Coffee Beans

In preparation for my rating of coffeehouses in the cities I thought I would do a series of coffee related articles.

My first is to explain the coffee bean in a totally non-Wikipedia way. Essentially I want to cut through the etymology, types, processing and anything that is boring and detracts from what we are all really, honestly concerned with...the taste.

Its true, coffee beans start more as a berry than a bean and that there is a large amount of polluted water created by their processing, but what few people realize is that a dark roast typically has less caffeine and more sugar. We usually get a dark roast for a very robust flavor, but in fact it has a smoother flavor and is less acidic...the true reason we like it.

How to keep that flavor in:
Air-tight storage and a cool temperature. Keep them in the fridge if you have the space. I've got a cool little vacuum sealer that I got from Target a few years ago that comes with a series of containers. For my uber-special coffee I will vacuum seal it in a tupperware-ish container. Oh, what is that supper great coffee you ask?? Well it is the basis for all of my comparisons in the upcoming "Twelve Best Coffeehouses in the Twin Cities" article...its a medium-dark roast of beans from Papua New Guinea available exclusively from the home roaster "Spunky Monkey Coffee." Which if you want even more great coffee tips or to order you should check out his site. Also, he has got the coolest...or I mean warmest Spunky Monkey cups...doesn't it take you back to your childhood? I remember having a Spunky Monkey rag doll when I was little...twenty years later I found out that I didn't create that name... foiled again!