Become a Coffee Connoisseur with These 8 Tips

Are you interested in becoming a new-age coffee connoisseur? Chances are good that you may have a real interest in learning about the world of coffee. There are plenty of avenues and options for you to explore. Even if you aren’t, there is still a lot to learn. 

Here are 8 handy new tips to help get you up to speed.

1. Find a Reputable Coffee Location

Your first step will naturally be to find a popular vendor of top-rated coffee. This will be the kind of place where you may have to do some research on what to order. You may be lost at sea when you stare at the menu and wonder if you will enjoy a quality cup of Kona coffee. 

Thus, do your research and make sure the locale serves authentic coffee beans from different regions of the world. Once you confirm, it is time to sit back, relax, and enjoy something totally new.

2. Find Yourself a Friendly Coffee Expert

You may not know the first thing when it comes to trendy coffee. This is why you will need to find someone to mentor you in this complex and tricky field. You probably already know someone who is gaga over all kinds of rare and pricey coffee variants. Latch on to this being and keep them close to tap their skills.

3. Use the Web to Do Your Research

The web is the place for you to do the research you will need to learn more. You probably don’t know much about this subject, to begin with. Even a local coffee expert may not have all of the answers that you require. A bit of reading on the web will help you get better prepared. This will be your intro to this new area.

4. Learn to Expand Your Taste Expectations

Perhaps the hardest thing that you will need to do is adjust your palate to a whole new range of tastes. Designer coffee just isn’t for everyone. The saving grace here is that there are so many different flavors for you to choose from. As a result, if you sniff around long enough, you’ll find something you enjoy.

5. Show Up at a Local Coffee Cupping

If you really want to know what’s up, your best bet will be to show up at a local coffee cupping. This is an event where experts test the flavor, feel, and aroma of coffee. It used to be only for industry members but is now open to the public. You can learn a great deal in a very short time.

6. Experts Drink Coffee with an Expiration Date

One of the first things you will learn about high-grade coffee is that it comes with a very clearly printed date of expiration. This is what sets it apart from the coffee that you can buy at your local grocery store. As a result, you will need to get your coffee from specialty venues that deal with top-level products.

7. Get Yourself a First-Rate Coffee Grinder

Your next step should be to make sure to get a coffee grinder that can handle a higher breed of coffee. The beans need to be freshly ground just before the coffee is brewed. This will ensure that you get the full flavor of the experience. You will need to make sure that your grinder is up to this duty. Home ground coffee gives you control of the grind size.

You don’t have to buy separate bags of different grind sizes. You can decide on the grind size depending on the extraction method you prefer to use. For example, espresso and Turkish require a fine grind, whereas pour-over and drip need a medium grind. You can have the best control over your grind size with a burr coffee grinder. This type of grinder has multiple grind settings for different brewing methods, including fine, medium, and coarse.

8. Don’t Buy an Espresso Machine Just Yet

One of the major rookie errors that you may be tempted to make is to buy a high-level espresso machine. This is an error because these machines are not meant for amateurs. They are very expensive, messy, and hard to get a handle on. This is a move you should not make until your skills are more advanced.

It’s Time to Hone Your Coffee Skills

Even if you aren’t ready to become a coffee wizard, you can still learn a great deal. This is an area that will help you develop social and conversational skills. A good cup of coffee is a great way to break the ice in a tense social setting. Now is the time for you to learn skills you can take with you in life.