Which coffee beans make the best coffee?

I believe that coffee is such a popular drink because there are so many different ways to drink it. Coffee comes from many different places and the beans are roasted in so many different ways that it would take a long time for anyone to drink every possible combination of coffee. That is what makes coffee so much fun, the endless possibilities. But which coffee bean produces the best coffee? The answer to that question might be more difficult to answer than you think.

Like most things in life, deciding on what makes something the best has everything to do with each individual person’s preference. When it comes to the taste and flavor of coffee it is all about the roast of the bean. The four most popular categories of roasts are light, medium, medium-dark and dark. By understanding the difference between these four roasts, deciding on which is your favorite becomes much easier.

Light Roast
Coffee beans that have been roasted for the shortest length of time are considered a light roast. This roast produces coffee that has less flavor and is less bitter than the other roasts. This is because they produce less oil during the roasting process and the oil from the bean is what causes the taste of the coffee to be bitter. Light roasted coffee beans also retain more caffeine because they are denser than darker roasts.

Medium Roast
Medium roast coffee beans are darker in color, less bitter and have a stronger taste. They also have a more balanced flavor, aroma and acidity.  Since the beans are roasted just slightly longer than a light roast, a medium roast coffee will have more caffeine than a darker roast will have.

Medium-Dark
These beans are noticeably darker and have a distinct bitterness. The coffee produced from these beans has a heavier body than those made out of lighter beans.

Dark
These are the beans that are roasted the longest so they have an almost burnt look to them. These very bitter beans are used for stronger coffee drinks such as espresso or americanos. The amount of caffeine is much lower and the flavors from where the beans originated can often be overpowered with this much roasting. They have a bitter, smoky and sometimes even burnt taste.

The best coffee bean will always depend on two factors, what coffee drink is being made and your own personal taste. Picking which bean makes the best coffee is a matter of trial and error for each person. When you find what you love all that is left is to simply enjoy.