How to Buy Coffee Beans

Made only of hot water poured over coffee grounds, coffee is a straightforward beverage, but due to its simplistic composition, its two components must be of the highest quality. Using fresh water is half of the equation. The other half is choosing the best coffee beans available. This will require a trip to a coffee roaster where the stock is roasted daily and an inspection of the beans can be made with both the eyes and the nose.

Things You'll Need

• Airtight containers
• Sense of smell
• Sense of taste
• Knowledge of preferred type of coffee

Instructions

1. Determine the type of coffee you prefer. This includes the geographic location where the beans were grown and the roasting method. See reference link for information on the differences between the hundreds of geographic varietals and roast levels.

2. Inspect the coffee beans in the bins carefully, if they are on display. If they are not readily visible, ask the salesperson to show you some of them. The beans should be brown to dark brown. Avoid beans with an uneven color or broken or cracked ones. These indicate that they were not evenly roasted and perhaps mishandled.

3. Taste a brewed sample of the coffee you like, if available. Many coffee roasters will have samples for tasting in the store. This is the surest way to know that you are getting the type of coffee you want.

4. Purchase small amounts of beans, only those you will be able to use within a week or two. The beans should be bought whole and sold in opaque bags or jars. Coffee beans begin to lose their flavor once they are ground. Exposure to air and light also diminish the flavor of the beans over time.

5. Buy opaque, resealable, airtight containers to store your coffee in at home. These can be canisters with rubber sealed lids or ceramic jars with screw-on tops. Coffee beans should be kept on a cool pantry shelf or in the freezer to maintain their quality, though not in the refrigerator because the humidity inside can be too high.

6. Purchase coffee beans every one to two weeks to ensure the freshest supply possible. Consider finding a coffee shop with a frequent-buyer program that might offer discounts or free products for loyal customers.

Tips & Warnings

• Wait to grind your beans until you are ready to brew the coffee. This will ensure that the flavor remains at its freshest.

• Avoid purchasing coffee beans from large chains or from stores selling them in bins that do not allow you to smell the beans for freshness.

References

• Lola Savannah Coffee Roaster Coffee Facts
• How to Brew - National Coffee Association

Resources

• Coffee Reference Guide