Whether you are an occasional coffee drinker, or a serious coffee afficionado, you deserve no less than the best type of coffee to enjoy a top quality drink. With hundreds of varieties of coffee, it is no longer easy to pick a type of coffee that yields deliciously fragrant and amazingly deep flavors. Types of coffee beans, roasts, grind sizes, ground vs beans determine the quality of your cup of coffee. Today, we are sharing our experiences choosing the best kind of coffee. By the end of this article, you should have a sense of the ideal choice for you. FAST and EASY.
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Comparison Guide: 3 BEST types of coffee
What is the best kind of coffee for me? How do I find one?
Believed to have originated in Ethiopia and Yemen, coffee has captured our hearts with its flavor, fragrance and its consistently stimulating effects.
Though coffee is among the most popular beverages in the US, I had remained ignorant about how coffee becomes… coffee. I was excited to learn that coffee grows on tree fruits. Once the fruits are ripe, the seeds are taken out, washed, dried, roasted, passed through the grinder, and finally brewed for a delicious cup of coffee!
However, not all coffee beans grow equal. Roasts taste different from one another, and sizes of different coffee grounds need to be brewed differently.
The best type of coffee is a highly individual matter. It will largely depend on your own tastes and preferences. Three factors will have an impact on whether coffee qualifies as the best type of coffee include:
- the type of a bean,
- the type of a roast, and
- the type of grind size.
4 AWESOME types of coffee beans
→ Arabica beans
Where is it grown? Arabica beans are grown at high altitudes. The most popular Arabica beans are grown in the following:
- Ethiopia,
- Yemen, and
- South America.
They are more difficult to grow and are more prone to disease than other coffee varieties, which makes them more expensive, too.
Flavor: Arabica beans is a gourmet kind of coffee. Some consider it to be the best type of coffee available. Arabica beans are a lot more flavorful and aromatic than other coffee beans. They are delicate and low in acidity.
Can be perfect for: Coffee lovers who can appreciate nuanced flavors.
Brewing methods: Arabica beans are versatile and are great with any brewing method. Most coffee in the stores is Arabica beans. So, even if you had no idea that coffee beans come in different varieties, the chances are that you have been drinking coffee made from Arabica beans for your entire life.
Coffee connoisseurs prefer Arabica beans before other bean types because they have a mild, pleasant taste that fits any brewing method. So whether you prefer espresso, drip coffee, or French press coffee, Arabica beans are a strong choice.
Examples of delicious Arabica coffee
→ Robusta beans
Where is it grown? Robusta beans, also known as Canephora beans, are cultivated on lower planes than the Arabica beans. They can usually be found in the following:
- Eastern Hemisphere
- Africa
Flavor: These coffee beans are not as popular as the Arabica beans mostly because of their flavor. The coffee these beans brew can be bitter. Therefore, Robusta beans can make a nice blend with Arabica beans. Blending Arabica and Robusta bean varieties brews coffee with a stronger flavor and rich in caffeine. Can brew some really good espresso.
Can be perfect for: Coffee lovers who enjoy stronger and more pronounced flavors. Coffee lovers who like their coffee with milk or sugar, but want to maintain an apparent coffee taste. Excellent for espresso afficionados.
Brewing methods: Mostly in espresso.
You can buy Robusta coffee in supermarkets, in most cases blended with Arabica beans, but you can also purchase 100% Robusta beans, if you want to give them a try.
Examples of delicious Robusta coffee (some of the examples below are a blend of Robusta and Arabica)
→ Liberica beans
Where is it grown? Liberica beans grow only in the Philippines, which makes this coffee bean species to be quite rare. Liberica beans are not widely exported.
An interesting fact. In 1890, due to a shortage of Arabica beans, the US started importing Liberica beans from the Philippines, a practice that continued until the Philippines claimed independence.
Flavor: This is one of my most favorite coffee beans. They have a floral, fruity aroma and brew coffee with a woody, smokey taste.
Can be perfect for: Coffee lovers who like to experience different tastes and flavours, will surely be interested in tasting the coffee made of Liberica beans. Just as the Robusta beans, Liberica beans contain much more caffeine than Arabica beans.
Brewing methods: Just like Arabica beans, Liberica beans can brew the best type of coffee, irrespective of the brewing method you might choose.
Examples of delicious Liberica coffee (rare to find!)
→ Excelsa beans
Where is it grown? Excelsa beans are actually considered a genus of the Liberica beans. They grow in Southeast Asia.
Flavor: Excelsa beans brew coffee that has a tart and fruity flavor.
Can be perfect for: Though excelsa beans are not widely popular, as they make up merely 7% of the world’s coffee consumption, they can be a nice choice for experienced (and adventurous) coffee lovers.
Brewing methods: These beans are appropriate for any brewing method.
