Shopping for coffee and browsing the aisle long selection at the grocery can be confusing at times. There are so many brands to choose from. You may need to choose from flavors, sizes, prices, fair trade, course, fine, whole bean, espresso blends, and the list goes on. Many of us just want a good quality cup in the morning. The good news is you don't have to be a coffee expert to have an excellent coffee.
The main difference between Grocery Store Coffee and Specialty Coffee is in the quality of beans produced by the farmer and the way those beans are roasted. Specialty Coffee farmers produce a crop that is grown in rich climates around the world along with the time and hard work to produce a lively flavorful coffee bean. The farmers in return are then paid more for their crop by the importers and roasters. Then it is up to the artisan coffee roaster to bring the coffee flavors out through the roasting process and produce the most optimal roast profile for the beans characteristics.
Grocery stores often stock commodity coffee. These coffees are grown very quickly and with less consideration of quality and defects in the beans. This is why you may see grocery store coffee at a cheaper price than specialty coffee. It comes down to the consumers preference. Some coffee drinkers will be okay with paying a lower price and have a quick cup on the way out the door. While others will enjoy the experience coffee gives them. There will also be some coffee drinker fanatics that like to experiment with the various flavor characteristics coffee has to offer. For instance you may hear specialty coffee described as having floral notes, bittersweet, acidic, caramelized, nutty, body, and many more.
Many grocery store coffee brands have a long shelf life. Good specialty coffee roasters roast beans on a weekly basis to ensure freshness. Freshly roasted coffee will give off deliciously strong aromas as well as more distinctive flavor profiles. The longer the shelf life the aromas fade and the coffee will become dull. As grocery stores may be the most convenient way to shop. Many people are turning to online purchasing every day to find there specialty coffee.
