Coffee & ndash; the second most popular drink in the world after tea.
But the trend of ever-increasing & laquo; coffee & raquo; sales signals a possible change in consumer tastes: tea and coffee may soon change places.
There is a lot of coffee beans & nbsp; on the market, but not all of them are high quality, varietal and tasty.
How do I identify quality coffee beans?
If the coffee grains are holistic, have a uniform color, emit a pleasant characteristic aroma and look quite appetizing, then they have passed the organoleptic test and can be considered in more detail.
For example, define & ndash; arabica or robusta.
Arabica is characterized by elongated grains with a sinuous groove in the middle, and robusta grains are rounded and with a straight groove.
If the product is presented as a mono mix, then all grains should look the same, and if you have a blend & ndash; then a small (5-15%) impurity of robusta is allowed.
As you know, arabica coffee is valued much higher for its exquisite bright aroma and mild taste. Robusta is added to the blends for strength and giving savory notes to the entire bouquet.
The larger the grain, the riper it is, and, accordingly, tastier. & nbsp; According to the size of the coffee grain, the product is assigned a commercial grade.
The largest beans that do not penetrate the No. 20 sieve with 8 mm cells are considered the highest quality.
Grains passing through the mesh of sieve No. 12 with a size of approximately 4.8 mm are the least quality & ndash; they will make a drink with a weak taste and inexpressive aroma alphabet.
A fragrant aromatic coffee drink with caramel, nut or chocolate notes can only be obtained from arabica beans, i.e. from the fruits of the Arabian coffee tree.
Arabica fruits ripen for nine months, but ripe, they accumulate a huge amount of essential oils, which are revealed by the fantastic coffee aroma in the finished drink.
About 5 kg of green grains are harvested from one tree per year, and after roasting they remain about 1 kg. That's why good coffee can't be cheap.
However, in world production, they found a way to get a variety of coffee bouquets, reducing the cost of & nbsp; coffee beans & nbsp; and enriching the taste palette of the drink.
To do this, add robusta & ndash; fruits of the Congolese coffee tree. Robusta coffee is very strong, with a specific taste, so beans of this variety are good only in a blend with arabica.
Expert Opinion
There is no single proportion for arabica and robusta mixes: each variety has its own characteristic shades and unique coffee bouquets with complex and unusual tastes are created only by tasting.
Even coffee from 100% arabica is rarely represented by monosort: as a rule, the composition includes at least 5-7 types of beans collected on different continents.
The taste of coffee is largely influenced by the soil and climate, so knowing the country of origin, you can approximately determine the taste properties of the finished drink.
Coffee from Brazil
Non-permanent world market leader. Brazilian coffee has a harmonious taste with a subtle nutty flavor, a dried fruit aroma and a fairly high strength.
Best varieties: Maragojip, Bourbon, Santos.
Coffee from Colombia
It produces exceptionally high-quality arabica varieties with an exquisite, sophisticated bouquet.
The taste is slightly sour, and there is a multifaceted ethereal aroma that lasts until the last sip of prepared coffee.
Top varieties: Excelso, Narino, Manizales.
Coffee from Costa Rica
Robusta is officially banned, so the country grows exclusively high-quality arabica.
Costa Rica coffee is considered one of the best in the world: it has a mild balanced taste with subtle caramel notes and a rich floral-vanilla-fruit aroma.
Top varieties: Juan Vinos, Tres Rios, Britt.
Coffee from Ethiopia
It has a dense, viscous taste and a tart aroma reminiscent of the & laquo; taste of wildlife & raquo;. In a drink from Ethiopian grains, notes of fortified wine and fruits, caramel sweetness and astringency are captured.
Top varieties: Jimo, Harrar, Ethiopia Mocha Sidamo.
Roasting
About 70 countries & laquo; coffee belt & raquo; millions of bags of coffee are produced from year to year, achieving impeccable quality of all its varieties.
But for taste, not only the geography of coffee trees is important, but also roasting, which prepares the grain for consumption.
There are many degrees of roasting, of which there are five main:
- Scandinavian: light beige grains with a slight fresh aroma are obtained; the drink is not strong.
- American: grains are amber with an expressive aroma; the drink is weak with a mild taste and short aftertaste.
- Viennese: dark brown grains with a strong aroma are obtained due to the release of essential oils from beans; strong drink with a dense taste and bitterness, you can hear caramel notes.
- French: very dark glossy grains with smoky and caramel shades in aroma are obtained; the drink is dense, velvety, with pronounced bitterness.
- Italian: the strongest, removing almost all moisture from the grains; drink from dark roasting grains is thick and viscous, with a long bitter aftertaste. For espresso blends, dark roasted grains are taken.
And this is just a small part of the characteristics that are important when choosing good grains. Quality products & ndash; these are solid, evenly colored grains that have a pronounced coffee aroma without unpleasant impurities of mold and mustiness.
And be sure to pay attention to the date of frying indicated on the package: beans should be freshly fried, it is better if yesterday & ndash; a colorful bright drink with a long viscous aftertaste is obtained only from recently prepared grains.
Expert Opinion
The degree of roasting significantly affects the finished drink, so you need to pay attention to this when choosing. For fans of espresso, bitter and tart coffee, varieties of a strong degree of roasting are suitable, and for a morning cup or coffee with milk, light and light medium roasts are suitable.
And for a well-prepared drink, grinding coffee is important & ndash; it should also be chosen carefully, according to the preferred brewing method. For coffee in Turkish and Oriental, you need fine or ultra-fine grinding, for coffee machines & ndash; medium, and for drip coffee makers & ndash; large.
Where can I order high quality coffee beans?
& laquo; Russian Tea Company & raquo; is the leader in the Russian market for the supply of high-quality varietal coffee and tea. Over the years, we have been tirelessly looking for only the best premium products that not only satisfy our most demanding customer, but also surprise and delight.
In the assortment of the online store & laquo; Russian Tea Company & raquo; represented by:
- arabica and robusta blends, 100% arabica blends, mono-grade blends;
- coffee from South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Oceania, New Zealand;
- accessories and coffee dishes.
Buy coffee in the online store & nbsp; & laquo; RCK & raquo; you can both for yourself a small volume and for wholesale sales. We offer partners profitable cooperation, perhaps on a franchise basis.
Our coffee is invigorating in the morning, uplifting during the day and enjoyable in the evening. We invite you to order your favorite blend and see for yourself!
