Coffee Corner: How to Buy Great Coffee! {Sarajane} |

As some of you know, and the rest will quickly learn, I’m a HUGE coffee nerd. Like, I read blogs about it, watch barista competitions online, keep a notebook with ideas and notes for my future coffee shop, own close to every possible way to make coffee, know everything I can possibly get my hands on about this little beverage. That kind of nerd. So, what else to do when you can’t stop nerding out about something… blog about it. So, today I’m introducing Coffee Corner where I’ll share all kinds of tips and info on how you can make your coffee experience a better one!

Today, let’s talk about how to buy your coffee!

1. Go to the Right Places!

Unfortunately, if you are out to buy great coffee, you can’t do that at most regular grocery stores. You will have to go to the coffee shop itself or to somewhere like Earth Fare {if you’re around here} or Whole Foods/Fresh Market. I’m always a fan of buying from the coffee shops themselves because you are less likely to go wrong. {If you are going to a great coffee shop} Also, they need your money more than Whole Foods.

2. Know Who Roasted It!

There are some amazing roasters in the country! There are also some not so amazing roasters. I always try to buy either: Stumptown, Intelligentsia, or Counter Culture beans. However, if you can’t find those, find a roaster that you trust. You can determine if you should trust them or not by the rest of this list.

3. The Beans Should Not be Black and Really Oily!

If you look at a Starbuck’s bean it’s pitch black and shiny to look at. That means the beans have been over roasted, thus sacrificing the complex flavor of the beans. Look for a bean that has a brown tint and not as much of a sheen to them. {All beans have tons of natural oils, but, you shouldn’t be able to see them.}

4. Look for a Roasted On date!

You want to buy beans that were roasted less than 2 weeks before you buy them. If you are buying from a good roaster the bag should have a “Roasted On: Date” not a “Enjoy by: Date” Beans begin to lose flavor and go stale about 2 weeks after roasting. So, you want to be able to buy the beans and enjoy them before that process starts happening!

5. They Shouldn’t Cost Less than $10.00/lb.

Good coffee is a bit pricey. You will spend upwards of $10.00 for a great bean. But, if you put it into perspective…

The more you pay for the bean the better the farmer’s that grew it are getting paid. You can more than likely trust that it’s being sourced fairly. Also, you’re $10.00 for a weeks worth of coffee is the equivalent to 2 drinks out at a coffee shop. There are 3 of us in the house that drink coffee and we use a pound a week, that’s $3 something each for a weeks worth of coffee. Worth it!

xoxo,

Sarajane.