Beginner's Guide to Buying Packaged Coffee Beans_How to Purchase Packaged Coffee Beans_Best Packaged Coffee Bean Brands

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1. What kind of coffee equipment do you use to brew coffee?

It's best to tell the staff which brewing method you use. This way, the staff can specifically recommend suitable coffee beans for you. Additionally, you might be able to exchange usage experiences with the staff.

2. Your preferred coffee flavor

Describe to the staff what kind of coffee flavor you like. You don't need to sound as professional as a professional coffee taster—keep it relaxed. For example, you could say you prefer a stronger taste or a more acidic flavor. This way, the staff can recommend the most suitable coffee based on the flavor characteristics of their own coffee.

3. Understand the flavor of coffee beans before purchasing

Although coffee beans themselves have distinct regional characteristics, during the roasting process, the roaster might adjust according to their understanding of coffee flavor. The final taste can present diverse appearances even for the same coffee. Before purchasing, understanding the flavor of coffee beans might help you comprehend why the same coffee beans purchased from different places can have taste differences.

4. Learn to ask about the roasting date of coffee beans

As a food product, coffee beans naturally have indicators like "freshness period." Coffee beans are similar to seafood—the fresher, the better. The indicator for judging freshness is the "roasting date." It's recommended to buy coffee beans within two weeks of the roasting date. Because different coffee beans and different roasting degrees will affect the optimal drinking period.

For example, medium-dark roasted coffee beans have heavier smoky and firey flavors, so it's best to wait seven days after roasting before drinking, with the best flavor appearing after two weeks; lightly roasted coffee beans can be consumed two to three days after roasting, with optimal flavor after one week, allowing you to taste the flavor variations of the beans. Both types are best consumed within one month. After taking them home, you can use a marker to write the roasting date on the packaging to help track the beans' freshness.

However, many people find that coffee tastes good during in-store tasting but doesn't taste as good when brewed at home. This might be influenced by several factors: first, the particle uniformity differs between home and commercial grinders, especially the distinction between manual and electric grinders—manual grinders can't achieve the same uniformity and fineness as electric ones.

Additionally, some coffee shops might use water quality that is relatively superior to household water quality; third is the material—different price ranges of espresso machines have different pressure and stability indices, which can affect the outcome. Similarly, for pour-over coffee, the material of the filter cup, the material of the pour-over kettle... etc., will all have an impact.

5. Purchase whole coffee beans

Basically, all shops provide free coffee grinding services, meaning they can help customers grind whole coffee beans into coffee powder for free. If you want to fully enjoy the aroma of a cup of coffee, it's recommended to purchase whole coffee beans—Whole Bean.

The most alluring aspect of coffee is its aroma. In the life of coffee, if we were to rank "moments when aroma is most intensely released," the grinding process would definitely be on the list, perhaps even in the top three. Additionally, from a preservation perspective, whole coffee beans have much more vitality than coffee powder—whole beans can maintain their aroma for a longer period.

If you drink coffee regularly, why not purchase a coffee grinder yourself—manual or electric both work? You can enjoy the fun of making coffee while better enjoying the coffee aroma and flavor. Why not do it?

Extended Reading | What flavor of coffee suits you?

Coffee enthusiasts who are just starting out may have difficulty finding coffee that suits their taste when first encountering single-origin coffee. After all, there are thousands of types of coffee on the market, with as many origins as a geography lesson, or so many names that it's dizzying and hard to remember. So what kind of coffee is suitable for you?

There are many factors that affect coffee aroma and flavor, with origin being one of the influential factors for coffee beans. The influencing factors include "climate," "soil quality," and "topography and altitude." These three major reasons cause coffee to present different flavors (variety and processing method also have effects, but we won't go into detail here). Here, we'll briefly introduce simple origin-based flavors.

1. Fresh taste, floral and fruity acidity

Coffee with this type of flavor has a slight fruity acidity, suitable for people who prefer a taste that doesn't burden the palate. Representative origins include:

Ethiopia: Unique aromas of peach and blueberry or red wine, along with a fresh taste—the most well-known is Yirgacheffe.

Rwanda: Cherry-like aroma, characterized by an overall clear taste.

Kenya: Kenyan coffee has multi-layered coffee acidity balanced with deep richness, featuring citrus and red wine-like sweet and sour sensations.

Burundi: Burundi's coffee cultivation is mainly Bourbon, using traditional wet processing to handle coffee cherries. Its specialty coffee is mainly characterized by elegant sweetness and bright citrus aromas, citrus acidity, with notes of lemon, orange, and almond.

2. Mellow taste, rich layers

Coffee with this type of flavor has rich layers and varied tastes, very suitable for people who enjoy complex flavors and aromas. Representative origins include:

Guatemala: Unique fruit and spice aromas plus complex red wine aromas, with a cocoa sweetness in the aftertaste that's worth savoring slowly—SL28 wine aroma natural process.

Hawaii: Delicate fresh grass or tree-like sweet aromas, plus citrus sweet and sour sensations, characterized by more sweet aroma and less bitterness—Kona.

Panama: Rich and strong aroma of various fruits, moderate taste, delicate aroma—Geisha.

90+ Series: The most easily recognizable is the fresh aroma of flowers, plus the sweet acidity of cherries, finally presenting a complete balance with a thick texture—90+ Candied.

3. Rich taste, thick aroma

Coffee with this type of flavor has a rich, lingering taste, most suitable for people who prefer a solid, rich flavor. Representative origins include:

Colombia: Rich fruit and nut aromas, with a sweet and thick taste.

Costa Rica: Full acidity paired with a rich taste.

Brazil: Unique nut kernel aroma and richness, with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

El Salvador: Stable acidity with chocolate-like richness.

Indonesia: Mandheling has a creamy, rich aroma, plus a subtle balance of vanilla, spices, herbs, and fruit-like notes, still loved by many people today.

Bolivia: Nutty chocolate-like sweetness.

Choosing coffee is like an interesting game of hide-and-seek. Each coffee has different characteristics due to different varieties and origins, with subtle differences in acidity, bitterness, sweetness, aroma, body, and other flavors. Each has its own strong personality. With patience to taste them one by one, you can find the coffee variety that suits your palate.

● Packaged Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's freshly roasted single-origin & espresso packaged coffee beans: Yirgacheffe coffee, Brazilian coffee, Mandheling coffee, etc., all have full guarantees in terms of brand and quality, suitable for brewing with various equipment. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high—a half-pound (227 grams) package costs only about 80-90 yuan. Calculating at 15 grams per cup of pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup of single-origin coffee costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to the normal cafe price of 30-40 yuan per cup, this offers extremely high value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and less-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473