10 Facts About Coffee Beans That Will Instantly Put You In A Good Mood
The Best Fresh Coffee Beans
If you're looking for the finest coffee, purchase whole beans at a local coffee roaster or shop. A retailer that has an array of blends would be a good option.
Koffee Kult's Thunder Bolt is a dark French roast with a very satisfying flavor. It's on the pricier side but it's organic1 Fair Trade2 and has no additives.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a coffee bean prized for its refreshing flavor and delicate aroma, is one of the most sought-after coffee beans. It's also a superb source of antioxidants. It is best to make it without milk and sugar in order to preserve the distinctive flavor profile. It goes well with savory foods to balance the sweet-salty. It's a great way to pick yourself up.
Ethiopia is often regarded as the place of origin for coffee. The story goes that a goat herder named Kaldi noticed his flock became more energetic after eating red berries on a plant close to his home. He tried the berries himself and noticed they were a major influence on the energy levels of his body. The herder then shared the berry among his family and this was the first time coffee became popular.
In the Yirgacheffe area of Sidamo, Ethiopia, coffee is often "washed" or processed wet. This helps to eliminate sour tastes and create a bright, clean taste. In the mid-2000s global coffee prices reached unsustainable levels, which affected many farmers in Ethiopia. However the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU) was successful in helping the farmers remain in business with their fair trade initiatives and empowerment to bargain with the market. This helped to usher in a wave of fruit-flavored single-origin Ethiopian coffees, dubbed the "new naturals." Today, the world is once again enjoying the unique, floral, and citrusy flavor of the Yirgacheffe bean.
Geisha
Geisha is among the most expensive coffee beans around the world. It has a subtle tea flavor with hints mango, peach and raspberry. It also has a delicate mouthfeel that is similar to black tea. But is it worth the price price?
The Geisha variety was first discovered in the highland region of Gesha (it was mispelled throughout the process) in Western Ethiopia in the 1930s by the British consul. The seeds were later transported to CATIE in Costa Rica, and finally to Panama by the late Francisco Serracin, known as Don Pachi. The Peterson family tried it on their Hacienda Esmeralda Farm and found that it was able to produce flavors with balance and fineness.
Geisha is more than just a great cup of coffee. It has a profound impact on the communities who produce it. It allows farmers to reinvest profits in improving farming practices and quality processes. This results in better quality for all of the coffee varieties they cultivate.
Despite this, many everyday coffee drinkers do not want to give it a shot due to the hefty cost. Geisha coffee is worth the cost. Do yourself a favor, and buy a cup as soon as you can.
Ethiopian Harrar
Often considered one of the top coffee beans in world The Ethiopian Harrar is full-bodied and exotic. This is a dry processed (natural) arabica, which comes from southern Ethiopia's Oromia region. It is characterized by its acidity and a wine-like fruitiness and pronounced mocha flavor.
The coffee is picked and dried in the spring. It is then fermented and released its aromas and tastes. Contrary to commercial coffees, this coffee is free of chemicals and is low in calories. It also comes with a host of health benefits, including reducing the risk of suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It is a good source of antioxidants and also contains other nutrients. It is recommended to take a cup of Ethiopian Harrar when you are empty on your stomach to get the most benefits.
Ethiopian Harrar is one of the most sought-after coffees in the world. It's a product of one of the most prestigious producing regions, the easternmost Harrar. It is located at the highest altitudes in the region, near the walled city of Harrar. It has a distinctive taste and is a treat in the form of espresso, or as in a latte.
The coffee is sorted and picked by hand. It is dried in traditional cloth bags. This method preserves aromas as well as enhances flavor. It is also a more sustainable method. It can be brewed using any brewing method, but is best suited to a French Press or Pour Over.
Monsooned Malabar
Monsooned Malabar is among the world's most well-known and distinctive coffees, is a chocolaty coffee with a woody, nutty taste and almost no acidity. Its name comes from a process called "monsooning," as well as where it comes from - the wettest region of India in the mountainous region of Malabar which includes Karnataka and Kerala, with protected geographical indication status.
The origin of this coffee is apocryphal. During the British Raj period, large wooden ships were used to transport the raw coffee to Europe. On the way the humidity and winds caused the beans to naturally dry and develop a light off white color. When they arrived in Europe they were found to have a distinct and very desirable flavor profile.
This unique and specialized coffee processing, also referred to as monsooning, is still being practiced to this day in Keezhanthoor the hamlet that is high-end cocooned in the Western Ghats and surrounded by small-scale, traditional tribal farmers who are committed to the highest quality of beans. They produce a full bodied, aromatic, smooth coffee that has notes of baker's cocoa, syrupy sweetness, and a mild vanilla.
This coffee is fantastic by itself or blended with more fruity varieties, and it also holds up to the milk well, making it an ideal espresso or cafe creme coffee. Pour-overs, like in the Bialetti Moka Pot, are also popular. Monsooned Malabar is also heat resistant due to its lower acidity.