Top tips from the experts at Extract Coffee Roasters

Whether it's fuelling your all-nighter, powering your morning lecture, or just giving you a reason to take a break between classes, you can rely on a good coffee. 

But what exactly is a good coffee? If you're ready to take your coffee love to the next level, here's how to spot a top quality brew. 

By the beans 🫘

Great coffee starts with great beans. Not all beans are created equal, and knowing what to look for can make all the difference in your cup. 

Tip 1: Look for transparency

The best coffee roasters shout about where their beans come from, and for good reason. See if the label (or the café staff) can tell you details like: 

• The origin (country, region, or even the specific farm) 
• The type of coffee plant
• The producer and farm name
• Cup score – there'll be more on this below

Tip 2: Really taste it

High-quality beans should give you more than just a caffeine hit, they should actually taste good. You want a mixture of pleasant acidity that's fruity, not sour, a natural sweetness, and complexity – this means layers of flavour, not just bitter. 

Tip 3: Keep your eye out for visual clues

Before the beans are roasted, there are some tell-tale signs of poor quality. Look out for defective beans like 'quakers' (underdeveloped beans), elephant ears, insect bites, or black spots. See if they're uniform in size and colour, especially in single-origin coffee. 

Tip 4: The cup score will tell you a lot

Did you know that coffee is graded on a 100-point scale by certified Q graders? To be classed as 'speciality coffee', beans need to score 80 or above.

So you can rest assured that all the Extract Coffee Roasters beans we use score 80+ points! 

In the café ☕️

Even if the beans are high-quality, the way a barista makes the final cup can change everything. 

Tip 5: The machines always matter

The coffee machines used should be high quality, well-maintained and clean. If the steam wand looks like it's been in battle, maybe skip that cappuccino.

Tip 6: Barista skills to look out for

The barista team should be happy to answer all your coffee questions and be proud of their latte art – it can clearly show that they have good skills and experience as a trained barista. 

Tip 7: Are these in the café? 

If there are cards or signs explaining the beans, where they're from, and how they taste, it really shows that they care about their coffee.

Plus, you can always rely on a line of people waiting for their caffeine fix to show that the coffee is worth it. Good coffee attracts good people. 

You deserve quality coffee by people who care, and that's exactly what we do. Find out more about our amazing supplier Extract Coffee Roasters and get to know our talented baristas that serve you every day (some who have been in the business for over 15 years)! 

Contact:

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