What criteria should I take into account when choosing organic coffee beans?

The criteria for choosing organic coffee are already numerous and they are the same as those for choosing organic coffee beans. For the rest, it is all a matter of preference and habit, even if knowing how to shake up habits often combines the surprising with the delicious. Before looking at the criteria for choosing organic coffee beans, we need to look at the consumer, his preferences and his experiences. Indeed, it is important to know how to define one's own preferences in order to better orient one's choices.

The resolutely organic aspect sought by the informed consumer must therefore be studied. Indeed, the choice of the coffee bean rather than the grind is not a matter of chance for the coffee lover. Similarly, choosing an organic bean imposes a certain idea of the quality sought. Preferring coffee beans to ground coffee puts forward a strong experience and a precise conception of what a coffee bean (organic or not) should be for the consumer. We make the point.

Organic coffee beans: a choice for everyone

Rather than an infallible guide to organic coffee bean selection, let's look at the consumer profile:

• Is it more Arabica or Robusta type?
• Does he like espresso, cappuccino or long coffee?
• does it have a preferred production origin (Brazil, Africa, Central American countries, Ethiopia)?
• is he sensitive to other values attached to the product (fair trade, biodynamic agriculture)?
• Does he use a machine adapted to his desires (capsule or filter coffee maker, coffee grinder)?

It is by focusing on his own desires that the consumer will be able to define the choice that corresponds to him. They must identify the flavors they like and the experience they want to have. If, for example, they know they don't like the light acidity of an Arabica, but prefer the sometimes woody aromas of a Robusta, the choice of a coffee bean with a more advanced roasting will be preferred.

However, be careful not to get stuck in taste preferences without ever knowing how to get out of them, otherwise you will not be pleasantly surprised by a tasting when you make an unexpected choice. A preference is a trend, but not a rule, and when it comes to coffee beans, the range of choice promises many surprises.

Organic coffee beans: a question of value

Organic food is becoming more and more widespread. And for good reason: it is a guarantee of food safety, respect for the environment and optimization of taste. In other words, organic is a value that fully corresponds to the notes of excellence that coffee beans can convey to informed consumers.

There is no lack of labels and certifications to highlight the organic quality of coffee beans. From the label "AB", "Biocohérence" or other, through the certifying bodies, these are all actors who act to ensure the end consumer that the product in his cup meets the requirements of organic:

• vigilance on the mode of agriculture ;
• assurance of no use of synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides;
• control of the processing phases (cultivation, extraction, roasting, grinding);
• etc.

Choosing an organic coffee bean means choosing a product that meets strict and certified requirements. The price of organic coffee is therefore mathematically higher, because it is necessary to pay the organizations and actors necessary for the quality of the product. But an organic coffee bean is also an undeniable added value and a guarantee of sustainability for the environment.

Recognizing organic coffee beans is very simple, since you just have to look at the label displayed on the packaging, as well as the codes of the certifying bodies. If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask the retailer, who will be able to explain the labels used and the values correlated to them. If necessary, each label has an institutional website with all the necessary information.

Organic coffee beans: a question of taste

All connoisseurs know the characteristics of coffee beans. In fact, coffee beans have several advantages:

• Whole beans are a sign of good quality, whereas ground coffee may be the result of grinding coffee "debris";
• Coffee flavors are established during the roasting process, but they last longer as beans than as grinds;
• It is easier to visualize the roasted state of the coffee if it takes the form of a bean.

But how to choose the right organic coffee beans? It is the color that should guide the consumer on the degree of roasting applied.

1. The whiter the bean, the shorter the roast. This white color is the sign of fruity and floral notes, keeping however the acidity at the expense of any bitterness.
2. A medium grain (neither light nor dark) brings a balance between acidity and bitterness, and also reveals more gourmet flavors (milk chocolate, jam, etc.).
3. A longer roast (dark grain) yields a more bitter grain with little or no acidity. The fruity flavors have disappeared in favor of the empyreumatic aromas and the roast gives way to a texture with more body.

Obviously, there are nuances between all these stages, and this is to be declined according to the number of roasters and the methods or machines used.

Choosing organic coffee beans: a subtle compromise

No choice is easy when quality comes in the plural. If the coffee beans are organic, however, we know that we can already objectively speak of an established quality.

But as we have seen previously, it is important to have a starting point to guide your choice. It is then necessary to start by defining what we like, the flavors and aromas that we like by habit or by instinct. Then, it is possible to follow one's own experiences and to repeat them or, on the contrary, to move away from them to open the door of possibilities.

The best thing to do is to ask the retailer, because he is the only interface that knows all the flavors and witnesses all the opinions. He is then the best placed to guide the consumer. All you have to do is express your habits, preferences and expectations, and then it's up to the coffee professional to advise you on what will be appropriate for your needs.

We recommend these other pages:

• What are the criteria to consider when choosing organic coffee?
• How to choose organic ground coffee?
• How to choose organic espresso coffee?
• Which packaging to choose for organic coffee?