Five Signs That You’re a Coffee Snob

If you had to pick between grinding your own coffee beans or buying coffee that’s already ground what would you choose? Or maybe quality coffee is more important to you than named brand or the other way around. Do you cringe at the thought of adding milk and sugar to you’re morning coffee? Or the more additives to your coffee the better? Depending on how you answered, you may or may not be a coffee snob. Lets dive into the different categories. After, you can determine if you are a true coffee snob or not.

1. Brewing a cup of coffee requires more than five apparatuses

In your kitchen, you have an entire shelf or kitchen counter that contain some or all of the following: burr grinder, scale, timer, kettle and thermometer. Each utensil is vital to your coffee-making process. Burr grinders are a favorite among coffee snobs because this type of grinder compared to blade grinders give you a well uniform size ground and more control over the grind than you do with a blade. What about a scale? Coffee drinkers use a scale because most coffee brew guides use the 1:17 ratio. Without having a scale to weigh out the perfect amounts, you’re missing out on a well-balanced cup. Too much water and too little coffee will result in over-extraction. Your coffee will be bitter, you won’t drink it, and then you’ll fall asleep at work.For example, when using a Chemex for your pour over, a timer allows you to let the coffee sit until your timer reads 45 seconds. This step is called coffee blooming. Hot water forces the coffee to release trapped gases, leading to expansion of the coffee bed, bubbling at the surface, and wonderful aromas are released for you to enjoy.A thermometer allows you to better control and maintain your ideal brewing temperature. The ideal temperature to brew coffee is actually lower than the temperature water boils at, which is 212 degrees (100 degrees C).

2. You prefer high quality artisan coffee over named brands

Only three words, quality over quantity. Purchasing coffee that is recently roasted or that is locally roasted is a better option than purchasing cheap coffee that you can buy at Walmart. Coffee snobs will go out of their way to find high quality coffee that they enjoy, even if it cost more or it’s not as popular as coffee brands their own friends drink. Artisan coffee roasting involves controlling the roasting method via the roasters knowledge and experience, the origin of the raw product and the roaster’s visual and tasting sensibility. In addition to coffee roasting, artisan coffee comes from some of the best mom and pop coffee shops. Coffee snobs tend to stay away from big named brands for the pure fact that it’s over rated. When you’re a coffee snob you take everything into consideration when it comes down to buying your coffee, not just popularity.

3. You’ve attended cuppings

When it comes down to getting the right coffee notes and roast, scheduling a reservation to try out different types of coffee origins is a must. You bring a group of friends for moral support and get a caffeine high afterwards. The adventure tasting begins with discovering notes and flavors you like most. You can blend different types of beans until you get the perfect combination. The experience can take 2-4 hours which after you achieve the perfect blend you get to call your own. If you have yet to attend a coffee cuppings, we suggest you try it out.

4. You know the difference between expresso and espresso

If there is one thing that could bug a coffee snob the most is when people mispronounce the word espresso for expresso. If you’re a true coffee drinker, you will know how to pronounce coffee terms. This is just one example of how people mispronounce coffee terms. If you’re not sure, just google it.

5. Keep it un-adulterated

The thought of putting milk in brewed coffee makes you cringe. Even more so at the thought of adding sugar. The reason being? Most coffee snobs prefer to keep the original taste. When you add additives it changes the texture and the coffee notes. Not saying that lattes or frappes are bad, it just means you’re not a serious coffee drinker. In addition to keeping things natural, there are health benefits in drink straight black coffee. According to Times of India, drinking straight black coffee helps with memory, liver, diabetes, weight loss, stomach cleansing and reduces cancer.All the more reason to drink it black.