Where to Buy Coffee Beans
The best flavor comes from purchasing fresh coffee beans, then grinding them prior to making coffee. It also allows you to adjust the size of the grind, which isn't possible with pre-ground.
If you can, buy from a local coffee shop or grocer that is specialized in imported coffees of high-quality. Small-scale businesses can benefit from support to stay afloat and results in more flavorful coffee.
1. Look for a reputable roaster
The quality of the coffee beans and roasting is crucial to making a great cup. You can find excellent beans from many online roasters. However, not all roasters are equally. Certain roasters are more focused on sourcing, while others are more detailed and focused on getting the perfect roasted every time. You can find out more about a coffee roaster by examining their packaging as well as their website and reviews.
When purchasing wholesale coffee beans, make sure you choose an roaster who is committed to sustainability and ethical business practices. This will ensure that your coffee shop is purchasing the finest beans in an environmentally responsible way. Many coffee shops would like to support their local communities by buying local roasters.
You can save money by purchasing whole coffee beans and then grinding them yourself. This is a simple and effective method to add the freshest taste to your coffee. You can also avoid shipping costs if you buy from a local roaster who can deliver to your place of residence.
2. Buy in smaller amounts
If you purchase your coffee from a small batch roaster it is a great way to ensure that your beans are fresh. This is because they keep their inventory at a minimum and are able to move their coffee quickly and do not let it sit around long either preor post roast. Additionally, they can roast at a lower rate to avoid overdoing it.
Alternatively, look for coffee labels that have a "roasted on" date, as well as (or instead of) an expiration date. Certain high-end roasters put this information directly on the bag, such as Stumptown or Counter Culture. They will also include information about the beans themselves, like the varietal, altitude, the name of the farmer, and more.
The majority of coffee traded during the second wave and beyond is called commodity coffee, which gets made in large batches and is usually roasting dark to hide all kinds of imperfections. This coffee isn't terrible however it's not as good as the coffee you can get from smaller-batch roasters. It tends to have more of an aftertaste when it's aged for longer.
3. Buy fresh
Being a perishable product coffee beans start losing their flavor and aroma once they've been roasted. This is why it's important to purchase fresh coffee beans from a local roaster or on the internet even if there's no roaster nearby.
The best way to do this is to verify the 'roasted on' date or the 'use-by' date on the bag. Then, you can determine the best time to buy. The ideal time to use your beans within two weeks of the roast date to get the best taste and flavor.
It's not easy to know how long beans have been sitting on the shelves in a store that sells a variety of beans. The majority of grocery stores don't have the facilities needed to keep their beans at the same quality as roasters.
It takes an extended time and a considerable amount of money to purchase the best equipment to ensure that beans are at their freshest. Even if they invest in the right equipment, they still have a limited supply of beans at any given time.
4. Buy ground
The coffee aisle of the grocery store is brimming with whole and ground options from all over the world. Whole beans are more flavorful and convenient than ground coffee.
When you purchase whole bean coffee, it's your responsibility to grind it before brewing. This allows the freshness and subtle flavors to be evident. The majority of pre-ground coffee available that is available is a medium grind. This size is best for most coffee brewing methods.
After the beans have been roasted and cooled, they begin to degrade and go stale quickly. This is due to the fact that after the roasting process, there's a gap in the shell that expose the beans to oxygen. This happens faster than when the beans are left intact.
Typically, whole bean grocery store coffee is stale when you bring it home. even the sealed cans at the local supermarket are less fresh than freshly ground coffee that has been purchased from a reliable roaster. This is because when the beans are ground for sale and then roasted, they lose their nuances and aromas as well as the natural sugar. This is why it is important to buy one week's worth of ground and to properly store them.
5. Buy fair trade
Fair trade is a way in which coffee farmers are given an actual bargain in the market. While the International Coffee Agreement is important in regulating quotas and maintaining prices in a stable manner however fair trade organizations take it one step further.
The aim of Fair Trade is to lift coffee farmers out of poverty and offer an environmentally sustainable model for the entire industry. Fair trade also requires sustainable methods of farming that protect and preserve wildlife, ecosystems and wildlife. This benefit is not just for farmers but also for consumers as well as the environment.
The main method by which FLO and Fair Trade USA try to aid in alleviating poverty and to jump-start economic growth is by establishing a "price floor" for green coffee beans. The New York Coffee Exchange is used to index the price of the floor. This way, if the price of the commodity (non-specialty) coffee falls the fair trade prices will increase and match the price. coffee bean coffee and Fair Trade USA also require that farmers are paid a fair wage and work in safe working conditions. They also have to respect reasonable working hours.