Perhaps it is the knowledge that tomorrow I'll be sitting down with a freshly made coffee, its heady aroma gifting me a moment of peace in a hectic day. Such simple things make life that little bit more special!
There's something else though too. I love buying from specialty stores - artisans that care about their craft - small locally owned businesses. I used to buy coffee from the supermarket. It wasn't until I tried beans from a specialty store that I realised what I had been missing.
So what's the difference? Quality. According to many online blogs like coffeegeek, roasted beans have a premium shelf life of around 2 weeks. After that, the quality starts to fade. Bottom line is, not only do you want high quality beans, but you want your coffee beans freshly roasted.
There are a couple of local specialty coffee retailers offering online shopping and home delivery. Tasmanian Coffee Roasters, based in Hobart, and offers lower prices for online shoppers. I recommend you use their online shop to decide your order and then call them on the phone. In Launceston, Ritual Coffee has a coffee club offering members a new roast, delivered on the first Monday of every month. Both offer the highest quali1ty coffee, delivered to your door.
And if you're after tips to store your coffee, Coffeegeek and Wikipedia recommend storing your beans in an airtight or ceramic container in a cool dark place (like a cupboard!). Use the beans within 2 weeks or so, but if you need them longer, try freezing them. If you're using ground coffee, the shelf life is even shorter - so buy in smaller quantities if you like your coffee at its best.
Life's too short for bad coffee. And now you have no excuse.
