What Exactly is Gourmet Coffee?
Article by Bobby Black
Gourmet coffee is synonymous with high quality which is made using high authentic Arabica beans. If you already enjoy coffee, and wake up and brew a hot cup before beginning your day, then you will be extremely interested in gourmet coffee is becoming even more popular these days, despite the increasing caffeinated energy drinks and supplements that flood the stores.
The main difference between gourmet and regular is the quality of the beans used to create the coffee, as gourmet beans are considered to be of higher quality. What is gourmet depends highly on who is defining the coffee. To the most traditional of coffee enthusiasts, gourmet coffee needs to be made out of the best quality Arabica and needs to be drunk within 72 hours of its production as to not lose its flave, while to most of America, chain coffee stores available across the street is as “gourmet” as they come. Practically there is no definitive working definition of gourmet coffee, as it all depends on the individual.
One of the main concerns of classifying coffee as gourmet, is whether the company is just calling it gourmet as an advertising gimmick or if the coffee is truly gourmet quality. Some research is needed to tell the difference. One of the main ways to tell if the company is being truthful is how much information they provide the consumer. Do they tell you about the source of their beans, roasting procedure, or grounding procedure? If you find it difficult to find any of this information it is likely the coffee is not gourmet. Companies such as San Francisco Bay and Black Mountain Gold are some of the big names in the retail gourmet coffee business. The reputation of the company and if they reveal what type of bean they use are crucial factors in assessing whether the coffee is truly gourmet.
Bobby Black is a coffee enthusiast who writes funny and entertaining pieces on his gourmet coffee blog.