No matter which shop you visit, you see rows of coffee packages lined up on the shelves.
Even though you love coffee, have you ever felt unsure about which one to choose?
Actually, once you get the knack of it, choosing delicious coffee is very easy!
This is because coffee is a luxury item, so "delicious" simply means "it suits your taste."
We will introduce a method for finding your perfect cup in 5 easy-to-understand steps, even for coffee beginners.
You are sure to find your best match among the many coffees in the world.
[Step 1] How to Choose Coffee Flavors
First, let’s select the coffee’s origin based on the "flavor" you prefer!
Since origins are sometimes blended, you just need to distinguish the countries that produce your favorite flavors.
If You Like Sweet Coffee
For those who like sweet coffee, we recommend origins like Brazil, El Salvador, and Guatemala!
Brazilian coffee has sweetness like nuts or milk chocolate, with mild acidity that makes it easy to drink.
El Salvadoran coffee offers honey-like sweetness with a balanced body.
Guatemalan coffee features sweetness like chocolate or toffee with a mellow aftertaste.
If You Like Bitter Coffee
For those who like bitter coffee, we recommend origins like Indonesia, India, and Vietnam!
Indonesian coffee has powerful bitterness and unique spicy flavors, creating a deep taste.
Indian coffee is characterized by unique, mellow bitterness, offering richness and a heavy body.
Vietnamese coffee has particularly strong bitterness and is often used for instant coffee or espresso.
If You Like Acidic Coffee
For those who like acidic coffee, we recommend origins like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Costa Rica!
Ethiopian coffee has bright acidity with scents like lemon or flowers and a fruity sensation.
Kenyan coffee features juicy, wine-like acidity with a bright, crisp taste.
Costa Rican coffee offers acidity like citrus or green apple, emphasizing delicacy.
If You Like Aromatic Coffee
For those who like aromatic coffee, we recommend origins like the USA (Hawaii), Panama, and Colombia!
Hawaiian coffee has an elegant sweet aroma like honey or vanilla, with an exquisite balance of freshness and richness.
Panamanian coffee has a very gorgeous, high-class aroma with a floral and transparent taste.
Colombian coffee features aromas like caramel, orange, or hazelnut, and is very well-balanced.
[Step 2] How to Choose Coffee Roast Levels
Next, understand the characteristics of "roast levels" to narrow down your preferences!
Since the roast is often designed to be compatible with the flavor, you usually just need to confirm if it is your preferred combination.
- Light Roast: Fruity and light. Goes well with acidic coffee and aromatic coffee.
- Medium Roast: Good balance of sweetness and acidity. Goes well with sweet coffee and aromatic coffee.
- Dark Roast: Strong bitterness and body. Goes well with sweet coffee and bitter coffee.
Knowing the roast level that matches your preferred flavor brings you much closer to your ideal taste.
Generally, you will see terms like Light Roast, Medium Roast, and Dark Roast on packaging, so please use this as a reference.
[Step 3] How to Choose Coffee Processing Methods
This is a bit advanced, but if you want to be particular, choosing the processing method brings you even closer to your preferred taste.
You can think of processing methods as mainly two types, with the Washed Process being the most common.
Washed Process
This method involves washing harvested coffee cherries (fruit) with water to remove the pulp, followed by fermentation, washing, and drying.
It features a clean aftertaste with few off-flavors, resulting in a coffee with a light impression.
This processing method goes well with bitter coffee and acidic coffee.
About 50-60% of total world production uses this processing method.
Natural Process
This method involves sun-drying harvested coffee cherries (fruit) with the pulp still attached, then removing the skin and pulp after they are completely dry.
The sweetness and aroma of the fruit transfer to the beans, resulting in a rich taste with strong sweetness, body, and fruitiness.
This processing method goes well with sweet coffee and aromatic coffee.
About 30% of total world production uses this processing method.
[Step 4] How to Choose Coffee Grind Size
If you start being particular about how coffee is ground, you are entering pro territory!
Coffee grinds are generally classified into 5 types, each with different characteristics.
- Coarse Grind: Mellow, mild bitterness. Goes well with acidic types.
- Medium-Coarse Grind: Clean and well-balanced taste. Goes well with sweet and aromatic types.
- Medium Grind: Standard balance of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. An all-rounder.
- Medium-Fine Grind: Slightly stronger bitterness and body with rich aroma. Goes well with sweet and bitter types.
- Fine Grind: Rich, strong bitterness, and full body. Goes well with bitter types.
Generally, pre-ground coffee sold in stores is often a medium grind.
Only those who buy whole beans and grind them themselves might enjoy these differences.
[Step 5] How to Choose Coffee Freshness
The last step is simple, but freshness is what determines the coffee’s flavor.
Since the flavor of roasted beans degrades over time, try to choose the freshest ones possible.
- Choose beans with the most recent roast date
- Grind coffee beans just before drinking
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place
- Consume within 2 weeks after opening
Combine the 5 Steps to Find Your Best!
With the 5 steps above, you should be able to find the best coffee for you.
Finally, as a summary, I would like to introduce the steps using the Waikiki Coffee pattern.
At Waikiki Coffee, we aimed for a sweet taste and fruity flavor typical of the tropical paradise of Hawaii.
[Step 1] Aromatic coffee like Hawaiian or Colombian, and sweet coffee like Brazilian
[Step 2] Medium roast, which goes well with aromatic and sweet coffee
[Step 3] Natural process, which also goes well with aromatic and sweet coffee
[Step 4] Medium-coarse grind, which fits well with aromatic and sweet coffee
[Step 5] Small-batch production whenever possible & nitrogen filling to maintain freshness
In this way, we created the best blend for sweet and aromatic coffee.
Please try to find your own favorite, supreme coffee too.