Coffee Beans
What makes a good bean?
There are many factors that lead to the flavor of the coffee in your cup. While most of this site is about brewing coffee and finding the right equipment to do so, the beans contribute more than any other factor. When we are talking about the beans, here are the major factors:
The varietal of the beans that were grown, and the ways they were farmed - Like wine grapes, the cherry-like fruits that have “coffee beans” as their pits have many varieties which contribute flavors to the finished product. Conditions on the farm will also produce characteristic flavors.
The quality of the individual beans selected - Like any fruit, some are better than others. Processing facilities select the best for expensive batches, and less ripe and robust fruit for cheaper batches.
The manner and care of the processing - There are lots of processes for preparing the beans for shipment. The most common are “natural” in which the fruit stays on the bean long enough to contribute more fruity flavors, and “washed” where the cherry in removed earlier in processing. These methods are often traditional in the region where the beans are grown.
The skill and degree of the roasting - After shipping, the roaster applies heat which induces many chemical changes in the bean. Skilled roasters can modulate the heat to emphasize certain characteristics. Darker roasts are commonly used to emphasize origin characteristics for certain regions, or to provide more “roasted flavor” which covers up origin characteristics. Darker roasts also minimize differences between beans, so they are a way of covering up flaws and reducing differences between batches. Lastly, roasters will typically sell single-origin beans, which are tied to a particular location, or blends, which combine flavors from different places for greater consistency.
The time and storage since roasting - Coffee beans can be stored before roasting for months or years before deteriorating. Once they are roasted, peak flavor is roughly 10-20 days later. Darker roasts deteriorate more quickly. All roasts deteriorate faster if exposed to oxygen.
The evenness of the grind - This is covered elsewhere, but evenness of grind makes better coffee. The best grinders have a narrow distribution of particle size. Factory coffee is often ground quite evenly by industrial machines. Commercial grinders in coffee shops, roasteries, and grocery stores also do an excellent job. Home grinders are usually a notch below those, unless you really pay a lot of money, but a great home grinder will be more than adequate, plus will have the advantage of freshness.
The time since grinding - Ground coffee starts losing flavor really quickly as the tiny, volatile flavor compounds start to dissipate and break down when the grinder creates so much more surface area. In an oxygen-rich environment, grounds will also start to oxidize and start to taste stale over the course of a week or two. A bag that is being opened and closed will expose the grounds to much more oxygen and speed up staling and flavor loss.
Where can I buy the best beans?
Whole beans from a local roaster or non-chain coffee shop, where you can talk to someone if you have questions and make sure you are getting fresher beans. You will also help support local businesses.
Whole beans from the internet. This may give you better access to great coffee or simplify the selection process. There are also subscriptions that will introduce you to a variety of beans over the course of the year.
Whole beans from a grocery store. They may feature localish roasters. Look for “Roasted on…” dates. “Best by…” dates are typically six months after roast.
Whole beans from a grocery store bulk bin. Again, there may be locally roasted beans there. The storage (open to light and air) is typically not as good.
Grind at the grocery store. If you don’t have a home grinder, this will give you really well-ground coffee. Unfortunately, the best flavor will not last, so after a few days, you would be better off with even a bad grinder at home.
Whole beans at a chain coffee shop. If you generally like their coffee, you may like their beans! They are more likely to be fresher at the store than a grocery store.
Grind at a chain shop. Same beans but less time to use them.
Pods- Not great beans, pre-ground so they will have lost a lot of flavor. The upside is an even grind, and hopefully sealed packages so they don’t have much oxygen to make them stale.
Pre-ground at a grocery store. These are typically not great beans and they will be an indeterminate age (“Best by” date may give you a clue as to six months after roasting and grinding). The only redeeming quality is that they will be ground evenly at the factory.