Gourmet Coffee Reviews

There are thousands of coffee varieties from all over the world. This plethora of choices that include various coffee flavors, along with gourmet coffee brands and even organic java selections, can make picking a coffee at the local grocery store quite a tough decision-making process.

To make your life easier, keep reading for a breakdown and description of some of the world’s most popular coffee varieties.

Sumatra

Sumatra coffee is traditionally grown on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It’s known as a dark, but not darkly roasted, medium body coffee with a low acidity and a strong, almost bittersweet taste.

Sumatra tends to have an earthy, almost fruity, taint to it and can be an ideal choice as a dessert coffee.

Kona

Kona coffee is grown on the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa on the big island of Hawaii. Because of its rarity, rich volcanic birthplace and amazing taste, Kona coffee has built a reputation for itself as one of the best coffees in the world. This also unfortunately makes it one of the most expensive.

Because of the high price, many retailers sell blends of Kona coffee that include a percentage of Kona beans alongside cheaper Columbian or Brazilian Arabica beans.

Arabica

Arabica coffee is the sole bean of Columbia and the predominant bean of choice in most South and Central American countries. Typically, the Arabica has less caffeine than a Robusta blend, but much more flavor.

It’s best suited for a medium roast and is traditionally used for most standard, American coffee blends. The flavor, body and acidity of Arabica beans depend on the region in which it’s grown and the method used to cultivate it.

Kenya

While almost all the beans grown in Kenya are Arabica beans, they have a distinct taste and flavor. These beans are washed, have a higher acidic level and a much livelier, sweeter taste than a South or Central American Arabica.

That blackberry flavor of the Kenyan bean is also mimicked by the Harrar coffee bean, which hails from Ethiopia.

Robusta

Robusta has less flavor and a lower quality than the Arabica bean, but it’s cheaper to produce, faster to grow, and more tolerant of weather conditions and diseases. The Robusta bean is often used for instant coffees, decaf blends, supermarket coffees and instant espressos.

A Robusta bean contains about twice the caffeine as an Arabica bean, which also makes it a popular choice for espresso junkies looking for a quick fix. The bean is grown in Africa, Java, Vietnam, Bali and Sri Lanka.

I have been a coffee drinker now for about 10 years. It seems these days that I just cannot get going in the morning without that first injection of caffeine.

Years ago, as I was just getting my coffee drinking habit formed, I’d fire up my trusty stainless steel coffee maker and brew up some fresh java for my ride to work. But there was a problem with this ritual, and it was a serious one. The issue was that I just could not seem to get the coffee consistent to the exact same taste, body, aroma and strength each time. No matter how careful I was in measuring out the beans or pre-ground coffee, it was just never the same each day; until now!

I have found the solution to inconsistency in daily coffee drinking: the coffee pod.
Here is a definition of exactly what a coffee pod is:
“…coffee pods are freshly roasted coffee, ground perfect, tampered to the correct pressure and then encapsulated in a paper filter-like covering.”

The nice thing here is that your coffee is made perfectly every time because the beans and coffee are pre-measured at a factory, and not in your kitchen on-the-fly. In addition, there is no mess to clean up after I make my single cup coffee each day.
Now the only thing I have to be concerned with is the cream and sugar which are also pre-measured because I buy them that way! Now I have perfectly consistent coffee each day, and that makes me happy.

But coffee pods have many more uses than just for your home brewed coffee. My church has a big machine where coffee pods are used. You stick in 50 cents, pick out your flavored coffee pod (Columbian, breakfast blend, etc), slide it into the machine and press a button. I like this because it means less mess and once again, consistency.

The final key to that perfectly consistent cup of coffee comes in the water you use. It may not sound like much, but water definitely makes a difference. I have a reverse osmosis drinking water system at my house that gives me the cleanest and purest water around.

So to recap: the perfect and consistent cup of java can be achieved with just a few simple steps including the use of pure water, coffee pods and pre-measured cream and sugar packs. If you are anything like me, you will appreciate that perfect cup of coffee done right, day after day; consistently.

Gourmet flavored coffee lovers just don’t seem to get enough from their coffee desire! The variety of exciting flavoring agents that are added to gourmet coffee enhances the regular coffee taste.

Coffee is the third most popular beverage in the world. The world’s most favorite beverage has undergone many up gradations and innovations. The original flavor of rich and smooth gourmet coffee has gone through several variations.

Gourmet flavored coffee has become exceedingly popular with a variety of exciting flavors offered to the customers that’s sure to tantalize their coffee taste buds!

