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Finding quality coffee beans online requires certain skills. Friends, let's overcome selection difficulties together with FrontStreet Coffee and develop discerning eyes for premium coffee.

The criteria for selecting coffee beans is quite similar to choosing tea. For the most expensive and exquisite tea, you need to go to the origin to purchase the highest quality fresh tea of the year. Coffee is the same - the finest coffee beans often require you to select them at their variety's origin or entrust specialized international suppliers to purchase them.

Therefore, when seeking good coffee beans, physical store options are quite limited, while online shopping presents an excellent alternative. FrontStreet Coffee will introduce the aspects to consider when selecting coffee beans.

Selection Steps

First, let's introduce the steps for choosing coffee beans.

1. Look

If you're purchasing single-origin coffee beans, take a handful of beans, about 10 pieces, and observe whether each bean has consistent color, uniform size, and identical shape to avoid buying inferior products disguised as mixed beans. However, if it's a blend, different sizes and colors are normal.

Additionally, beans roasted with high heat or medium-dark roast will develop oil on the surface. However, if lightly roasted beans show oil, it indicates they have deteriorated. Not only will their aroma and richness decrease, but they'll also develop astringent and sour flavors.

2. Smell

Smell the beans to check if they have coffee aroma. If they do, it indicates the beans are fresh enough. If the aroma is very weak or even shows a greasy smell similar to peanuts that have been stored too long, it means the beans are no longer fresh at all. Absolutely avoid selecting them, as no amount of effort will produce good coffee.

3. Crack

Crack the coffee beans open by hand. If the beans are fresh enough, they'll crack open easily with a crisp sound. If the beans aren't fresh, considerable effort will be required to crack them.

After cracking, check if the roast level is uniform. If it is, the surface and inner layers of the coffee bean will have the same color. If the surface color is much darker than the inner layer, it indicates the roast heat might have been excessive, which will also affect the bean's aroma and flavor.

4. Chew

When selecting, it's best to put one or two beans in your mouth and chew them. If the beans are crisp and make a clear sound when chewed, it indicates they haven't been affected by moisture. Additionally, if they leave a pleasant aroma in your mouth, that's premium quality!

Important Considerations

Often, when buying coffee beans, we find limited options in physical stores and turn to online shops. Although we can't see the actual product before purchasing and can't perform the look, smell, crack, and chew selection steps, online shopping still allows selection from the following aspects. Of course, these aspects also apply to physical store purchases, as some beans are sold in whole bags, preventing detailed inspection.

A. Origin

Online, some shops might use coffee beans not from their claimed origin. For example, some may be labeled as Blue Mountain coffee, but their origin isn't Jamaica. However, this doesn't mean non-origin coffee is necessarily bad. Due to different climates, the flavors may vary slightly. Often, non-origin coffee is more affordable. If you're not too particular, trying flavors from different origins can be worthwhile.

B. Roast Level

Coffee beans release different aromas at different roast levels, and their optimal roasting times vary. Generally, the longer coffee beans are roasted, the deeper their color and flavor becomes, and the richer they taste. This depends on personal preference - some prefer lighter flavors, while others enjoy bolder ones.

If you're really unsure about which roast level to choose, you can always opt for medium roast, as it suits most coffees and is a flavor profile that most people find acceptable.

C. Packaging Date

Pay attention to whether the packaging date is recent. Generally, raw coffee beans have a shelf life of one to two years, while roasted beans maintain their freshness within about a month. Therefore, choose freshly roasted coffee beans and use them within their freshness period to enjoy the most captivating aroma and rich flavor that coffee has to offer.

D. Shop and Brand

This goes without saying, but some coffee might be mixed with other varieties to reduce costs. Be careful. For example, mixing cheaper coffee beans into expensive varieties, or blending poor-quality beans of the same variety with high-quality ones will seriously affect the taste. Therefore, when buying coffee beans, try to choose reputable shops or brands.

E. Price

Actually, prices for the same type of coffee are generally similar. So if some brands sell the same coffee at unusually low prices, be cautious. After all, you get what you pay for.

One friend bought a package of relatively inexpensive Blue Mountain coffee (frankly, I have to say, this was definitely fake!!) and after taking it home, brewed it, and found it lacked coffee aroma. Moreover, when tasted, it didn't have coffee's bitterness but rather a bitterness similar to traditional Chinese medicine. So I suggest everyone pay attention to prices when buying coffee beans - don't sacrifice quality for small savings.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473