If you're a beginner just starting out with coffee, you're probably wondering: what coffee should I start drinking? Which coffee beans are suitable for beginners? Feeling lost in the face of all the complicated information, right? Here are four methods to help you quickly find the introductory coffee that suits you.
1. Buy based on roast level
The darker the roast, the stronger the bitterness and the richer the mouthfeel; the lighter the roast, the more pronounced the acidity.
Light-roasted coffee beans usually come with floral and fruity notes, with almost no bitterness and a refreshing taste. They suit those who like a bit of acidity and are more suitable for making pour-over coffee and cold brew;
Medium-roasted coffee has a more balanced acidity, bitterness, and body, suitable for those who like a moderate flavor profile. It can be used for both pour-over and espresso;
Medium-dark and dark roasts have rich oils on the surface and a high body, with mostly nutty, chocolate, and caramel aromas. They suit those who don't like acidity and are mostly used for espresso and moka pot, especially suitable for those who enjoy Americanos and milk coffees with a pronounced rich, mellow feel.
2. Choose coffee beans based on your brewing method
If you're already a coffee enthusiast and own some coffee equipment, you can also determine which coffee to choose by clarifying what brewing device you'll use. Common home coffee equipment falls into two categories: espresso machines and pour-over coffee gear. At this point, you can find coffee beans based on their characteristics.
For making espresso, you need to consider high concentration and crema, and the extraction process also needs to highlight roasty aromas, so it's recommended to prioritize coffee beans with a medium roast or darker.
For those seeking good value for money, it's best to use medium-dark roasted espresso blends. We recommend the rich-crema Front Street. Classic Blend Coffee, the cheap and generous Front Street. Front Street Black Cocoa Blend Coffee, and the nutty, mellow Front Street. Front Street Specialty Blend Coffee. These blends combine coffee beans from different origins, processing methods, and roast levels in specific proportions, making the coffee's flavor fuller, with rich crema and a balanced mouthfeel. They are mostly used for making espresso-based milk coffees and flavored coffees;
If you want to taste the unique aromas of coffee, it's recommended to buy selected single-origin beans—coffee beans from a single origin, single estate, or single variety. The flavors will be more pronounced, and you can experience a layered, complex espresso. We recommend the raisin-sweet Front Street. Mozart SOE, the creamy peanut-flavored Front Street. Queen's Estate SOE, the tropical-fruity Front Street. Colombia Sidra, and the berry sweet-and-tart Front Street. Huakui SOE.
Theoretically, any roast level can be used for pour-over extraction, but to present a full aroma, pour-over coffee usually uses single-origin beans, and most importantly, you should choose based on your taste preferences. If you like floral notes, we recommend Front Street. Huakui, Front Street. Washed Gutingting, Front Street. Panama Butterfly; if you like nutty aromas, we recommend Front Street. PNG Bird of Paradise, Front Street. Brazil Red Bourbon; if you like dark chocolate and cocoa flavors, we recommend Front Street. PWN Golden Mandheling, Front Street. Colombia Huila.
3. Don't buy the especially expensive ones
Coffee bean prices on the market vary widely. Some are 5 times or even a dozen times more expensive than regular coffee beans. These expensive coffee beans may have their reasons for being pricey—whether due to high grading or some unique characteristics—but as a beginner still in the exploratory stage, if you buy particularly expensive coffee beans, you likely won't be able to bring out their exquisite flavors at all, and might even ruin the taste completely, which would just be a waste.
4. Make sure the coffee is freshly roasted
A cup of coffee's flavor begins to take shape from roasting, starts to fade after grinding, and the aroma changes every day. Freshness is the biggest indicator of coffee aroma. Generally, just keep it in its original packaging in a cool, dark place. The optimal flavor period for coffee beans is within 45 days, so if you want to experience the best aroma, be sure to buy fresh coffee.
To buy fresh coffee beans, choose Guangzhou's veteran roaster—Front Street Coffee. Front Street Coffee's Guangzhou physical store specializes in selling coffee beans, offering dozens of selected single-origin pour-over coffee beans and espresso coffee beans from different coffee-growing regions around the world. Front Street coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days, with stable and excellent quality and highly cost-effective prices, shipped within 24 hours. Whether you're a new beginner, a coffee enthusiast who has reached a professional advanced level, or a user opening a coffee shop, Front Street Coffee is the recommended choice of numerous coffee lovers and platforms.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