Examples of delicious Excelsa coffee (blend of different beans)
Best kind of coffee roast
Coffee beans are exported as green beans, because the shelf life of green coffee beans is much longer than that of roasted beans.
The roasting occurs in the importing country. This happens as a result of dry heat at a temperature of around 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
The roasting process alters the taste and the aroma of coffee beans. Oils contained within the beans begin to emerge on their surface. The darker the roast, the more oily the beans are.
As soon as the beans are removed from the roaster, they are immediately cooled with air or water.
Levels of roasting can be grouped into three main categories:
- light,
- medium, and
- dark.
However, let’s remember that roasting alone does not guarantee any particular flavor. As a matter of fact, the type of beans along with their origin play a decisive role in that.
A coffee bean from Colombia will taste differently from a coffee bean from Ethiopia, even if they have been both roasted the same way.
→ Dark roast coffee
When coffee beans are dark roasted, the sugars contained within become caramelized, and the oils rise to the surface. With these, dark roasted beans attain an almost black, shimmering, slightly oily appearance. The original taste of the beans becomes overpowered by the roasted flavor. Hence, coffee beans chosen to be dark roasted are usually of a lower quality.
Flavor: With a strong and smoky aroma, and with a taste that is usually described as bitter, dark roasts are great for brewing espresso.
Can be perfect for: Lovers of strong coffee that gives a kick.
Brewing methods: Espresso is a great way to experience dark roast.
Additional types of dark roast: Dark roast beans can be further divided into the following:
- French roast: dark brown beans, popular for espresso,
- Viennese roast,
- Italian roast: strong burnt flavor, dark and oily beans,
- Espresso roast, and
- Spanish roast: the darkest roast of all, charcoal undertone.
Some delicious dark roast coffee:
→ Medium roast coffee
Medium roasts are the most popular on the coffee market because of their full, balanced taste and their versatility.
Flavor: Medium roasted beans have a chocolatey color, a dry surface and a slightly sweet tones and flavor.
Can be perfect for: Lovers of good coffee.
Brewing methods: Medium roast works well with any brewing method and any brewing style
Additional types of medium roast: Some roasts in the medium roasts category include the following:
- full city roast: chocolate or caramel undertones,
- breakfast roast, and
- regular roast.
Some delicious medium roast coffee:
→ Light roast coffee
Flavor: The beans used in light roasts are usually of the highest quality, and can make one of the best types of coffee. The light roasting allows their original flavors and aroma to shine through. These beans have a light, dry appearance, since they do not roast long enough for the color to darken and the oils to emerge.
Can be perfect for: Strong coffee. High in caffeine.
Brewing methods: Light roast works well with any brewing method and any brewing style
Additional types of light roast: Some roasts in the light roasts category include the following:
- cinnamon roast: sour tones, grainy flavor,
- American roast: medium light roast used in sampling,
- half-city roast, and
- New England roast: sour tones, common in New England!
Some delicious light roast coffee:
Best grind size
Apart from the type of bean and roast, there is another factor that plays an important role in making a good cup of coffee, and that is the grind size. There are three main types of grinds:
- coarse,
- medium,
- and fine.
Grinding is very important.
First, freshly ground coffee gives more flavor to coffee. Therefore, I strongly suggest that each coffee aficionado should grind beans right before brewing.
Second of all, it is important to match a brewing method with the right grind size. This will ensure that coffee tastes, smells and looks amazing.
The grind size effects 3 factors in coffee:
- contact time: how long coffee grinds are in contact with water in order to get soaked,
- extraction time: how long it takes for the water to extract coffee components, and
- flow rate: how quickly water can move through the grounds.
→ Coarse grind
Coarse grinds require a long contact time and longer extraction than other grind sizes. However, unlike other grinds, coarse grind produces a high flow rate.
This type of coffee grind has a texture resembling sea salt or coarse salt. It is low on surface area, and needs to stay in the water for a while in order for coffee extraction to occur.
Brewing methods: Coarse grinds go well with any brewing method that involves steeping. For instance, they are suitable for
- French press,
- percolator
Coarse grinds are also great for cold brewing. In addition, I have tried to brew cowboy coffee using coarse grinds. A cowboy coffee is brewed in a pot on the stove.
Some delicious coarse coffee:
→ Medium grind
This is the most prevalent type of grind found in the supermarkets across the US. Medium ground coffee usually has the texture of dry sand.
Brewing methods: Medium grind is best in:
- automatic machines with cone shaped filters,
- drip coffee makers,
- some single cup coffee makers,
- pour overs,
- aeropresses, and
- vacuum coffee makers.
Some delicious medium grind coffee:
→ Fine grind
The fine grind requires short contact time, and has a short extraction time, too.
Brewing methods: Due to its clumpy, floury texture, fine grind size produces a slow flow rate.
