Guide 2024: Good Coffee - How to Recognize High-Quality Coffee Beans

Ratgeber 2024: Guter Kaffee - daran erkennen Sie hochwertige Kaffeebohnen

Germans love coffee. We drink more coffee than milk, cola, and even more coffee than beer. Yet, even though we Germans could be called coffee experts, there is still an abundance of bad coffee. Bad coffee is not uncommon; but what ultimately makes good coffee? Can we even recognize if it's bad coffee, or do we have to blindly trust manufacturers when they advertise that they've used high-quality beans? There are indeed a few tips and tricks that help us recognize whether a product is top-quality or should better remain on the shelf.

Of course, it's not easy at first to recognize high-quality coffees; but with a few tips and tricks, you can be sure you haven't bought bad coffee.

If you enjoy drinking coffee, you should definitely make sure to buy high-quality coffee beans.

High-quality food is in high demand. More and more people are opting for locally produced honey or high-quality olive oil and studying the ingredients lists on packaging. People are also willing to pay significantly more for quality. The same goes for good coffee. So-called premium coffee is considered an absolute top product, promising high quality. But while we can ascertain from farmers that milk actually comes from cows grazing in pastures and eggs are laid by free-range chickens, we have a problem when it comes to checking coffee beans. It's unrealistic for us to travel to South America and verify which beans go into our packaging. We have to trust the coffee farmers, and subsequently, the large companies that roast and sell the coffee. Unfortunately, studies have shown that the premium coffee sold to us as a high-quality product is often bad coffee. Ultimately, a good coffee taste does not mean that the coffee beans are good. Coffee taste can only be subjective, whereas good coffee beans must be judged objectively. 

At Erste Tegernseer Kaffeerösterei, we choose the best coffee beans, pay premium prices for them, and continue to encourage small coffee farmers to fight against the large corporations that often only serve us "garbage."
Try our coffees »

What you should look for if you want to drink good coffee:

Arabica Beans / Highland Coffee

Many coffee manufacturers advertise "100% Arabica beans" on their packaging. Arabica beans are generally considered higher quality because they have lower acidity and caffeine content and are fuller-bodied and more aromatic in taste. Cultivation is more time-consuming and demanding than for Robusta beans. Acidity and caffeine content are lower. This makes the coffee more tolerable and gentler on the stomach. We explain the exact difference between Arabica and Robusta beans here in our coffee lexicon.

The label "highland coffee" promises good quality. The higher a coffee is grown, the slower the coffee beans mature. This allows the beans to develop a particularly rich aroma.

High-quality coffee beans – preferably sustainable and fair trade

If you enjoy drinking coffee, you should definitely make sure to buy high-quality coffee beans.

Tegernseer-Kaffeeroesterei---Crema-20

 

 

High-quality food is in high demand. More and more people are opting for locally produced food and studying the ingredients lists on packaging. People are also willing to pay significantly more for quality. So-called premium coffee is considered an absolute top product, promising high quality. But while we can ascertain from farmers that milk actually comes from cows grazing in pastures and eggs are laid by free-range chickens, we have a problem when it comes to checking coffee beans. It's unrealistic for us to travel to South America and verify which beans go into our packaging. We have to trust the coffee farmers, and subsequently, the large companies that roast and sell the coffee. Unfortunately, studies have shown that premium coffee is often bad coffee. Ultimately, a good coffee taste does not mean that the coffee beans are good. Coffee taste can only be subjective, whereas good coffee beans must be judged objectively.

Look for certificates and awards. Many reputable institutions bestow these upon products of exceptional quality.

Origin and Cultivation

Firstly, the origin of the coffee is crucial. Coffee beans from regions like Ethiopia, Colombia, or Brazil are known for their excellent quality. However, not only the region, but also the altitude of cultivation plays a role. Coffee grown at elevations between 800 and 1,200 meters often has a more intense aroma.

The Roasting

Not only cultivation and transport are of particular importance, but of course also the further processing of the coffee beans in Germany. These are packed in jute sacks weighing 60 to 70 kilograms and contain ingredient information and designations of origin. Deliveries in containers (bulk goods – deliveries up to 30 tons possible!) or so-called Big Bags, which weigh up to 250 kilograms, are not of good quality. Here, what was available is ultimately mixed together.

