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Buying coffee that is a cut above what everybody else is drinking is by no means rocket science, however, like every pursuit that yields great rewards, it requires perseverance and perhaps a little bit of luck. Fortunately, there is no need to do copious amounts of research, as many others have already done the hard work for you. Similarly, there is no need to spend huge amounts of money; good quality coffee can be found at reasonable prices if you know what you are looking for. Simply put, buying great coffee is a matter of keeping in mind a few basic rules, and then finding a supplier who can give you something that appeals to your personal tastes.

Rule 1: The coffee must be of high quality. Essentially you are looking for 100% Arabica beans. There are two main species of the coffee plant: Robusta and Arabica. Robusta like its name suggests, is hardier and more easily grown than Arabica, and is therefore cheaper. It is also much less flavorsome. Robusta is the bean that you find in instant coffees on supermarket shelves. It is also often mixed with Arabica beans in lower to mid range product. Therefore, if you want the best coffee available, go for 100% Arabica and accept nothing else.

Rule 2: The coffee must be as fresh as possible. Here I am not just talking about making sure that it is vacuum sealed and within the best before' date. Do a bit of homework. Coffee is grown in many regions of the world and all of these regions harvest at different times of the year. Luckily for us, this means that there are many different regional flavors to savor the whole year round. Get them as soon as they hit suppliers after harvest.

Rule 3: The roasting process has a significant effect on the flavor. Roasting caramelizes starches in the bean and releases oils which contribute to the final taste. Many high-end suppliers buy the beans green and roast them themselves. They do this because years of experience have shown them that this is the key to producing higher quality, more consistent flavor. Obviously, a smaller supplier, roasting smaller batches of beans, has more quality control than a large factory churning out tons of the stuff. They can also fine tune the process over time to produce a flavor that is unique. In short, look for a supplier with experience who does their own roasting.

The last part is the fun part. Start sampling coffees that conform to the above criteria from a number of different suppliers. Try different blends and regions. Buy online, or from local stores. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have a local grower that you can purchase from directly. I'm not going to endorse anybody here. As long as you are buying very fresh, high quality, well-roasted coffee, the rest really just comes down to your own personal taste. Do some experimentation, and find out what lights your fire.

Learn more about this author, S. Engel.
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