The buying of coffee was simple. You would walk down the aisle then grabbed the usual bag of beans, and set off to home. There wasn't much change in taste and, frankly, there weren't much to think it about. It was straightforward... and boring.


Specialty coffee is unique. You can purchase coffee from many origin countries. You can purchase coffee that has plenty of diverse and innovative tastes. You can purchase organic coffee, fair trade, direct trade, bird-friendly, light roasts arabica, washed-process, and washed-process. It can feel like the world at times.


Buying specialty coffee beans should not be stressful and confusing. The experience should be enjoyable.


In this ultimate guide we'll go over everything you must know about coffee beans, including...



Why specialty coffee is different


Medium, light, and dark roasts taste better than ever


Why coffee genetics are important


How processing methods impact the bean's flavor (hint that it's dramatic)


What sort of coffee from different places is known to taste similar to


Plus much more



The goal of this site is to give you all the knowledge you need to select the best beans for your preferences and lifestyle.


Let's get into one of the most crucial aspects: why specialty coffee is distinct... in addition to being superior.

Always seek freshly roasted coffee Beans


Agrarian products are coffee beans. They're the fruit of a berry that grows on a nut tree. They'ren't manufactured in some factory.


Like all crops such as coffee beans, they are best when brewed fresh. At their peak freshness, which is just couple of days after being baked, the sugars are sugary, the natural oils emit vibrant aromas and the acidity is crisp and balanced, and there's no bitterness.


But the beans begin to decay rapidly. Sugars disappear, oils disperse, the acids break down and form bitter compounds, and the previously clear flavor gets muddy and hard to discern.


The loss of freshness and flavor can diminish the enjoyment of your daily brew, making it difficult to fully appreciate the coffee and really enjoy the moment.


This is the general principal: coffee beans are only fresh for a couple of weeks after being roasted. Pre-ground coffee? The grounds are only able to last 20-30 hours of peak freshness before they start decaying rapidly.


Here's how you know how the beans are when you buy the bag:



You should avoid "best by" dates on bags. The dates are always months away which implies that the roaster's trying to convince you that the beans are at their peak freshness for weeks, not months (hint: they're not).




Search for "roasted on" dates. Roasters who disclose dates on when their coffee was roasted aren't afraid of providing the truth. This is the hallmark for a transparent, honest roaster.



THE 10 STAGES OF ROASTING COFFEE


Professional roasters have drawn up ten levels of roast that beans may (but not necessarily should) go through. The level at which you can be determined by you:



green: Green beans remain their natural green color while they begin to get hot.


Yellow Color will appear yellowish. The beans emit a grassy scent.


Steam: A steam will rise out from the beans. The water inside the beans which is evaporated.


"The First Crack (Cinnamon Roast): Here's where the real roasting starts. The beans' sugars begin to caramelize and crackling sound can be heard, similar to what you hear when popcorn is popping.


City Roast: Following the first crack The beans have been able to reach City Roast, the minimum level of roast for many people's grinding preferences.


City Plus Roast: After the further caramelization sugars and the movement of oils, the beans will expand in volume and grow to City Plus Roast. This is a sought-after and common level of roast to use.


Full City Roast: Beyond the boundaries that are offered by City Plus is the Full City Darker roast that takes the beans to the verge of cracking for the second time.


Second Crack (Full City Plus Roast): The beans undergo an additional, more violent cracking before entering Full City Plus. This roast will expose more layers of intensity to the flavor.


Dark Roast (French Roast): Smoke will become pungent, the sugars will get as hot as they can without damaging the flavor, also the beans' structure will disintegrate. This is the maximum limit that roasting can be done within the bounds of good flavor.


Burn If the roaster hasn't removed the roast by now the smell will shift from strong to awful and the beans will start to go through the fire.






Where can I get fresh roasted coffee beans near me?


After I've shared with you everything that I've learned on purchasing specialty coffee beans, it's about time I'll share the top places to purchase them. There are many choices.



Cafes -- Specialty coffee shops usually offer beans from their roasting partner for sale. The variety is usually small and at times, they're less fresh as the best.


Direct From Roaster Most roasters have their own facilities they sell freshly fresh roasted coffees from. It's a good method to get the most fresh coffee, but it's not as good as the origins of the coffee that is sourced by a particular roaster.


Online buying beans online opens up the world of the origins of coffee and flavors that only a handful of roasters be able to achieve. However, only a handful of online stores actually sell coffee that's roasted-to-order.



Where is the best spot to reap the benefits of diversity and freshness?


Allow me to introduce you to the Leonine Coffee


We procure coffee beans from the top coffee farms across the globe. We then roast them like craftsmen and ship their beans right to you within two hours so that you can rest assured that you're getting the most authentic coffee.


That's why you'll get your beans within a couple of days after roasting so they're likely to be more fresh than what you'd find on the shelves of the roaster's workstation or cafe.


Many of our offerings are Bird-Friendly certified or certified to be approved by Rainforest Alliance. A couple of them are certified organic, or Certified Fair Trade. Also, many of them were purchased through the direct trade model.



Sustainably sourced


Only beans that are graded as specialty arabica beans


It is sourced from all over the globe



You will receive it the same day that they had roasted