Therefore, it is perfect to be used in espresso machines where it creates enough resistance for the pressurized water flow. In an espresso machine, those fine coffee grounds soak up the whole coffee puck and extract coffee flavors. Fine grinds also work great with the moka pot, or to brew Turkish coffee.
This grind size is not recommended for drip coffee machines where fine grounds can clog the filter. They are also not recommended to be used in the French press or with pour over methods, as small coffee particles can escape through the filter, into a cup of coffee (and grounds).
Some delicious fine grind coffee:
Ground coffee vs coffee bean
So, which one is better? Ground coffee or coffee beans? Should you buy coffee beans and grind them yourself at home, or should you buy ready-to-brew ground coffee? Well, it is a matter of taste, of comfort, and of money.
Buying coffee beans means more flavor and freshness
Buying coffee beans and grinding them means that coffee will be fresh and full of flavor (provided beans are ground and brewed within 72 hours).
However, whole beans are more expensive than ground coffee, because whole beans are of better quality. They are fresher than ground coffee and they typically come from a better crop.
Buying ground coffee means convenience and savings
On the other hand, buying (pre-)ground coffee removes all that grinding work. It is incredibly convenient to just open up a package, measure an appropriate amount and insert into a coffee maker.
However, ground coffee does not have the same freshness and quality as coffee beans. Some brands sell vacuum-packaged ground coffee, which should maintains some flavor and freshness. The quality may start deteriorating upon opening the package. We recommend consuming that coffee within 72 hours.
Ground coffee is much more affordable than coffee beans.
→ Ground coffee
Can be perfect for: Value-oriented customers. It can also be a great choice for customers who appreciate convenience and speed. After all, ground coffee allows not to worry about grinding. In addition to saving time, ground coffee also saves money. No need to spend additional dollars on coffee grinders.
May not be the best choice for: Customers who enjoy taking the time in brewing coffee. If you want to know exactly what type of coffee beans go inside your coffee, and if you want to experience the aroma of freshly ground, quality beans, then (pre-)ground coffee may not be the best choice.
Some delicious ground coffee:
→ Coffee beans
Buying coffee beans entails making our own grinding arrangements. So, we will need a grinder, and some basic knowledge about coffee grinding (like which grind size we need for a specific brewing method).
However, grinding our own beans also gives us some freedom. We don’t have to stick to a certain grind size. We can experiment with different sizes and we can even make our own blends.
Another reason why buying coffee beans might be better is the quality. Whole beans are of much superior quality than pre-ground coffee (which is why they cost more money).
Some delicious coffee beans:
Other good types of coffee to consider
→ Decaffeinated coffee
Decaffeination can never remove 100% of caffeine from coffee beans. Therefore, international community has established some standards what can termed as decaf coffee:
- international standards: 97% of caffeine removed,
- European Union: 99.9% of caffeine removed.
Decaffeination can be done through different methods. Most of them use chemicals and solvents like carbon dioxide, ethyl acetate and triglycerides (yikes!).
The most popular method is the Swiss Water Method. It uses only water to remove caffeine from coffee beans.
Nevertheless, the decaffeination process involves extra costs and labor, and has an effect on the taste and flavor of the bean.
Some delicious decaf coffee:
→ Instant coffee
Typically made of robusta beans, instant coffee is a useful, handy coffee option for those looking for an inexpensive and fast caffeine boost. It is also referred to as coffee powder, soluble coffee or crystal coffee.
Instant coffee is nothing else than brewed coffee that has been depleted of all its water content, a process that can take place in two different ways:
- freeze-drying: takes place by freezing brewed coffee and then placing it in a vacuumed, heated chamber; as frozen coffee warms up, frozen water expands into gas and dry grains of coffee are left behind,
- spray-drying: involves spraying brewed coffee from a high tower in a hot-air chamber; as coffee droplets fall, the heat causes the water to evaporate, and dry crystals of coffee to fall to the bottom of the chamber.
Some delicious instant coffee:
→ Kopi Luwak
This is a special, gourmet type of coffee that is produced in Indonesia from coffee berries that have been previously eaten and then excreted by the Luwak cat.
After they have been excreted, the berries are washed, the seeds are removed and dried.
As strange as it may sound, coffee beans created through this process are considered a delicacy and are sold with over $30 per ounce. The interaction with the enzymes inside the digestive tract of the Luwak cat, changes the qualities of the coffee beans, creating a coffee that has a sweet, chocolaty taste (no added sugar is needed).
You can order from Amazon the Kaya Kopi range of products, if you want to have a taste of this best type of coffee. Enjoy!
Some delicious instant coffee:
Owly wisdom
WOW! We hope that this guide to the best type of coffee is helpful. We hope this information will help you brew better coffee. And, why not? Maybe it will even inspire you to create your own unique coffee blend.
What type of coffee do you like best? What’s your favorite coffee blend? Do you have any preference for the grind size? Will you be brave enough to try Kopi Luwak?
Please leave us a comment, share with your friends!
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