Coffee

Dark roasted coffee is more popular than ever, and the odds are that you may have enjoyed a dark roasted cup of Joe a time or two in your lifetime. However, as a coffee lover, it is important to understand the difference between dark and light roasted coffee because they are two diverse coffee styles.

Interestingly enough, mass marketing and commercial appeal has presented dark roasted coffee as the best quality and choice. Dark roasted coffee is popular on the market, especially when you consider that the coffee industry is the second-largest exporter next to oil worldwide. This gives the coffee industry the opportunity to market dark roasted beans as the number one choice available. A dark roast is actually made of coffee beans roasted for a longer period of time at a higher temperature, which causes many flavor molecules within the beans to burn away. This is both good and bad because bad flavors can be burned away in the roasting process, but that can include good flavors as well. When a coffee is roasted very dark, it is difficult for the drinker to tell if it is made from good or bad quality beans because it has a smoky and charcoal flavor overall.

Many coffee companies are attempting to dark roast all of their coffee to mask the type of beans that they are using, which is why dark roast Java is presented as the more popular variety on the market. This does not always mean a dark roasted coffee is a bad choice because there are many wonderful beans used to create dark roasts of Java. However, it still pays off to be a savvy customer and choose a roast made of flavorful and quality beans, whether it is light or dark.

A light roasted coffee is roasted for a shorter period of time, and it will have more flavor characteristics from the region that it is grown in. Some of these flavors may include those influenced by weather and soil, and some examples of light roasted coffee beans are Java and Kona. Light roasts are for coffee drinkers who want more specific flavors and characteristics within their brew, native to the region that the beans were grown in. Oftentimes, the coffee drinkers that choose a darker roast are not focusing necessarily on where the beans came from but the flavors that the roasting process provided as a result.

The lightest roasted Java available is called the City Roast, and the beans will normally look light or medium brown. These beans are roasted after the first crack in the roasting process, and the second lightest roast, Full City Roast, will be roasted until the second crack.

If you are a dark roasted Java drinker, it may be worth your while to try a lighter roast if you want to experience flavors and tastes from each specific coffee growing region. This is an excellent way to sample premium varieties in your cup of Joe!

Another popular accessory for coffee is commercial coffee makers! For a great selection, check out Mark Ramos website, The Coffee Bump.

Author: Mark Ramos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The social beverage of the world, coffee, is by far one of the most satisfying addictions one can have. That aroma of a fresh brewed cup of coffee can awaken the senses like nothing else. That first sip of sweet espresso or well made Turkish coffee can entice even the most devout coffee hater. Not any old coffee will drive men to tears over its savory goodness.

Choosing the right coffee blend is an art form. You can compare it to those who choose wines for gourmet dinners. Coffee is no different. Following are several tips to help you on the way to finding great coffee.

1. Do yourself a favor and avoid buying name brand coffee. All that you are doing is helping them pay for their substantial marketing machine.

2. Look for local roasters. They take great pride in their coffee beans and the roasting process. You may find a gem.

3. Roasting is one of the keys to a great coffee. Light roasts typically go way of being acidic in flavor. Dark roasts are more bitter and “full” or “medium” roasts are balanced between the two.

4. The higher quality coffee lends themselves to distinct flavors and sweetness regardless if they are dark roasts, medium or light roasts. A good bean roasted lightly will still be sweet with a touch of bitterness whereas a good bean dark roasted will be akin to a desert that contains nuts.

5. People like to think that certain countries produce different types of coffee. The best coffees produced tend to be suited to darker or lighter roasted coffees. Light to dark the countries are: Central America, South America and Caribbean, Africa and then finishing up with Indonesia and India.

6. Use coffee beans roasted for less than ten days prior. Older beans will simply taste like boring, unsweetened cocoa.

7. Grind your coffee beans minutes before actually brewing. This will give you the height of flavor and substance in your morning cup and make those gourmet coffee recipes shine above and beyond.

Arabica vs. Robusta

When you buy coffee at a Starbucks or online you will generally be buying Arabica coffee beans. Purchasing from a deli (typically an Italian-run one) will be a blend known as Robusta. Robusta is a bitter coffee with twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans.

Arabica is the choice of gourmet coffee drinkers all over the world. It is a subtle flavor that is sweet and nutty, but pleasant. Robusta is simply just too bitter and is really your grandfather’s blend and should be avoided for social coffee drinking.

All of this information is for naught if you do not get yourself a quality coffee maker in order to brew your favorite beverage. One-cup coffee makers are great because they keep your coffee fresh by the cup with no sitting around to get stale and lifeless. Espresso makers with milk steamers are great if you wish to experiment with your coffee. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on a machine either. Go with the best that fits your budget.

Paul is a regular contributor to Coffee Maker Review is an informational website for Coffee Machines ratings and reviews, and provides information to the coffee club [http://coffee-club.org]

Author: Paul Simon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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