Immanuel Kant claimed that “coffee is happiness that can be drunk.” If we supplement the classic and look at the range of coffee flavors – Americano, cappuccino, raf, glace, with syrup or balsam – then we can safely say that everyone will find a cup of happiness to their taste.
We tell you which coffee to choose and what to pay attention to in our article.
Types of coffee
The type of coffee determines the method and duration of its preparation. Some people slowly brew coffee in a Turk and enjoy every sip. Others prepare the drink on the run in a second, dissolving the powder in boiling water. Still others prefer to buy it from coffee machines.
To choose the right drink in a given situation, you should know what types of coffee there are.
Coffee beans. This is the choice for those who are used to drinking a cup of coffee, not rushing anywhere, enjoying the moment. Bean coffee retains its taste and aroma, the drink turns out rich. Before brewing it, you will have to grind it right away. For this, it is better to use an electric coffee grinder. Bean coffee is also used for coffee machines.
Ground coffee. Also requires boiling, but is ready for preparation, no need for a coffee grinder. This is the most common and universal option. It is divided into types by grind size:
- coarse – suitable for making a drink in a piston coffee maker. Before drinking, you need to let it brew for about 7-10 minutes;
- medium – universal, suitable for making coffee in geyser coffee makers and Turks;
- thin – suitable for coffee makers with special filters;
- extra-fine – coffee similar to flour, made specifically for brewing in a Turk.
Instant coffee is much inferior in taste to the previous options. At the same time, it is inexpensive and easy to brew without unnecessary hassle.
Coffee machines are produced with different types of coffee depending on the type of the machine or coffee maker. They can be loaded with coffee ground from beans before brewing or already purchased ground. Bean coffee is used in machines equipped with a built-in coffee grinder. Recently, coffee capsules for coffee makers have become popular. They contain a mixture of coffee and dry cream/milk to obtain ready-made drinks.
Interesting to know: coffee beans are good not only for making a drink. They are covered in chocolate – and you get a delicious dragee.
Types of coffee beans
99% of the coffee we consume comes from just 5 varieties: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, Excelsa and Stenophila. Each variety has its own flavors and is used to make different coffee drinks.
Arabica (Arabian coffee) is the most popular coffee in the world, accounting for 70% of all production.
Its homeland is Ethiopia. Arabica trees grow in the highlands. They are capricious to weather conditions, and it is quite difficult to deliver any equipment for harvesting the fruits to them, so the harvest is collected manually. For these reasons, Arabica is more expensive than Robusta.
The taste of this variety is soft and multifaceted, it can have fruity, nutty or honey notes. Sometimes there may be a slight sourness. Arabica has 2-3 times less caffeine than Robusta.
Robusta (Congolese coffee) is the second most popular variety. It is grown at an altitude of up to 900 m. Due to the higher caffeine content, the drink is strong and has a characteristic bitterness. Robusta is a “brutal” coffee, not so soft and without special shades. It is considered to be inferior to Arabica in taste and aroma.
Liberica is a coffee that has a rich aroma but weak taste characteristics. The tree itself is demanding of growing conditions and can grow up to 9 meters in height, so it is inconvenient to grow Liberica. For these reasons, it is little produced, and is consumed mainly where it grows. Coffee is not used in its pure form, but it is added to mixtures to improve the aroma.
Excelsior (“high coffee”) – in the wild, its trees can grow up to 20-25 m. However, wild fruits are not used, and the drink is made from a cultivated species. This tree is capricious to weather conditions, requires maintaining a certain humidity, but is very resistant to diseases. For this reason, excelsior is used to breed new, more resistant species of coffee trees.
The taste and aroma qualities of this variety are revealed in symbiosis with other varieties. This type not only gives the drink its own taste and aroma, but also reveals the palette of tastes of other varieties.
Stenophila is the least common. At one time, due to its high yield and resistance to diseases, it was eclipsed by Robusta, but not so long ago, Stenophila was rediscovered. Its main advantage is its unusual taste. It has berry, fruit, flower, honey, nutty notes.
Coffee varieties and their characteristics
Coffee variety is often confused with species. These concepts differ. Species is determined by the type of tree, and variety depends on the type of beans, the method of their collection and processing, the type of roasting. The name of the variety can include these parameters or the name of the farm, the farmer’s surname, and so on. This is how professional roasters name their goods.
Therefore, it is important for coffee lovers, suppliers, sellers and baristas to know what types of coffee there are.
Let’s look at the most popular ones.
Ethiopia Irgacheffe (Irgachef)
The drink’s homeland is Ethiopia. Trees grow in difficult conditions. 2000 meters above sea level set the climate. During the day, there is a sharp fluctuation in temperature. All this makes the taste of coffee specific.
The taste clearly reveals notes of citrus, flowers and tea. The drink tastes like slightly cooled black tea with lemon or bergamot.
This variety will appeal to lovers of a drink with a sour taste. Suitable for espresso, some coffee drinks with milk, for alternative brewing methods.
Brazil Mogiana (Mogiana)
This variety has a quality taste, is produced in large quantities, and is used everywhere at home, in coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants. The birthplace of coffee is Brazil, and Mogiana is the region where the beans are harvested.
The drink has a slight bitterness, notes of nuts and prunes. This variety is best combined with milk, suitable for making espresso, brewing in a Turk and coffee machines. This versatility makes the variety mass-produced, aimed at a wide consumer.
Columbia Huila
The variety comes from Colombia, from the southwest part called Huila. The variety has a high degree of acidity, but do not think that it is “sour”, since the taste is clearly expressed by berry notes, mainly grape, floral aromas and a bittersweet citrus taste.
The coffee is unusually bright, it is not suitable for everyone, it has its fans, but you definitely need to try it! As it cools, the drink reveals itself in a new way. Perhaps a person who did not like it hot will be conquered by the cool berry taste with sourness. The variety is suitable for alternative brewing methods – Chemex, Aeropress, pour-over.
Peru Chanchamayo
This is Arabica for lovers of strong drinks. It is grown in Peru in the province of Chanchamayo in one of the regions of Junin. In principle, only Arabica is grown in Peru. For espresso, they take medium or dark roast beans, for alternative methods, they take light roast.
The taste is rich, bitter, reminiscent of dark chocolate. When tasting, hints of nuts and even tobacco are detected.
This brutal variety is for those who love a drink with a bitter taste.
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