If you’ve never had coffee before and you’d like to find your personal brew, start with the mildest versions of traditional coffee and go from there. This means you’ll be investigating the flavour of coffee first but experiencing its intensity in steps.
This article will take a look at the many ways to produce, prepare, and serve coffee, and will give some guidance on what to look for and where to start.
Which coffee should I try first?
Coffee has a very distinct flavour intensity, so if you’re not familiar with it, try a coffee flavoured product first. This might be ice cream, a milkshake, or a coffee flavoured iced milk drink.
If you enjoy these, then start your real coffee journey with a traditional mocha. These are good for beginners because the chocolate will be familiar to you, and it will mask some of the bitterness of true coffee.
What exactly is a mocha?
A mocha is an expresso shot blended with chocolate and then milk.
However, there are many varieties of mocha, and baristas will have a signature build: a particular coffee bean, specific chocolate, and they will layer the drink using a personal recipe.
Mochas sound simple, but they must be carefully built to get the right effect because they are not a milk drink, they’re a coffee.
What’s next after the mocha?
So you’ve enjoyed the mocha and are ready to move on. The latte is your next stop: it’s your mocha without the chocolate.
A latte is made with a shot of espresso and filled with steamed milk. A layer of foamed milk is added at the end.
You’ll probably have noticed by now that we’re not talking instant coffee powder here. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s generally agreed that it doesn’t give the flavour, the aroma, or the depth of ground coffee beans.
And that brings us to the actual coffee beans!
What are the four main coffee beans?
The four main beans are Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, Excelsa, and they all have distinctive flavours.
- Arabica beans, grown in Brazil, and which have a sweeter and softer profile
- Robusta beans, grown in Africa, India, and Indonesia, and which have a harsher stronger flavour and are higher in caffeine.
- Liberica, grown in Southeast Asia, and are described as fruity and woody
- Excelsa, grown in a range of regions, including Chad in North Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Excelsa beans are the rarest and most expensive bean and are described as tart and fruity.
Finding the one for you means you’ll have to keep trying until you connect with your flavour and style.
What are the different brewing methods?
This is where things become intense. Brewing methods range from brewing under pressure, a procedure that produces intensely good coffee quickly, to percolation, which is just coffee and water and not much more.
Our espresso machines, our Moka pots, and our AeroPress all brew our coffee under pressure, with espresso machines also grinding the beans. So if you’ve found the bean you like you can use these machines to produce your brew.
While espresso machines can get very expensive (and fancy), your Moka pot and AeroPress and very popular (and cheaper) ways to prepare your coffee at home.
The Moka pot won’t quite produce an expresso, but it’s pretty close to it, and the AeroPress, for a simple three piece tool, creates a rich and smooth brew.
What are the different styles of coffee?
A quick breakdown of some of the most popular types of brew:
- Latte – an espresso shot filled with milk and presented with a foamed top
- Mocha – an espresso shot combined with chocolate and milk and a foamed top
- Iced latte – an espresso shot, a small about of milk and a generous amount of ice
- Flat white – espresso and untextured milk – no froth
- Long Black – a double shot of espresso poured over hot water
- Cappuccino – an espresso shot, textured milk, and a dusting of surface chocolate
- Babycino – frothed milk served in an espresso cup and served to children
- Espresso – a single shot of coffee with nothing added
- Doppio – a double shot of coffee with nothing added
- Ristretto – a shot of espresso made with half the amount of water and so a more intense drink
- Long Macchiato – a double shot of espresso and a very small amount of steamed milk served in a larger glass
- Short Macchiato – a single shot of espresso and steamed milk, served in a small glass
- Affogato – a double shot of espresso and a serve of vanilla ice cream
Where can I buy a good coffee?
With the addition of qualified baristas and espresso machines to most eating establishments, you can expect to buy a good coffee from just about anywhere.
The sophistication and efficiency of espresso machines means that most businesses will invest in one and experienced baristas are expected to operate them competently and quickly.
To make your coffee well, baristas must accomplish a series of steps that begins with grinding and ends with pouring and serving, and they must know the precise details of the correct “build” of your choice.
Where can I buy good coffee beans?
Supermarkets carry lines of excellent beans as well as instant coffee products. You can also find coffee beans at specialty shops and markets and cafes.
You can choose “ethically” grown beans as well source them from locations you prefer.
Another option is to visit an actual roastery, where you can see the coffee bean production process from beginning to end, try the products, discuss the flavours, all while supporting a local business.
What do I need to brew good coffee at home?
Experts state that the first thing for good coffee at home is a good quality bean! Then you’ll need an espresso machine that completes the process from beginning to end.
If you’d prefer something more low-key, simpler, and cheaper, then you’ll need a hand grinder and a coffee brewer of your choice.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.
