Roasting transforms processed green coffee beans into the fragrant and delicious coffee you brew every day. Did you know, the level to which beans are roasted is one of the most important factors that determine the flavors you taste in your favorite cup? Learn more about the different types of roasts, how much caffeine you can expect in each, and what products you can try to experience the full spectrum of coffee flavors from light to dark.

What do slurps, spoons, and spit have to do with great tasting coffee? Surprisingly all have a place in the coffee cupping process – a tasting technique used by farmers, roasters, buyers, and Q graders (professional coffee graders qualified to provide Specialty Coffee Association ratings) to test and ensure the quality of a particular coffee. Much like wine, coffee gets its distinct flavors and aromas from growing regions, conditions, roasting, and preparations.

You have heard it before, but variety really is the spice of life when it comes to coffee. In fact, it may be the single-most-important factor that determines the quality of your morning cup. If it has been a little while since your last science class, variety is a rank in the system we use to classify and name plants, also known as taxonomy.