During processing, making the coffee "drinkable" is of paramount importance. This "drinkable" quality is made possible by roasting. If you want the best coffee, you should therefore definitely pay attention to the gentle roasting in a so-called drum roaster. There is a significant difference to industrial roasting. The roasting time is not only longer, but the maximum temperature is also significantly lower. These conditions ultimately allow acids, especially tannic acid, to be broken down. As a result, fewer bitter substances are produced. Industrial roasts heat the coffee beans up to 600 degrees Celsius; the roasting process takes only a few minutes. In the end, the beans are burnt on the outside but still raw inside. Raw parts have a high acid level, which primarily affects the stomach. The high acid level and the burnt exterior ultimately lead to the bitter-sour coffee taste that none of us like. The industry roasts at 600-700°C for 70-90 seconds.

The Freshness

With coffee beans, the aging process begins not after harvesting, but after roasting. The oils and fats contained in the coffee beans only start to turn rancid after the carbon dioxide in the beans escapes, carrying numerous aromas with it. For this reason, it doesn't matter when the coffee beans were harvested; the decisive factor is the time of roasting. If you look at the roasting date and the best-before date, you will quickly realize that supermarkets predominantly sell old coffees that have already lost a large part of their aromas. A situation that can be prevented if a few tips and tricks are considered.

The coffee drinker should consider that after roasting, coffee needs time to develop its aromas. Experts recommend three weeks for this; after this phase, the aromas are optimally developed. Three weeks later, degradation begins. For this reason, it is advisable that the coffee be consumed no later than three months after roasting. Fresh coffee is definitely not older than three months. Fresh coffee convinces with aromas and good taste; two aspects that are largely degraded after twelve weeks. The next time you go to the supermarket to buy your coffee, you should therefore pay attention to the best-before date. The best-before date is usually 24 months (legal maximum). Reversing the best-before date gives you the roasting date. Checks have shown that fresh coffee in the supermarket is often a rarity. The fact that coffee cannot expire at all and is still enjoyable months after the best-before date may only be partially true. Of course, we can still drink the coffee; however, the coffee taste is strongly altered, so that the coffee – if it is sometimes two to three months past the best-before date – has lost its special coffee taste that made it so good at the beginning.

Roasted coffee is a fresh product and, as described above, automatically loses aroma over time. Correct packaging and storage contribute to preserving the coffee's taste for as long as possible. The best possible packaging is the so-called valve bag with an aroma valve.

 

Kaffee-Verpackung-Aroma-Froscheventil

 

After roasting, coffee releases carbon dioxide (CO2). Our packaging has an aroma valve on the back, through which CO2 can escape, but no air can enter the package from the outside. The vacuum-packed coffees in supermarkets can be stacked and transported more efficiently and space-savingly – but this comes at the expense of taste.

It is important that the coffee comes to you freshly roasted; only then can you enjoy 100 percent of the aromas and flavors.

The Coffee Taste

Whether one prefers a full-bodied coffee or a mild coffee depends entirely on individual preferences. But it also depends on the aromas in the coffee. A strong coffee, for example, unfolds its aroma particularly intensely, yet has subtle notes. The preparation also has a significant influence on the taste. Whether as a classic espresso, a creamy cappuccino or a velvety latte macchiato, every coffee should have a balanced taste. But it's not just the strength; acidity also plays an important role. This can vary from fruity to mild depending on the coffee variety. Overall, it can be said: it is characterized by a harmonious balance of aromas and acidity, regardless of whether it is strong or mild. And it is precisely this harmonious, balanced taste by which good coffee is recognized.

Of course, tastes are subjective. When it comes to coffee, opinions differ on the acidity level. It should be noted that every coffee has acidity. This is fruit acid, which is present in every fruit – just like pineapple or an apple, which contain acid but still taste sweet. If you cannot taste the acidity levels of the coffee, the roasting aromas are masking the acidity level. A balanced ratio of acid-sweetness-roasting aroma is advisable.

Coffee lovers predominantly prefer lighter roasts, where the acidity level stands out and the roasted aromas are subtly perceptible in the background.

Off-flavors

Besides taste characteristics that vary from coffee to coffee, there are also aromas that definitely don't belong in coffee. Experts refer to them as "off-flavors," which suggest that the product is not good or that the roasting was poorly adjusted. Typical off-flavors include leather, rubber, or even forest floor. These aromas can arise, for example, from faulty coffee processing or during transport if moisture affects the coffee's taste. Primarily, green coffees are affected.

These off-flavors are sometimes also the reasons why "cupping" follows. Cupping is the most important part of green coffee purchasing. Green coffee buyers test the coffee after harvest in the growing countries and then decide which coffee to buy and which to forgo. After the coffee arrives in Europe, another cupping is performed. Here, buyers check whether any changes in taste have occurred. Cupping is carried out at the port of arrival. Only if the coffee passes the taste test is it transported to the roasters. However, this does not mean that there are no coffees with off-flavors.

