Ethiopia, coffee is often "washed" or wet processed. This helps eliminate sour tastes and create an appealing, fresh taste. In the mid-2000s global coffee prices soared to levels that were unsustainable for many farmers across the globe, including Ethiopia. The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union was able to keep farmers in business by making them bargain on the market and taking fair trade initiatives. This led to the emergence of a new breed of single-origin Ethiopian coffees with fruit flavors which are known as "new naturals". Today, the world enjoys the distinctive floral and citrusy taste of the Yirgacheffe beans.
Geisha
Geisha is one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world. It has a subtle tea-like taste, with hints mango, peach and raspberry. It also has a delicate taste that is similar to black tea. But does the price tag really justify it?
A British consul in London discovered the Geisha variety in the 1930s in the highland region Gesha in Western Ethiopia. The seeds were later introduced to CATIE in Costa Rica, and finally to Panama by late Francisco Serracin, known as Don Pachi. When the Peterson family began to experiment with it at their Hacienda Esmeralda farm, they discovered that it had extraordinary flavors that were balanced and smooth.
Geisha is more than just a great cup of coffee. It has a significant impact on the communities that produce it. It allows farmers to reinvest profits in improving their farming practices and quality processes. This eventually leads to better quality for all of the coffee varieties that they cultivate.
Yet, many common coffee drinkers are reluctant to give it a try due to the hefty cost. This is a shame because Geisha coffee is well worth the price. Do yourself a favor and get some.
Ethiopian Harrar
Often considered one of the top coffee beans in world, the Ethiopian Harrar is full-bodied and exotic. why not try these out is a dry processed (natural) arabica, which comes from Ethiopia's southern Oromia region. It has a distinct acidity that is accompanied by a wine-like fruitiness and pronounced mocha flavor.
The coffee is harvested in the spring, then dried and then fermented to release its aromas and flavors. It is free of chemicals and is low in calories, as opposed to most commercial coffees. It has many health benefits, like reducing the risk of Alzheimer's. It is high in antioxidants and has many other nutrients. It is recommended to drink a cup of tea on an empty stomach in order to get the most benefit.
Ethiopian Harrar Ethiopian Harrar, one of the most sought-after coffees in the world originates from the Ethiopian region that is the most eastern. It is located at the highest altitudes in the region, just near the historic walled city of Harrar. This coffee is a distinct blend that can be enjoyed as an espresso or Latte.
The coffee is sorted manually and harvested, and then dried by sun in traditional cloth bags. This method preserves the aromas of the beans and makes them more flavorful. This is a more sustainable way of making coffee. It can be made using any brewing method but is most suitable to a French Press or Pour Over.
Monsooned Malabar
One of the most unique and well-known varieties of coffee around the globe, Monsooned Malabar is a sweet, woody and nutty coffee that has almost no acidity. Its name is derived by the "monsooning" process as well as the region where it originates: the wettest part of India, the mountainous area Malabar that encompasses Karnataka and Kerala.
The history behind this coffee is believed to be apocryphal. During the British Raj period, large wooden vessels were utilized to transport coffee to Europe. In the course of the voyage, humidity and wind caused the beans to naturally dry, resulting in a pale off white color. After arriving in Europe the beans were found to possess a distinct and highly desirable flavor character.
This distinctive and unique coffee processing, also referred to as monsooning, is still being practiced to today in Keezhanthoor which is a hamlet with a high-end range cocooned in the Western Ghats and surrounded by small-scale tribal farmers who are dedicated to obtaining the highest quality beans. They produce a rich smooth, aromatic coffee with notes of baker's cocoa, syrupy sweetness and a hint of vanilla.
This coffee is perfect for espresso or cafe crème. It is delicious on its own or paired with fruitier coffees. It is also an extremely well-known choice for pour-overs like in a Bialetti Moka pot. Monsooned Malabar is also resistant to heat due to its lower acidity.