A guide to choosing coffee without panicking in the supermarket aisle

With the right beans and a little practice, your coffee at home can rival that of any coffee shop. But before you fine-tune your technique, there's one essential step you can't skip: choosing o coffee. If the beans aren't the best, the result will never be ideal.

If you've ever felt lost between packages that speak of memories, origins and intensities, then this article is for you. We'll simplify the process, explain what really matters and help you discover the best coffee for your home. Spoiler: there's no right answer, just what you like best.

Arabica vs. Robusta: what's the difference?

You've probably seen these words on labels, but what do they mean?

• ArabicaIt is more acidic, with more fruity or floral notes, but which can also be chocolatey. It grows at high altitudes and is more sensitive, with more complex flavors.
• Robustamore bitter and with (slightly) more caffeine. The sensory notes are earthier and less complex. Often used in blends because it is cheaper (easier to grow) and has more body.

How do you choose your coffee? If you're looking for finesse and complexity, start with Arabica. If you prefer bitterness and want coffee just for the energy, give Robusta (or blends that include it) a try.

Single origin or blend?

• Single origin (or single origin): coffee from a single farm or region (in the case of cooperatives). More traceable, with unique flavor profiles.
• Blendblends grains from different origins to create balanced and consistent profiles. The blend can be Arabica only or a mixture of Arabica and Rubusta. Ideal for those who like stability of flavor.

Specialty coffee, by definition, implies the traceability of the beans. However, it is possible to find specialty blends, made by roasters with combinations of 2 or 3 single origin coffees whose traceability is possible.

Shall we talk about toasting?

Roasting completely changes the taste of coffee. Here are the basics:

• Light roastmore acid, less body, more complexity.
• Medium roast: more balanced, with sweet and soft notes.
• Dark roastMore body, more bitterness, less acidity. With earthier notes, hints of tobacco and smoke.

Specialty coffee generally has light to medium roasts, while commercial coffee only works with dark roasts.

Taste profiles: what do you want to feel in your cup?

Did you know that coffee can taste like blueberries, jasmine, salted caramel or nuts? Here are some examples of what you might find:

• Fruity: reminiscent of red berries, citrus fruits or tropical fruit.
• Chocolate: from milk chocolate to intense cocoa.
• Floral: delicate, reminiscent of jasmine, chamomile or rose.
• Almond-shapednotes of hazelnut, walnut or almond.
• Earthymore intense, with notes of wet earth or raw cocoa.

A good coffee will always indicate real sensory notes (flavors), such as those described above - avoid coffees whose sensory notes are just concepts (such as notes of nostalgia).

Even with an incredible coffee, don't be surprised if, at the beginning of your journey, you can't distinguish flavors. Sensory analysis requires training and many tastings of different coffees - use our sensory analysis booklet to record your evidence.

Roasting date and expiry date

Unlike wine, coffee doesn't improve with time. In fact, the sooner* it is consumed after roasting, the better. The ideal is to buy freshly roasted coffee, preferably with the roasting date visible on the packaging (not just the expiry date).

Coffee's aromatic compounds begin to degrade shortly after roasting. The most vivid and complex flavors, those that make a coffee truly incredible, begin to disappear 2 to 4 weeks after roasting.

*Although coffee should be consumed fresh, it is important to let it "rest" for a few days after roasting (usually between 3 and 7 days) to release the accumulated gases. Using it too soon can result in uneven extraction and less balanced flavors.

How do I choose coffee for my extraction method?

The same roast will be different in different methods: espresso, V60,French press, moka, etc. At Tasteology we believe that the recipe should adapt to the roast and that it is possible to extract a good filter coffee with a medium roast and a good espresso with a light roast, contrary to what you may hear!

Where to buy coffee?

The best way to guarantee fresh, quality coffee is to buy directly from the people who roast it - small specialty roasters, independent coffee shops or brands that roast in small batches and indicate the roast date on the packaging. This way, you avoid coffee that is past its prime or that has been sitting on a shelf for months.

If you want to explore different profiles without wasting time searching or risking random choices, there's a simple and reliable way: subscribe to the Tasteology box. Every month you receive specialty coffees from the best Portuguese roasters, freshly roasted and chosen by our curator Hugo Ferraz. Guaranteed freshness, guaranteed variety and no complications. The best Portuguese coffee in your home.