With all of the different gourmet coffee bean options there are these days, how might one go about researching, comparing, and the deciding which to buy? It can be a daunting task, especially for those who know they crave the best beans but not much beyond that. There are many fancy articles and guides, lots of recommendations from baristas and other connoisseurs, and really there is just an overabundance of words that can make choosing that perfect coffee bean very unlike enjoying the finished product.
This post is intended for those who see navigating the maze of information as a means to that desired end: sitting down and exalting the senses with the ultimate cup of gourmet coffee. Some people enjoy knowing every fine detail about gourmet coffee, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. But if the only answer you are after is waking up and smelling the aroma of a gourmet coffee that just brings one word to mind (wow!), I believe you’ll find that answer here. I have found that getting good answers to my questions is very directly related to how well I ask those questions. It’s no secret that many people seeking answers don’t get beyond page 1 of search results. But how many page ones will they end up enduring before frustration sets in? “I only look at page 1 results” is not the same thing as “I tried 100 different combinations of search words, but I only looked at the first page of the results for each search.” My goal is to help you find the information you’re looking for as quickly as you might if you encountered that lucky search term on the first try.
Finding That Perfect Gourmet Coffee Bean Easily
If you don’t know what the experts know, then why not just let the experts decide for you? That’s not to say that they always get it right the first time, but it’s the quickest and most direct route to what you are looking for. They know the questions to ask, all you have to do is supply the answers. In my post on gourmet coffee subscription companies, I cover what I consider to be the best of the best in the process of matching you to the gourmet coffee bean you are looking for. Check it out here: Trade Coffee: The best at pairing you with gourmet coffee, “on your terms” …That post also covers what I consider to be the best subscription services for the best variety, the best value, and best for those who just recently are finding about “classy caffeine.”
Subscription services are great for those want to end up at least very close on the first try, and who are willing to keep trying until they get exactly what they’re looking for. For those who prefer to just try out one at a time with no future commitment, I have another post that provides 3 excellent alternatives for that. I mentioned those alternatives for people looking to make their own gourmet coffee gift baskets, but the same applies. The answer is the same for the question we are answering here as it is for the question we are answering there
For Those With a Bit of Curiosity
Surely there are some who arrived here with somewhat of an inquisitive mind. Or maybe some just aren’t the complete leap of faith type (“OK, so some people know what coffees to recommend, some are even experts, but there are a few more things I just have to know before proceeding…”). If I had to pick three common questions to answer, these are the ones:
- 1. Why are there some many specifics about a gourmet coffee bean?
- 2. What’s the big deal about a gourmet coffee bean being from a particular region?
- 3. What about all the different flavors?
Some Gourmet Coffee Bean Basics
The internet is full of information. That can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing. If you want to learn about gourmet coffee on your own, it’s going to take longer than if you have a direct path to websites with the information you want. I didn’t have the benefit of a direct path when I first learned of gourmet coffee, but eventually I found some sites that could feed my inquisitive cravings.
At first, I was trying to find information bit by bit, that turned out to be quite the adventure. Then I eventually found out that to find gourmet coffee information it’s best to “cast a wide net.” So here’s all you really need for now:
Remember what I mentioned at the beginning of this post. It’s all about asking the right questions. While on the surface what I am telling you may seem like no brainer type stuff, it really isn’t all that simple. There really is no magic formula for knowing when to keep things simple versus when the need is going to arise to get more specific. I have spent many hours doing things by trial and error, so that you won’t have to. If you don’t believe me, try this general approach with some other topics in my blog (shopping for gourmet coffee gifts, finding useful gourmet coffee reviews, etc.).
Here’s an example. With that very simple and general search in the link above, it only took a few seconds to find a site that answers one of the most important questions about a gourmet coffee bean (what makes each type of gourmet coffee bean unique?) Most of it is due to the characteristics of a particular seed itself. But a significant amount is determined by where the seed is planted (soil, climate, elevation, geographic location, etc.). However, if I try to get more specific and search for “what makes a gourmet coffee bean unique” then the exercise becomes harder. Now it’s not long before the potential for confusion starts to appear with articles about ” the best coffee beans in the world.” Best and gourmet are technically
not interchangeable. It’s true that most people who know what they are talking about will say that the best coffee is gourmet coffee. But there will be plenty who truly believe a regular supermarket brand is the best. Because it may truly be the best coffee they ever tried!
Gourmet Coffee Bean Flavors
There are many factors that contribute to the taste of a gourmet coffee bean. Several were mentioned in the section above. This would be a good point to make a distinction between general coffee taste classifications and the flavor of a gourmet coffee bean. Similar to the topic of best coffee versus gourmet coffee above, the topic of flavors can create confusion.
I have a post devoted to all things related to coffee flavor. It’s necessary to have a post dedicated to that alone to be able to untangle all of the interchangeable terms (when they truly are) from the terms that may be used interchangeably in error. Also, as mentioned above, coffee has a particular flavor to begin with. Then through each step of cultivation, roasting, and preparation it can take on added flavor characteristics. Finally, there is the topic of added flavor, which may be natural or otherwise.
