Thursday 14 July 2011

Best Tasting Coffee

Coffee is a drink cherished by all. It can be enjoyed on many occasions like, when you are catching up with some old friends, having a business meeting or when you are just sitting all by yourself. Though the coffee plant or shrub has been in existence for a long time, the coffee culture has just begun to settle in. With the changes in the methods of cultivation, harvesting and processing of the beans, we have achieved a feeling of satisfaction when we sip on the best tasting coffee.

To obtain coffee, the coffee beans are roasted and crushed into powder, which is later brewed to make a drink. The coffee seeds, which are obtained from a coffee plant, are valuable commodities exported from many countries. Every person's preference towards drinking coffee is different. Some prefer their coffee to be sweet or smooth, while some want it to be a little bitter. With the help of science and technology, we can obtain the best coffee beans, which are sold under many different brands. These coffee brands have been into the business of developing and making refined coffee beans, for many years. The most well known coffee selling brands are Starbucks, Lavazza and Costa coffee.

Best Coffee Selling Brands

Starbucks
It is the largest coffeehouse company and was founded in the US. It has stores in many countries and sells a wide range of coffee drinks and snacks.

Costa Coffee
Bruno and Sergio Costa laid the foundation of Italian Costa coffee in 1971 and started their coffeehouse in the United Kingdom. They are specialized in coffee roasting and supply it to many well known stores and coffee houses.

Lavazza
Lavazza coffee is manufactured by an Italian manufacturer called Luigi Lavazza S.p.A. It is the one of the most well known coffee brands, which is imported from around the world.

Coffee beans need to go through a lot of processing before they are sold in the market. Every country follows different methods of processing these beans and thus, they differ in taste. The basic steps in obtaining coffee are: the coffee seed is extracted from its fruit, seeds are dried and then roasted. The coffee roasting process is very long and determines the color, taste, smell and flavor of the coffee bean. The more the beans are roasted, the more they become dark and shiny. When the beans begin to release oil while roasting, it forms a dark color. As every country follows different methods of manufacturing these beans, some of them have produced the best tasting coffee beans. The most well known ones are Kona, Arabica and Robusta.

Best Coffee Beans

Arabica Coffee
Arabica coffee or Coffea arabica was the first coffee species that was cultivated in Arabia. It produces a better quality coffee compared to other commercially produced coffee beans. As this coffee plant is cultivated in places of higher altitude, they turn out to be more flavorful than any other coffee beans. Arabica coffee serves as a good condiment for coffee drinks as it has a good flavor and aroma. These coffee beans are prone to pests and diseases and thus, require a lot of maintenance, which makes them very expensive. About 60% of this coffee is consumed in the world and many countries are involved in manufacturing these coffee beans.

Robusta
Robusta coffee beans are slightly bitter in taste and have less flavor compared to Arabica coffee. They can be cultivated in any condition and are less prone to diseases or pests. Due to these reasons, Robusta coffee beans are cheaper compared to Arabica. These coffee beans blend well with other beans too.

Kona
It is the most expensive and premium coffee sold in the world. It has a very strong aroma and therefore, cannot be blended with other coffees. The Kona coffee beans are cultivated in Hawaii. There are a lot farmers in Hawaii who cultivate these coffee beans. This island has deep and rich soil suitable for growing coffee.

Coffee beans are manufactured all around the world. The taste of coffee beans differ from plant to plant and also from country to country. The availability of some of the best coffee beans have given rise to different coffee types. As the coffee beans differ in taste, flavor and aroma, they can also be blended with various coffee drinks. Different tasting coffee beans have given rise to different types of coffee, which are consumed by most of the people around the world.

Types of Coffee Drinks

Americano: It's a single shot espresso with a little hot water added to it. Though it is served with concentrated brewed coffee and hot water, you can also add some milk to it.

Black Coffee: This coffee is made by adding some brewed coffee into hot water. It is a bitter coffee.

Cappuccino: Cappuccino is one of the most popular coffee drinks. It is prepared by mixing a shot of espresso and some steamed milk. Once the coffee is ready, one can add sugar depending on how sweet or bitter one wants it to be.

Caffe Latte: It's a single shot espresso with some steamed milk. Two shots of espresso can be added, to make the coffee more bitter or strong. Caffe latte comes with a little layer of foam at the top of the drink.

Cafe au lait: Cafe au lait is commonly consumed by the French. Cafe au lait is made by adding an espresso shot and some hot milk. It's one of the favorite coffee drinks.

Coffee is often consumed for caffeine, which is a stimulant. Thus, coffee is taken when one is feeling tired or, is in times of pressure or stress. It is used to stay awake or to sometimes recharge oneself. Coffee, with it's most unique stimulating component, has attracted a major population all around the world and has now become one of the very popular beverages. However, sipping on a good cup of coffee in times of leisure, is much better than consuming it for its stimulating powers. Try out some of these best tasting coffee drinks and enjoy the best taste, flavor and aroma of the wonderful beans.

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