Figure out if you like a dark or light roasted coffee. You’re just not going to have a happy coffee experience if you’re thinking about seasonality and origin but you’re drinking a light roast when you really like dark roast.
Know your preferences!
“Then within those preferences, explore what it is about those flavors that fascinates you. Look at origin, beginning with a continent.
For example, East African coffees are super floral and fruity whereas Central American coffees can be really bright and sparkly. And then drill in the difference between Kenya and Ethiopia coffees or the difference between Nicaraguan and Honduran coffees and explore that.
It’s really fascinating.
“If you want to really geek out and take it even further, you can find layers of subtlety around processing and how the coffee itself is processed on the farm and how the fruit is handled.
Things like the level of fermentation that’s involved and how the coffee is dried and if it’s washed.
This involves removing the fruit from the bean and washing it which produced a clean and sparkling flavor or if its a natural process, the fruit is dried like a raisin which produces jammy, winey flavor.
Or maybe you like a blend? Whatever it is, understand the process so when your brewing your cup of coffee you’re making all the right choices, from what’s aligned with your values to what’s aligned with your palate. Have that deeply explored and connected experience.”
5. Understand the basics
“First, always drink freshly roasted coffee. Ideally look for a roaster that tells you when the coffee was roasted and buy coffee that’s been roasted within the last couple of weeks if you can.
Store it in an airtight container away from light. What you’re fighting is oxidation which is of course about exposure to oxygen but also about exposure to light, as well as extreme temperature.
Coffee should not be frozen or refrigerated! The best thing to do is get a mason jar, put your coffee in the jar, screw on the lid, and put it in the cupboard. Done.
And purchase amounts according to your consumption.
Don’t be embarrassed to buy coffee in 1/2 or 1/4 pound increments, if that’s what works to keep it fresh.
