It is rare to meet a person who would not like strong and aromatic coffee. Today, an increasing number of lovers of this drink are acquiring home-made coffee machines. How long this unit will last is largely determined by the quality of the grains poured into it. After reading this article, you will find out which coffee for a coffee machine to choose from the range presented in stores.
In which countries are the best varieties grown?
The permanent leader in the supply of coffee beans is Brazil. Although many connoisseurs of this invigorating drink believe that this coffee for a coffee machine does not have a special highlight that sets it apart from the other varieties.
The drink, brewed from Venezuelan beans, has a delicate, slightly sour taste. And in Guatemala, coffee is grown, remembered for its pronounced chocolate aftertaste, complemented by light fruity notes. Exquisite acidity is characteristic of Indian varieties. This coffee with the taste of cloves and cardamom is especially popular among the true connoisseurs of this drink.
Roasting methods
Depending on the degree of roasting, coffee for a coffee machine can be divided into several varieties. To date, such methods as:
- light roasting, which results in light brown grains with high acidity and a large amount of caffeine;
- Vienna roast, allowing you to get darker coffee. The drink brewed from it has a slight bitterness and a delicate aroma;
- Italian roast. This method is not too popular in our region. It allows you to get dark brown grains. The drink prepared from them has a pronounced bitter taste and rich aroma;
- French roasting, which results in bright brown grains with a relatively low caffeine content. The drink brewed from them has a rich taste with subtle bitterness.
How to choose coffee beans for a coffee machine?
It is best to buy grains for home use in specialized stores. Since the specialists working there will be able to provide comprehensive information about all the varieties presented there. In addition, preference should be given to weighted coffee for a coffee machine. This is the only way to consider the quality of the products offered. Behind beautiful packaging, they often try to hide fake or damp, stale grains. The use of low-quality raw materials is fraught with damage to the unit. Therefore, before buying, you need to make sure that there are no impurities in the total mass of grains. Good coffee beans should have a golden hue and produce a pleasant aroma.
Which is better: arabica or robusta?
Despite the fact that manufacturers give their products sonorous catchy names, the basis of any coffee for a coffee machine is approximately identical raw materials. The taste and biochemical properties of grains are determined not by the marketing legend, but by the variety of the plant from which they are obtained. Today in the world there are about 90 different varieties of coffee. However, only a few of them are grown and processed on an industrial scale. The most popular varieties are:
- Arabica, occupying almost 90% of the world's coffee plantations. These expensive grains are not valued for their high caffeine content, but for their special aroma and pleasant aftertaste.
- Robusta is a cheaper grain that is cultivated on a much smaller scale. This variety is superior to Arabica in caffeine content, but loses to it in taste. The presence of these grains gives the drink a rougher, simpler and slightly bitter taste.
- Liberica is the cheapest grain, occupying an intermediate step between conventionally useful and cultivated varieties. For the most part, the cultivation of this plant is done by unscrupulous manufacturers who try to cheapen their own products by any means.
Coffee (capsules) for a coffee machine
This method of making coffee appeared about thirty years ago, but has already managed to gain special popularity. Often used by those who are reluctant to stand at the stove every morning and brew another portion of their favorite drink. To date, several types of capsules are produced:
- aluminum;
- polymer;
- combination capsules with coffee.
Capsules for a coffee machine have several significant advantages. The first and, perhaps, the main one, we can consider the fact that thanks to such packaging the grains retain their taste and aroma for a long time. The quality of a drink prepared using such capsules does not depend on the skill of the person who makes it. Such coffee does not require prior preparation. It does not need to be ground, dosed and tamped. Simply place the capsule in a special compartment of the coffee machine and after a few minutes you can enjoy the taste of your favorite drink.