Coffees that do contain off-flavors repeatedly go on sale. Since many green coffee buyers avoid coffee with off-flavors from the outset, they subsequently become cheaper so that they can find buyers at all. The roasters then roast the coffee particularly dark; in this way, the aromas can largely be compensated for and masked.

Good coffee has no off-flavors. Even if the coffee has not been lightly roasted, the inherent taste of the coffee should be clearly discernible. If the coffee tastes of leather, rubber, or even forest floor, it is an inferior, definitely not recommendable product.

The Crema

The crema is an important aspect in the coffee world for determining the quality of the drink. It is the foam on a freshly brewed espresso, formed from the oils of the coffee beans. Crema coffee beans are specifically selected and roasted to create a thick, rich, and long-lasting crema. A perfect crema should have a hazelnut-brown color and a velvety texture. It not only enhances the visual appeal of the espresso but also significantly influences its taste and aroma.

Often, the price is the only "premium"

Besides objective coffee quality, there are, of course, a couple of other tips and tricks that are taken into account by large roasters, but these do not necessarily lead to improvements in qualitative criteria. On the one hand, it's about avoiding the coffee tax (2.19 Euros per kilogram), and on the other hand, it's about the lost weight that accounts for up to 20 percent during roasting and needs to be "recovered."


The injection of water

The desired roasting process has been completed; now it is important that the roasting is stopped as quickly as possible. If this is not the case, chemical roasting processes continue – the coffee bean therefore continues to roast. For this reason, the coffee bean must be cooled as quickly as possible. Cooling is done by large fans that ensure sufficient cold air is blown between the beans, or by injecting water. Small water droplets are sprayed between the beans, which subsequently evaporate, the steam settles on the beans, and the temperature can be reduced. A process that – if carried out correctly – causes no (or at most minimal) weight change. However, many large roasters dose the water more strongly and administer more water to the bean, so that it regains the part it lost during roasting. This can reduce weight loss; however, the coffee taste is negatively altered.

Addition of caramel and maltodextrin

Inferior coffees, roasted too quickly at excessively high temperatures, do not convince with their coffee taste. However, for large roasters to continue offering good-tasting coffee, they often add caramel or maltodextrin. This provides a better, almost sweeter coffee taste and makes it easier to drink, as many bitter substances disappear. The additives also affect the price; such coffees are much cheaper than green coffee.

Another factor not to be underestimated: the coffee tax, which amounts to 2.19 Euros per kilogram, only applies to products that consist of 90 percent pure coffee. Anyone who adds around 11 to 12 percent sugar and thus reduces the coffee content to 88 to 89 percent has created "caffeinated goods" that are only taxed at 1.76 Euros per kilogram. Here, companies can save large sums. Unfortunately, to the detriment of consumers. It becomes even more curious when ground coffee is "stretched" with various other fillers that have no taste impact, in order to increase the weight and thus minimize the use of green coffee per kilogram. In the end, the company wins because it has to pay less tax, and the consumer believes that since they are paying less for the coffee, they have also won. Unfortunately, only the company wins; the coffee lover receives an inferior product.

Pest Infestation – When Insects Are Guests

The coffee bean originates from the cherry of the coffee plant, a fruit. But what happens during the growth process and also during further processing? These are aspects that are crucial for determining whether the coffee is of high quality or not. While the coffee cherry ripens on its bush, it is naturally – like any other fruit – attacked by insects and pests. In domestic fruits, it is worms that make life difficult for us. If small holes are found in the coffee bean, insects (coffee borers) have been guests and have helped themselves.

 

 

 

loecher-in-kaffeebohnen-kaffeebohrer-schaedlingsbefall

 

 

Isolated pest infestation, of course, does not automatically damage the entire harvest; however, in the case of more severe infestation, it can be concluded that errors were made during cultivation. Errors may also have been made in the selection and preparation. A minimal pest infestation is not a problem; however, if it exceeds a higher level, a criterion for bad coffee is met.

Breakage – when beans are broken

We open the packaging and notice that several coffee beans are broken. In every package, there is a certain percentage of broken beans; packages without any broken coffee beans are rare. Ultimately, a few broken beans don't say anything about the coffee itself. Especially since the beans are ground anyway. In that case, it makes only a limited difference whether it's a half or a whole bean.

