Types of Coffee: Instant Coffee to Whole Bean Coffee

When you're shopping, you'll notice that there are many types of coffee on the supermarket shelves. But how do you choose which are suitable for you, and which you should leave on the shelf? Let's take a look at the typical supermarket coffee shelf.

Instant Coffee

The most obvious choice in the types of coffee that you have to make: do you want instant or fresh coffee? What's the difference? Initially, when you open a jar of coffee, you will notice an aroma that smells like fragrant coffee.

But after a few days, that initial aroma will disappear. It certainly doesn't go into your coffee cup!

For some circumstances, instant coffee offers drinkers the ability to have a somewhat acceptable experience for little cost and little preparation: up a mountain, on the moon, at the North Pole, etc.. For normal usage, it delivers an experience that is sub-par.

Coffee Bags

This is a weird variation of the tea-bag that involves steeping the bags of coffee in hot water for a few minutes. Once brewed, the bag is removed from the cup and discarded.

Typically, you will need a spoon to fish out the bag, and the bag will occasionally drip. This makes coffee bags a tad messy to use. Overall, the coffee is better than instant, but it's not the best.

One Cup Coffees

Similar to coffee bags, but more recent: this popular technique is ideal for making a decent cup of coffee. The coffee is packed in a mini-filter. The filter is opened and placed across the cup. Make sure that you use a regular cup size, not a mug.

This is important for two reasons: you will likely break the 'handles' on either side or you will be tempted to pour too much hot water through the filter. Overall, quite effective, can be messy, though. It produces a decent cup of coffee, if you can find a brew that you like.

Iced Coffee Drinks

Many convenience stores and markets sell canned or bottled coffee that is ready to drink. Simply open and consume. These drinks can offer a decent 'coffee hit' but are often very sweet. They are also popular in Asia and America, and you can find a wide variety of flavors. Some are palatable, some are not.

Fresh Coffee

Many coffee varieties are now offered for sale in vacuum packed and pre-ground. They're usually ground for filter coffee makers, so the grind is medium to fine. You can buy two basic types: the blend - a mix of beans designed to offer a particular coffee flavor, such as Melitta, Illy, etc. ; the regional variety - this is becoming more popular, which are also typically blends of beans from a variety of places (not necessarily within the particular region).

Whole Beans

Many varieties of ground coffee are sold in the supermarket, but you can also find an increasing choice of whole coffee beans in supermarkets. And many supermarkets will also provide you with a grinder that you can use to grind properly (most likely medium to fine).

What roast?

If you are choosing a whole bean, then you will need to choose the roast type: medium roast, light roast, dark roast or espresso beans. For most consumers, choosing a medium roast will make a decent cup of coffee for the daytime, while a dark roast or espresso roast will be more suitable for a much stronger cup of coffee.

What type of bean?

There are two types of coffee beans you may want to buy: arabica and robusta. For most purposes, the bean to buy is the Arabica. The Arabica bean is now grown worldwide, and makes the world's most famous coffees.

At the beginning of my own bean quest, I bought mainly multi-bean varieties, such as French Roast, or Italian blend. Now, though I tend to buy more distinctive single-origin varieties.

So many choices

With so many types of coffee available, it's easy to make the wrong decision. Don't be afraid to experiment. One useful rule: whatever types of coffee you chose, if it's cheap, then it's for a reason!

And finally...

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Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

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