Coffee Expert Guesses Cheap vs. Expensive Coffee

Video Notes:

Roast

What to look for…

  • A darker roast can mask a coffee’s imperfections

  • Dark roast does not necessarily indicate a lower quality coffee

  • A lighter roast allows you to taste the origin character of a coffee

Processing

What to look for…

  • Well-processed beans are unbroken, ripe, and uniform in size

  • Specialty coffees typically employ more careful and patient processing practices

  • In general, commercial coffees are more focused on volume rather than quality

Freshness

What to look for…

  • Look for a roasted on date rather than a sell by date

  • Purchase coffee that is no longer than 3 weeks past its roast date

  • Best by dates give little information about the actual quality of the coffee

Varietals

What to look for…

  • Coffee beans come in many different varieties just like apples or grapes

  • Different geographical origins will produce different varieties

Source

What to look for…

  • If you can trace a coffee to its source, you’re more likely to be supporting sustainable, high quality producers

  • Regional blends (aka single source) coffees are often delicious, traceable coffees

  • But, microlot coffees from a single farm provide an even more distinctive taste experience with the highest level of traceability

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