 

Industrial coffee - How to recognize good coffee

 

Nevertheless, there are differences that must be considered: postmen who handle our packages roughly and thus contribute to some broken beans are one scenario. However, breakage that occurs from the start must be judged differently. Especially cheap coffee, which is machine-picked and transported to Europe as bulk goods, is – not only because of initial breakage – a classic symbol of a low-quality product. For example, there is the Latin American story that the supervisor instructed his worker to export the waste generated during the harvest to Germany. Especially when coffee is sold already ground, the bean quality is uncertain. The cheaper the coffee, the higher the probability that it is an inferior product.

Mold infestation

Usually, coffee beans grow in pairs. However, the coffee cherry not only produces two coffee beans but also a lot of moisture; like the cherry we know, it contains a lot of water. For this reason, during harvesting, care must be taken to remove the coffee beans from the cherry and to dry them. Only when the coffee bean is dry can it also be transported. The coffee cherries must be regularly turned and rotated during the drying process. Only then can mold infestation be prevented. If they are not turned regularly, the first layer of mold forms. However, mold infestation does not mean that the coffee beans are disposed of; of course, they are still sold. No health problems are to be expected; such mold is largely eliminated during the roasting process (200 degrees Celsius). For large roasters, who roast at far more than 200 degrees Celsius, the probability that mold spores survive is even lower. Pesticides are also often used – after harvesting and drying(!) – to prevent mold formation. Even if there are no more traces of mold in the end, many Germans would probably have a problem with their coffee package if they knew that more than half of the beans were already moldy.

It should be noted that mold is not detected in ground coffee. With whole beans, there are clear signs; if the beans become spotty and show a hard demarcation, this is a clear sign of mold infestation. In this case, the coffee should be disposed of.

Our most popular coffee beans


  • Espresso Emma Forte

    Price range: €10.50 to €41.00


    (41,00 / 1 kg)
    plus shipping
    Delivery time: immediately available
    Walnut, Chocolate, Toffee Version select This product has multiple variations. Options can be selected on the product page

  • Espresso Felix – The House Blend

    Price range: €12.50 to €49.00


    (49,00 / 1 kg)
    plus shipping
    Delivery time: immediately available
    Chocolate, Nougat, Toffeeversion select This product has multiple variations. Options can be selected on the product page

  • Espresso Der Pate

    Price range: €11.00 to €43.00


    (43,00 / 1 kg)
    plus shipping
    Delivery time: immediately available
    dark chocolate, Caramel, Walnutversion select This product has multiple variations. Options can be selected on the product page

Personal preference decides

Ultimately, personal preference dictates how we enjoy our delicious coffee. The best choice for a true coffee lover might be a fresh cup of coffee, brewed by an automatic coffee machine. Some claim that the coffee beans from an automatic machine are the best. Others might prefer organic coffee, due to its natural quality and rich taste. Preparation is also a crucial factor. While some prefer to brew their coffee with a simple filter coffee, others opt for more refined methods like a French Press or a portafilter machine. With an automatic coffee machine, the taste and aroma of the coffee can be perfectly adjusted. There are countless variations and ways to prepare this black delicacy. So whether you're a fan of strong, aromatic coffee enjoyed from your automatic coffee machine, or if you prefer the subtle taste of gently brewed organic coffee, it is your personal preference that makes the final judgment. Personal preferences decide the best preparation method and the enjoyment we derive from our beloved coffee.

There is a wealth of flavors and aromas waiting to be discovered. Particularly noteworthy are the freshly ground coffee varieties, which consist of a careful selection of Arabica and Robusta beans. These beans are dark roasted to maximize the depth and complexity of the flavor, which is especially popular with espresso lovers.

For espresso enthusiasts, we offer specially selected espresso beans known for their intensity and rich flavor notes. These beans, perfect for preparing a strong espresso, are available from 38 euros per kilogram, a price that perfectly balances quality and value.

In addition to our espresso beans, we also carry finely ground Arabica coffee. This coffee is characterized by its gentle, nuanced aroma, which makes Arabica beans so popular. It is ideal for those seeking a less intense, yet flavorful coffee experience.

For lovers of a creamier coffee, we recommend our Caffè Crema beans. These specially selected beans offer a balanced aroma and a velvety crema, ideal for a relaxed coffee moment at home or in the office.

Robusta coffee is also an important part of our range. Known for its strong and slightly more bitter taste, Robusta provides an excellent base for those who prefer a more robust coffee. Our Robusta coffee is also offered finely ground, making it perfect for various preparation methods.

In short, whether you are looking for the rich, dark aromas of a dark roasted espresso, the gentle tones of an Arabica coffee, or the robust intensity of a Robusta coffee, our range of high-quality coffee varieties at fair prices will surely satisfy your taste.