Great choice means great responsibility. There are hundreds of coffee options available in India, so it is easy to get confused about the terminology, packaging, and differences between online and offline coffee. How can you find the best coffee for you and get the best value? There are some points to be aware of regarding instant coffee. However, this article focuses on how to find and buy the best coffees freshly roasted.
- Choose the best buying channel: Supermarket vs. Café Outlets vs. online
Supermarkets are still the best place to buy coffee. This is where most people will start their coffee journey. Although this channel is convenient, it’s not the best channel to shop for the highest quality coffee. Coffees that you find on supermarket shelves are often roasted in large quantities, then degassed for a while before being packed and shipped for distribution. This allows supermarkets the ability to sell coffee in large quantities for extended periods of time. We can see that freshness is not possible when the scale is a priority.
- You should look for freshness. Roast Date vs. packaging date
Two systems are used to determine the optimal time frame within which coffee bags should be consumed. The best time to consume instant coffee or mass-produced roasted coffee is determined by the packaging date.
The roast date is something that specialty coffee roasters will usually mention on their products. Although many roasters use the “best before x month after the date of packing” system, most will mention a roast date that is very close to the date of their packaging. You can rest assured that your coffee is fresh by knowing the roast date. You’ll also be able to control the brewing process as you have 5 to 35 days from roasting.
- Choose Traceability
Coffee roasters will often use the name of an estate as a brand for their products. These roasters are focused on traceability and want their customers to know where the coffee was sourced. Craft Coffee brands will go into great detail about their products to tell the story of the producer. They will explain the history of the estate and unique characteristics of the terrain, as well as the positive environmental impact of sustainable agriculture that is used by most specialty coffee producers.
- Understanding Roast Profile
The roast profile is a key factor in the final result of brewed coffee. Your preference in flavor will determine the roast profile. Lighter roasts are more lively, brighter, and more suitable for manual and filter brewing. These coffees will be more acidic and have subtle flavors that range from floral to fruity. Medium roasts have a more balanced character and are ideal for people who want to enjoy a variety of flavors without any particular characteristics.
- Coffee beans over ground coffee
Beans are always preferred to ground coffee. Beans have a longer shelf-life. Once the coffee is ground, aromas and other goods are released into the air.
- Learn to understand Flavour Notes on Your Own
This is a controversial topic that you should address. The art of flavor notes boils down to an equal balance between objectivity, subjectivity, and subjectiveness. Many roasters use the packaging to describe flavor notes to help customers understand what to expect in a bag of coffee. Flavor notes do not represent “actual flavors”. This just references notes that describe the taste of a coffee. Remember that roasters can also describe the flavor of other coffees during a cupping session.