good coffee vs bad coffee

[twinings]

I am not a coffee expert. I just like to drink it.

What is the primary differentiator between good coffee and bad coffee? Let's say I am referring to standard filtered coffee made with boiling water, if that makes a difference.

I guess it has to be the beans, or the roast, or both.

Does expensive coffee have the best beans? Does that mean that standard coffees are just left-over beans that the gourmet coffee brands didn't want?

Or, are the beans quite similar, and the preparation is more important.

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "twinings"

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website.

Are you focusing your questions on the use of ground coffee or whole bean?

There are a lot of factors that go into making "good" coffee. Keep in mind that "good" is a matter of personal preference. What is "good" for one person may not be for another. The beans, the roast, the grind, and the method of preparation all play a part in creating "good" coffee.

As you read through some of the threads on this Coffee Forum, you will see that most of us prefer fresh roasted, whole bean coffee that is ground right before using it. ALso, the type of method used to prepare the coffee makes a difference in the end result. Lots of people buy the best of coffees and then ruin the coffee by brewing it wrong.

What do you consider as "standard coffee"? Are you referring to the canned ground coffee that you get in supermarkets?
There are a lot of factors that determine the price of coffee (region grown, importing issues, supply and demand, etc.) The most expensive coffee isn't necessarily the best.

Rose

 

[RolandPluut]

Hi Thread,
There are many different ways of growing coffee beans, roasting, grinding and at the end to prepare your great cup of espresso. Quality starts with the quality of the beans, but must be guarded throughout the whole chain. Many companies blend different beans from different farms. Top labels often choose for single estate. This also gives assurance about the whereabouts of the coffee and whether the beans were grown in a social and environmental responsible manner. Roasting is important. But there are different preferences to what’s the perfect roasting. In e.g. Italy they in general prefer to roast a bit harder. The roasting also influences the taste. Grinding is very important too. The best coffee requires the best grind size to get the maximum out of it. But even if all this has been done properly, the final touch comes in making your fantastic cup of espresso. The right throughput time, pressure, and temperature are very important here. Even the best grown, best roasted, best grinded coffee can still turn into low quality disappointment in case this last part isn’t done well. Considering all, I think that the difference between low quality and bad quality boils down to getting the right bean, from the right farms and add passion and skill.

Enjoy!
Regards,
Roland Pluut

 

[CoffeeLovers]

For coffee experts, not only tasting could determine if it is good coffee but looking at the beans also before brewing. If it is a filtered coffee, it means that the selection process of the beans has already finished and the filtered one can be considered as good one. The only way you consider it bad if it doesn't meet your taste after brewing. However, your taste can’t be the general basis because it may be bad for you but very nice to others.

 

[campingfriends]

I think real dark coffee is to hard and real light coffee is too soft

 

[McDanish]

Good - or good enough?

I bought a pack of the Ethiopia dark roast from Starbucks, but I am a little disappointed. The manager says the coffee beans are as they are supposed to be, but there are a lot of shells, half and quarter beans, and it gets worse the longer down in the pack I get. Aren't they supposed to be whole and more similar? Look at the photo I took, I would like to be informed about the experiences of the people in here, who I have a an impression is serious about their joe ;=)

 

[namballe]

I bought a pack of the Ethiopia dark roast from Starbucks, but I am a little disappointed. The manager says the coffee beans are as they are supposed to be, but there are a lot of shells, half and quarter beans, and it gets worse the longer down in the pack I get. Aren't they supposed to be whole and more similar? Look at the photo I took, I would like to be informed about the experiences of the people in here, who I have a an impression is serious about their joe ;=)

you are not alone, i got the same thing from "them" and some other popular brands. never again. your best bet on good quality coffee is a small roaster. there are plenty on this forum.

 

[expat]

Good coffee - Like Namballe said, stick with a small roaster. They are usually buying better beans and actually about the coffee. A computer roasts Starbucks coffee. So good beans, someone who cares, and then of course can roast each bean to its optimum (and that can be quite different with each bean type).

The test I like best to see if a coffee is good or not is to brew it and then let it cool room temperature, Then drink it and see what you think. A lot of coffee that tasted good hot will taste horrible the cooler it gets because your taste buds work best in the body heat range.

Keep the stuff that tastes good cool (and drinking it cool by the way you'll discover a lot of flavours you missed when it was hot) and trash the crap.

This test by the way is a good way to get the Charbucks zealots to see their coffee for what it is. Of course, as the lady at the tasting we just had said, "Your coffee is really lovely but I'm going to stick with my instant coffee. I grew up with that harsh taste and can't change."

Go figure!

 

[PinkRose]

Intended for caffeine authorities, not simply tasting could ascertain if it's great caffeine however considering the particular coffee beans likewise before brewing. Whether it is the filtered caffeine, this means the selection procedure for the particular coffee beans has already finished and also the filtered one can be considered as good one. The only method you consider this undesirable when doesn't necessarily match ones flavor following brewing. Nonetheless, ones flavor can’t really do the common time frame because it can be damaging an individual however good to be able to people.

Sorry, but I just have to say this..... Reading that post made my head hurt!

 

[CoffeeJunky]

I also have to agree with Rose. lol.

 

[claire1225]

i definately think it starts with how its roasted