For many people, the first thing that comes to mind in the morning is that magic drink made by brewing hot water with ground coffee beans. Some people can’t even imagine waking up without having a cup of their favorite coffee. However, morning is not the only time of day when this beverage is consumed. It’s always coffee time. Some of us drink it to boost our energy when we have work piled up and waiting for us, others use it to stay awake before an exam or to improve their focus in the gym, and there are those who drink coffee just because they enjoy the taste.
There are so many different types of coffee drinkers, but maybe even more types of coffee drinks. And most people prefer one kind of coffee over the others. Do you know what is it that you are looking for in a coffee? Different types of coffee have different levels of acidity, flavors, oiliness, aroma etc., and they meet different sustainability standards. Unless you are a professional from the coffee industry, you would surely need some help to learn how to recognize quality coffee.
The first step in recognizing the particular characteristics of a coffee is to start with the bag and read coffee labels. They commonly give us information about where the coffee came from, how it was grown and more. However, labels can often seem confusing. If the label, for example, says that the roast level of the coffee beans is light, it means that there is no oil present on the surface, the color and flavor are lighter and the acidity is pronounced. Even though it sounds contradictory, light roast beans retain almost all the caffeine.
There are a few mandatory elements a coffee label on the front of the packaging should contain:
- 1. Name of the product
2. Net weight
3. Name and address of the coffee producer
Most coffee labels also include information about:
- 4. Coffee species
5. Roast level
6. Quality of the coffee
The coffee label may also contain different icons with bird illustrations, frog signs etc. Those are sustainability certifications that are given by third-party authorities, and they prove that the coffee you’re buying is organic, environmentally-friendly etc.
This clear and concise graphic shows which information a coffee label should provide. The resource also explains many other useful coffee facts that can be crucial for consumers and help them make the best coffee choice possible.
