Excellent advice from James Hoffmann on buying coffee beans.
Where to buy, what to look for.
Never buy from a supermarket or corporate coffee chains.
Buy from a specialty coffee shop. Or a reputable roastery.
Best by is meaningless. Look for roast date. Fresh is best.
Never buy ground coffee. Least worst, coffee shop grinds, tell them what you want it for. Grind size matters. Best option, buy a decent grinder, grind fresh each brew.
Buy the best coffee grinder you can afford.
- Timemore C3 or C5 series
- Knock
- Comandante
- Niche Zero
Be aware many electric grinders will not grind fine enough for espresso.
Never a blender for blitzing drinks. It shreds the beans. Use for cocktails, fruit juices or smoothies, never for coffee beans.
As a last resort, a hammer. But will get fines and boulders and coffee will lack consistency.
And always weigh the ground coffee for consistency.
Store the beans in the bag they were shipped in. Squeeze the bag to expel the air, then seal. Store the bag in a cool dark place. Never in a fridge. Coffee beans, often the bag is in a box, eg DAK and Dark Arts, place the bag back in its box. I place the bags in small paper carrier bags.
Be adventurous. Let the barasta choose. Try as espresso.
Read
- The World Atlas of Coffee – James Hoffmann
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