Coffee beans can be simply divided into two types, Arabica and Robusta.

• Arabica

I believe you can often see in advertisements that businesses like to emphasize that their coffee is made from Arabica. Indeed, it can be said that a simple way to distinguish good coffee is to choose 100% Arabica.

Image source: economist.com

• Robusta

Robusta is produced in high quantities in Vietnam. It has a slightly turbid taste, and some say it reminds people of tires and gasoline. Vietnam started growing coffee in the 19th century, when it was still a French colony. Robusta was grown mainly for its economic value, such as its ability to grow at low altitudes and its insect resistance.

These two beans can be further divided into many different varieties. Ethiopia has a rich variety of coffee, and Colombia is also a high-quality Arabica bean producing country. Most of the varieties compared in the previous study come from these countries.

Most places sell coffee beans that are blended from different beans. Using blended coffee beans not only helps save costs in commercialization, but also makes the overall quality more stable.

Coffee bean selection, brewing and blending

• Coffee Bean Selection

If you plan to make your own coffee, you can choose the coffee beans and roasting degree according to your favorite taste . Most coffee shops use dark roasts, but I was once impressed by a patient who gave me a bag of lightly roasted beans.

When buying beans, it is best to pay attention to the roasting time and choose those with a recent date and freshness. Generally speaking, the flavor of coffee beans will increase within a month after roasting, and begin to decline after 30 days . Now some coffee shops will pay attention to fresh roasting to ensure that the coffee is at its best tasting period and thus maintain the flavor.

In addition, it is generally recommended to grind fresh coffee instead of buying coffee powder directly , because the flavor will disappear quickly. I have a grinder the size of an ordinary cup at home, which can be used to grind fresh coffee every time I make coffee. In most cases, you can consider grinding as fine as possible, which can increase the contact area between water and coffee powder during extraction, but it may also cause the organic acid extraction to be too high, increasing the bitterness, so it needs to be properly controlled.

• Brewing and blending

The influence of brewing and mixing is even greater. General coffee machines will ensure the stability of this link through design, but there are still many factors that can be intervened by humans. For example, most people prefer the rich and pleasant enjoyment brought by the mixture of espresso and milk, but the thicker and more fragrant the milk foam, the easier it is to cover up the aroma of the coffee itself.

Coffee that you can enjoy is good coffee

When drinking coffee, we often pay attention to the environment of the coffee shop. I often choose to go to a coffee shop, sit there and write for a while, but don’t forget that it is also important to taste the coffee well.

"Good or not" is a value judgment. Just like "how to know a good dish", dishes have various flavors and various judging criteria, and cannot be generalized. If a cup of coffee is cheap and convenient for you, helps you to be refreshed, and you don't feel uncomfortable after drinking it, then this cup of coffee is worthy of respect.

In short, you don’t have to believe that one type of coffee is the best. It’s better to try new products with an open mind and enjoy different excitement.