This article comes from a discussion we had at our café with two regular customers. They are slowly becoming friends and we often end up chatting quite a bit. They are really keen people who think before buying and they asked this fundamental question :
What makes good coffee… good?
What makes good coffee… good?
We realized that the discussion is often brushed away by saying “try it and you’ll see”. Obviously, tasting coffee and deciding if we like it or not is an answer. You will know for yourself if you try and make up your mind. But in addition to that, we came to discuss “good” in a larger sense.
We came to agree that what makes a good coffee is the care that is put in the product. You can attest by trying it and see for yourself the character of the coffees. But you should look further, that care goes beyond personal taste. You find it in the story of the coffee : where it is from and who farmed the beans. Coffee is a genuine thing. There are people involved from the farm to your door and they will add character and authenticity to it.
In general, when you find a coffee where transparency and people's involvent is clear you'll get better beans. Your cup will taste round and full. From our experience, that is when we get rich and complex cups. The reason for that has more to do witht he level of detail and care than anything else. Coffee farmers are treated like partners and not impersonal suppliers. In short, you get what you pay for in the cup!
Finally, there are some tips and tricks to make good coffee taste… good! You can check our articles about freshness or upgrading to a grinder. These two will help you if you are looking for better coffee.
As with all of our discussions, we’d like it if you join. Comment below!