Most of us are not very adventurous when it comes to selecting our brands of coffee. We like to stick to our favorite coffee brands of the various American medium roasts. Our most difficult decision is about to take instant or spend a bit longer making filter. However, there are a large range of blends of coffee available from a wide list of locations. Learning a little bit more about the possibilities will help us to discover what we really want in our coffee blend.
The biggest coffee producer globally is Brazil, which should not be a surprise when you consider that one third of the land and the climate are ideal for coffee growing. Considering such a large volume, the varieties of Brazilian coffee are extense, but some of the more popular blends are from Minas Gerais and Bahia. Less is produced in Columbia, although this may be a better known coffee producer. Exquisite Columbian coffees from Popayan or Narino, are sweet gentle blends of coffee available as supreme or excelso.
Other less well known blends of coffee producers in the Americas are Mexico and Cuba. The smaller beans grown in Mexico make a lightly acidic coffee with a very smooth flavor that can compete with Columbian or Brazilian blends of coffee. The strong dark Cuban Cubano is drunk in shot form and can really give you a lift.
Looking to other parts of the globe, Indonesia has an ideal climate for coffee production and the roasts from this area have a low acidity and a full bodied flavor. Malaysia produces a stronger brew, largely due to their practice of filtering the grounds through a muslin bag, rather than because of fundamental differences in the beans. A chilled alternative is offered in Thailand, where a special blend flavored with chicory is mixed with ice and condensed milk.
In Europe, each country seems to have its own idea of how to make the perfect cup. The French maintain that half coffee and half milk is the best combination, whereas the Austrians favor a mixture of dark and regular roasts to produce a particular blend.
The Italians are particularly fanatical about their coffee, particularly espresso which no dinner would be properly ended without. For those that find the espresso a little strong, it can be combined with warm frothy milk to make a latte or cappuccino. Italian cafes would not be the same without the delicious aroma from the cappuccino machines.
So next time you have coffee on your shopping list, take a look at the varieties on offer, and perhaps choose a couple of different types from around the world so you can experiment and determine what it is you really like in your coffee.
The biggest coffee producer globally is Brazil, which should not be a surprise when you consider that one third of the land and the climate are ideal for coffee growing. Considering such a large volume, the varieties of Brazilian coffee are extense, but some of the more popular blends are from Minas Gerais and Bahia. Less is produced in Columbia, although this may be a better known coffee producer. Exquisite Columbian coffees from Popayan or Narino, are sweet gentle blends of coffee available as supreme or excelso.
Other less well known blends of coffee producers in the Americas are Mexico and Cuba. The smaller beans grown in Mexico make a lightly acidic coffee with a very smooth flavor that can compete with Columbian or Brazilian blends of coffee. The strong dark Cuban Cubano is drunk in shot form and can really give you a lift.
Looking to other parts of the globe, Indonesia has an ideal climate for coffee production and the roasts from this area have a low acidity and a full bodied flavor. Malaysia produces a stronger brew, largely due to their practice of filtering the grounds through a muslin bag, rather than because of fundamental differences in the beans. A chilled alternative is offered in Thailand, where a special blend flavored with chicory is mixed with ice and condensed milk.
In Europe, each country seems to have its own idea of how to make the perfect cup. The French maintain that half coffee and half milk is the best combination, whereas the Austrians favor a mixture of dark and regular roasts to produce a particular blend.
The Italians are particularly fanatical about their coffee, particularly espresso which no dinner would be properly ended without. For those that find the espresso a little strong, it can be combined with warm frothy milk to make a latte or cappuccino. Italian cafes would not be the same without the delicious aroma from the cappuccino machines.
So next time you have coffee on your shopping list, take a look at the varieties on offer, and perhaps choose a couple of different types from around the world so you can experiment and determine what it is you really like in your coffee.