A wide range of variety is being continuously added to the gourmet flavored coffee list. This breaks the monotony of sipping into the same regular gourmet coffee taste every morning.

Coffee shops, coffee retailers and coffee boutiques all over the world are continuously offering a greater variety of variously flavored gourmet coffee. It’s a great coffee carnival for all you gourmet coffee aficionados! Gourmet coffee is derived chiefly from the Arabica coffee plants. The Arabica coffee plants yield 80% of the world’s finest and superior quality gourmet coffee beans.

Gourmet flavored coffee impregnated with distinct flavors are mere extensions of the original, rich and smooth taste of gourmet coffee. Gourmet coffee made from Coffea arabica has a superb taste, mesmerizing aroma and more desirable flavors.

The Arabica coffee forms the basis of most of the gourmet flavored coffee. Arabica coffee is cultivated in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico and many such tropical regions of the world.

Whatever the flavor of your gourmet coffee the storage of gourmet coffee beans is very crucial. To get the best cup of gourmet coffee it is very much essential that you grind the coffee beans just before brewing, make sure your coffee pot is spotless, and use at least filtered water, never use tap water.

Also you need to store the gourmet coffee beans properly prior to grinding so as to enjoy every sip of your gourmet flavored coffee…remember you’re paying extra for your coffee.

The best way to store premium gourmet coffee beans is to transfer them into sealed/air-tight containers and store them in a dark place. Proper storage will ensure that you don’t waste your expensive coffee beans that get easily spoiled due to improper storage.

In this way you can retain the rich and fresh aroma of the variously flavored gourmet flavored coffee beans of your choice for a longer time.

Various coffee making companies, gourmet coffee shops and boutiques offer gourmet flavored coffee in a variety of flavors. You name your favorite flavor and they have it for you!

Gourmet coffee lovers can check out the latest flavors and blends of gourmet coffee online. You can buy/order gourmet coffee beans just a click away as per your choice and preferences at attractive prices.

For details about getting best espresso coffee maker and options on the market, please read this publication.

Unique Coffee Baskets are perfect for those coffee lovers. These gift baskets have an array of coffees that anyone will like. Choosing gourmet coffee gift baskets is a wonderful gift.

The gourmet coffee gift basket doesn’t have to be just coffee. It can be a mixture of coffee and tea, coffee and cookies or coffee and chocolate. The gourmet coffee gift basked should have a fresh selection of coffees, including flavored coffee choices. Add to that some vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon flavoring and you’ll be set!

You can select different type of cookies to blend in with your gourmet coffee selection. Why not have gourmet cookies with gourmet coffee? If not that, you may want to include a coffee mug or two, a small espresso machine, with cups and espresso coffee. Add some scrumptious biscuits or biscotti to the mix for a tasty treat. In addition to that, you can add hot chocolate mix or tea bags. Decorate it with colored napkins to bring it out. They might even appreciate a notepad or calendar with a coffee-like design.

If you’re buying for a coffee lover who’s into coffee beans, you can learn about it yourself if you don’t know what to get. Gourmet coffee beans, in particular, are of two different kinds, Arabica and Robusta. The majority of the coffee beans are Arabica bred due to the exquisite flavor. Other blends are Robusta and they help gourmet coffee have a kick to it.

The coffee has to be picked and roasted. The color usually turns light brown or dark brown. The lighter colors expound on the flavor, while the darker colors deal with the roasting process. To keep the flavor, the coffee should be in vacuum packed bags.

In order to get the right taste for gourmet coffee, the beans must have a very fine texture and ground up well. Once the coffee has been ground, there are many ways to brew a cup of coffee. No matter whether you prefer espresso, drip, perked, or pressed, you need to start with high-quality gourmet coffee beans to get a good cup of coffee.

You have your choice of having perked, drip or espresso coffee made. In order for the coffee to brew just right, the grounded gourmet beans must be top notch. Delicious Gourmet Coffee comes in many different blends or dark and light roast coffee. It is also important that the coffee beans are fresh in order to get the best flavor for your coffee.

If you’re not sure about the types of gourmet coffee and beans that can be used, consult with a coffee shop that specializes in this or check online with a company that is knowledgeable with gourmet coffee. Learning information about gourmet coffee and beans will help you greatly when looking for a gift basket.

Gourmet coffee can be enjoyed anytime, during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime. A gourmet coffee gift basket is just the right gift for a coffee lover. They will be pleased and grateful that you thought about getting that for them.