The Cambridge dictionary describes "gourmet" as being an adjective, meaning "of very high quality". Maybe you have an event coming up, where only the best gourmet coffee will do. Maybe you refuse to drink standard coffee day-in, day-out.
I want to look at how coffee lovers can achieve the highest quality coffee possible. What exactly is gourmet coffee? How do we know we're getting the best? Because no one deserves to drink bad coffee!
What is Gourmet Coffee?
Gourmet coffee can have different meanings for different people. Bill may have picked up a $1 black Vietnamese coffee from a street vendor of that country, and it was the best coffee he's ever had. Ben might refuse to drink anything but 100% Arabica cappuccinos from his favorite pricey coffee shop.
Basically, gourmet coffee is the best of the best. It's the coffee beans that were hand-picked to meticulous standards. The beans go through rigorous processing to ensure they meet levels of perfection. Any beans that don't make the cut are thrown, or blended into lower-grade coffee. The good beans are roasted and monitored carefully.
Always look out for Arabica if you want gourmet coffee beans. They are less widely available and more expensive than Robusta coffee beans. Robusta beans aren't gourmet, but can still taste good.
Jamaican Blue Mountain (JBM) coffee is one of the most expensive gourmet coffees money can buy. This is mostly because the supply doesn't meet demand. It's a rare coffee, made delicious by the climate and environment it is grown in. Space on the mountains is limited, and hurricanes affect the crops regularly.
JBM is well-balanced, smooth, clean and sweet. You can taste a combination of nuts, cocoa, and herbs. It's a premium, gourmet coffee and the price reflects that. Only 15% of Jamaican coffee is actually JBM, so make sure you check the label!
Does gourmet coffee just mean specialty coffee?
The term "specialty coffee" is a more specific term than "gourmet". "Gourmet" coffee describes coffee that is generally of a high quality. Specialty coffee is a term coined in 1974. It describes the best coffee beans that are only produced in special microclimates.
Coffee is graded by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). If it receives 80 points or over, it receives specialty status. These beans are grown in specific climates and soils and have little or no defects.
The countries most successful at producing specialty coffee are Ethiopia, Colombia, Panama, and Kenya. If you want the best gourmet coffee, look for beans that were grown in these countries. You can usually be sure they've been checked for flavor and a full cup taste.
Gourmet Hawaiian Coffee
Coffee beans from Hawaii can rival those from the Jamaican Blue Mountains. For gourmet Hawaiian coffee, look towards buying Hawaiian Kona coffee beans. They are the champagne of the coffee world!
Kona coffee beans grow in tropical, mountainous regions. Some would say it's the perfect growing environment. In Kona, the beans receive the best possible treatment from the climate. They grow in fertile volcanic soil with plenty of rainfall. They receive enough shade from the clouds, warm temperatures with sunny mornings and wet afternoons.
The beans grow between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This area is called the "coffee belt". It's considered the best conditions for growing coffee.
When the cherry is perfectly ripe, pickers are picky to make sure they pick the perfect ones! Small farms hand-choose the fruit. They use wet-processing and sun-drying method to create gourmet beans. The whole process makes delicate, flavorful and aromatic coffee beans.
Kona coffee is rare and high in demand. The region only produces 14,000 - 16,000 bags of coffee beans each year. This leaves consumers wanting more! You'll be glad to know that you can buy this gourmet coffee online.
How are the Best Coffee Beans Grown?
Great coffee doesn't happen by accident. Okay, nature does a great job of providing a good space for the beans. A lot of the taste is down to the expertise of farmers. Here are the ideal conditions for growing gourmet coffee beans.
- Altitude. Generally speaking, the higher the altitude, the better the bean. Ideally, beans should be grown at over 4000 feet above sea level to be gourmet. Higher elevations produce harder beans. Hard beans have a higher concentration of sugars, giving better flavors. Beans grown higher up take longer to mature. This provides time for sugars to develop and cherries to become fatter.
- Soil. Healthy, fertile soil provides the nutrients the coffee plants need. Soil feeds the plants nitrogen, magnesium, calcium etc. whilst giving off moisture. Soil can often give the coffee that rich, earthy flavor.
- Climate. The best coffee comes from tropical regions. Just a handful of zones on the planet offers the perfect climate to grow coffee beans. The tastiest beans come from warm, wet climates. These conditions encourage aromatic compounds and sugars to make their way into the bean. This is how we get those delicious flavors.
- Healthy conditions. Farmers hate when their coffee plants are tampered with. For optimal growing conditions, it's best that the plants are not exposed to pests or diseases. Frost is the other enemy. It takes just one day to frost to hugely reduce or wipe out plants in one area.
- Picking and processing. Large companies can pick coffee cherries using machinery. However, it's usually best when small farms hand-pick the cherries. They can check for ripeness and defects in every individual cherry. Farmers then process the fruit in the best method for their climate. This could be the dry or wet processing method.
Tips for the Best Gourmet Coffee
Once the planters, pickers, and roasters have done their job, the rest is up to you. You buy the best gourmet coffee and you have to keep it at its best, to make the most of your money. Here are some tips to look after your coffee beans and ensure a premium taste every time.
- Storage. Coffee beans can go stale quickly. Usually, they only have a shelf life of around two weeks before they deteriorate. Store your beans properly to keep them tasting great. Keep them in an airtight container away from moisture, heat, and light. Exposure to air leads to oxidation of the beans. All of these elements can give the beans a nasty flavor.
- Grinding. You may be tempted to buy beans in bulk to save money. I suggest only buying what you need. Grind your own beans just before brewing. Once ground, coffee has a higher surface area. This increases its chance of going stale at a faster rate.
- Brewing. I'd recommend using good water to brew your coffee with. This doesn't mean filtered or distilled water, which can lead to over-extraction. You want water with a good mineral balance. Generally speaking, if you like the taste of your tap water, it's fine to use. Heat the water to the optimal temperature of 195-205 degrees F.
The Bottom Line
I'm sure that as you read this, you grew more and more excited. Where can I buy gourmet coffee? Hurry up and tell me!
I recommend picking up your gourmet coffee online. There are so many companies out there waiting to ship their gourmet coffee out to you. Purchasing online gives you the freedom to browse almost everything that's available around the world. Websites will provide all the information you need. The type of beans, the shelf life and everything else you'll want to know.
What does gourmet mean to you?
