Coffee for connoisseurs: Knowing the right bean, roast and grind

By Nina C. Zimmermann Oct 27, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - Elisabeth and Willy Andraschko operate a small coffee company in Berlin called 100 Percent Arabica.

To people who are happy with any type of coffee, it might seem there is nothing special about the coffee they sell, but to coffee drinkers who care about the type of bean and how they are roasted and ground, the Andraschko's cafe stands out as something other than ordinary.

Soon after the dark-brown beans drop into the roasting drum with a whoosh, gray-blue smoke begins rising from the machine. Elisabeth Andraschko stands nearby and watches as a metal arm stirs the beans and cool air flows over them to keep them from burning. A light coffee aroma wafts in the air.

As its name implies, the coffee company in Berlin's free-spirited Kreuzberg district processes and packages only arabica beans. Customers choose from a variety of blends, roasts and grinds.

Willy Andraschko explains that arabica and robusta are the two main coffee beans used to make the overwhelming majority of the coffee consumed worldwide.

Because the robusta plants is less sensitive and grows in lower altitudes than the arabica plants, its beans are less expensive. Large coffee manufacturers therefore harvest and process robusta beans, which have an astringent, slightly bitter taste.

Smaller coffee manufacturers like 100 Percent Arabica roast and package arabica beans exclusively, which are considered better, but are more expensive. A kilogramme of coffee at 100 Percent Arabica costs about 20 euro (26 dollars).

The harvest method is also a factor in the price. A brochure produced by the German Coffee Association points out that picking machines used at large coffee farms can't distinguish between ripe and unripe beans.

Hand-picking is the only way to guarantee that only ripe beans are harvested, thereby guaranteeing quality. This is, however, more expensive and ultimately makes the price higher.

Roasting and grinding methods are other aspects of coffee making that make a difference in the end result. The lighter the coffee, the more acidic and aromatic the taste, said Heiko Rehorik, general secretary of the German coffee roasting guild. The darker the coffee, the more strongly the roast aromas come out, he said.

The grind is important because it is in effect how the aroma passes over to the drink. 'The type of grind is decisively relevant to the taste and should comply with the preparation method,' said Rehorik.

Generally, when coffee is too finely ground, it can taste strong because the water comes in contact with the coffee for a longer time. When it's too coarse, the water runs over the grounds too quickly and the coffee tastes thin.

Lastly, there's the question of how the coffee is prepared by the consumer. The association says the most common way is still using a filter. Rehorik considers it the most expedient way to brew traditionally roasted coffees grown on plantations.

Another method is a French press, which is a straight-sided pitcher that has a fitted plunger or press. Pour hot water over the coffee, wait about three minutes and use the plunger to push the coffee grounds down and filter them out of the drink.

An espresso machine uses high pressure to push boiling water though finely ground coffee. As with the French press, the water temperature plays an important role in ensuring a good taste.