Reddit reviews How to Make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean

I've been meaning to buy "How to make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean" for awhile http://www.amazon.com/dp/1419715844 . Heard good things about it but don't remember where. Edit: also could be crap

I love this book.

"How to Make Coffee" by Lani Kingston

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419715844/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Very scientific approach to coffee. Explains the botany of coffee. Explains proper extraction and important factors therein. Also explains most of the methods of making coffee.

I don't have either, thought now I want both. If you're interested in something with significantly less depth and significantly less price, check out How to Make Coffee. It's brief but interesting.

A good intro to that question is How to Make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean. It's a really quick read, and gives a pretty broad overview.

From personal experience, I'd say both matter. Of course, some of that is going to be personal preference. My wife and I both love coffee, but she prefers a darker, more chocolatey profile, while I prefer a lighter, brighter taste.

I have a preferred roaster who I think is great, so when I get beans that seem sub-standard, I generally assume it was the crop, not the roasting. A lot of times, they just have less flavor to them - it's not that they're bad, they're just nothing special.

I recently visited a roaster in my area, though, who I can tell you straight up does not roast their beans properly. They have a very burned taste to them. It's not the worst coffee I've ever had, but it's certainly not good, either. They've destroyed the flavors.

Of course, as you mentioned, increased quality tends to also mean increased price. Finding a balance between those two can be a bit difficult. I'm also in a position where I can't afford my preferred roaster all the time. But then again, I really enjoy trying new and different coffees, so I suppose I'm about the "journey" as much as I am about the end result. (EDIT: Meaning, I'm always willing to try lower priced coffee, in the hopes I might strike gold, so to speak.)

As for fresher roasts, to be totally honest, I've never noticed that much of a difference in those I've had shipped to me, as long as they were roasted, shipped, and arrived within 2-3 days. But it's possible my tastes just aren't that refined, yet. I dunno. It takes me about a week to get through a bag, anyway, so obviously by the end it's not particularly fresh, either.