How To Tell If A Bag Of Coffee Beans Is Worth Your Money

Deciding whether the bag of coffee is worth buying is dependent upon three general factors: Where the coffee was grown, the processing method, and the roasting level.

The terroir (land, climate, and altitude) of where the coffee is grown affects the flavor. The four main species of beans are arabica, robusta, liberica, and excelsa.

If you love coffee with an acidic bite, subtle yet complex flavors, and creamy mouthfeel, opt for arabica beans. If you like a smoother cup with thicker mouthfeel, get robusta.

An expensive cup of liberica-based brew possesses less caffeine and a floral, nutty flavor, while the rare excelsa is the perfect bean to accent blends.

Coffee beans are the seeds of coffee berries, which can be processed wet and natural. During the wet process, the berries are depulped and washed to remove pulp remnants.

In the natural processing method, the berries are spread out on raised beds and left out in the sun to dry. This makes for a sweeter, bolder, funkier cup.

How long the beans have been in the roaster can affect the flavor of the bean. For example, darker roasts have more chocolaty, caramelized flavors.

For the best cup, choose a bag with a roasting date within five days of the purchase date, and remember the flavor starts to degrade three to four weeks after its roasting date.