About Choosing Coffee
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When it comes to choosing coffee, the vast array sometimes can seem a bit overwhelming - for us as roasters as well as for you as the coffee lover. To give us a guideline in selecting green coffee and to simplify your decision making, we have structured our offerings in a pretty straightforward way:
We have coffees that are roasted for espresso preparation and coffees that are roasted for filter preparations. The profiles are fundamentally different, not just developed longer or shorter. Of course, it's up to you and your taste preference which coffee you like to use for which preparation, our recommendation is no more than that and is based on the subsequent extractability and solubility of the coffee. Generally speaking espresso roasts are developed more which makes it easier to extract all the goodness within only 30 seconds while a filter roast will give you more time (like 3 to 5 minutes) to dissolve the desired amount.
Although the espresso roasts may be “darker” and more developed than the filter roasts, our roasts are generally on the light side and will not have any burnt or harsh flavours commonly found in more traditional roasts.
Within both espresso and filter roasts, we offer a range from basic flavour profiles which are less complex but rather on the chocolatey and nutty side, up to complex and fruity / floral coffees with a lively acidity. To fill the space in between, we offer coffees that bridge that gap: well balanced coffees that show some complexity but are not overwhelming for the newbie to Specialty Coffee - they are also great everyday easy drinking coffees.
Our basic coffees: Both blends Big Wall & Breakaway, Brazil Diamond for espresso; Brazil Diamond filter roast for filter preparation.
Our intermediate coffees: Queen K & Colombia Huitaca for espresso and Guatemala Maria Perez Morales for filter.
Our complex coffees: Ethiopia Boji as fruity espresso; for filter Ethiopia Beloya as a floral option and Rwanda Cyiya as a fruity / punchy coffee.
Then we like to throw in some wildcards and specials like our Decaf Espresso and other limited edition coffees.
Our thoughts behind the portfolio explained, here's a quick guide to lead you in the right direction and help you pick a coffee that suits your brewing method and taste preference.
First off, ask yourself the following questions:
Which coffee preparation or method am I using? For which method do I want to buy coffee?
What kind of flavours do I like? Which flavours am I looking for in the coffee?
As soon as you are clear on your method and preferences, you're good to go.
We recommend Filter Roasts for the following methods:
Classic Filter like Melitta, Batch Brews, V60
French Press
AeroPress
Clever Dripper
Cold Brew
We recommend Espresso Roasts for the following methods:
Espresso
Stove Top Methods like Moka Pot or Bialetti
Fully Automatic (Bean to Cup) Machines
By now you will have narrowed down the selection and can move on to which flavour profile you're looking for.
Are you looking for a coffee with a "coffee" flavour, i. e. not a distinct flavour profile?
=> A blend (consisting of several coffees) might be what you're looking for
Are you looking for low acidity and chocolatey, nutty flavour profile?
=> Head for a our basic coffees, maybe a Brazil Diamond or one of our espresso blends. A good choice for this category may also be Mexico Decaf
Are you looking for a well balanced cup, easy going acidity and hints of fruit or florals but a nice syrupy body (think caramel or dark chocolate)?
=> A higher grown, washed Central American might be a good choice, like Colombia
Are you looking for balanced acidity and fruity flavour profile (think strawberries or funky tropical fruits)?
=> Try a natural processed coffee from Ethiopia
Are you looking for high acidity, elegant body and floral flavours?
=> Washed Ethiopian coffees are known for these qualities
Are you looking for a punchy coffee with complex acidity and berry flavours?
=> Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi are for you
Keep in mind the most important thing: Tastes are different and hence there is no right and no wrong. It all depends on what you like. It may take some time and some exploring to figure out what you like best but you'll get there and it's a fantastic journey. To make remembering coffees easier you might want to keep a booklet or diary of tasted coffees. This way you will have a reference for further coffee adventures. The more different coffees you taste, the more sensitive and aware you will become towards the nuances of flavors and aromas.
Luckily you won't be spending a fortune on coffee so don't hesitate to try new things!
