How to Buy Roasted Coffee Beans Online Without Guesswork

Buying roasted coffee beans online gives you access to considerably more choice than you'll usually find on a supermarket shelf. You can choose the origin, roast style, flavour profile and grind that actually suits the way you make coffee.

But more choice doesn't automatically mean better coffee.

The important part is knowing what you're buying, who roasted it, how fresh it is and whether it was actually designed for the way you drink coffee.

Carlini has been roasting coffee in Melbourne for more than 20 years. Here are the things we think genuinely matter when you're buying roasted coffee beans online.

Buy Coffee From a Roaster, Not Just a Retailer

One of the biggest advantages of buying coffee online is the opportunity to buy directly from the people who roast it.

Coffee sold through conventional retail channels can pass through several stages between roasting and brewing: manufacturer, distributor, warehouse, retailer and finally the customer's pantry.

Buying directly from a coffee roaster shortens that chain.

It also gives you access to information that is much harder to obtain from a supermarket shelf. A good roaster should be able to tell you where the coffee came from, how it was processed, how it was roasted and what sort of brewing method it was intended for.

Freshness matters, but fresh doesn't simply mean drinking coffee immediately after it leaves the roaster.

Roasted coffee releases carbon dioxide after roasting in a process commonly called degassing. Espresso coffee in particular can benefit from some resting time before brewing, allowing extraction to become more stable and predictable.

The objective isn't to find the youngest coffee possible. It's to buy coffee that has been roasted recently enough to reach you in excellent condition and then use it while its flavour and aroma remain at their best.

Whole Beans or Ground Coffee?

If you have a suitable grinder, whole beans are generally the best choice.

Grinding dramatically increases the surface area of the coffee exposed to oxygen. Aromatic compounds begin escaping quickly, which is why coffee ground immediately before brewing normally tastes more vibrant than coffee ground weeks earlier.

But buying whole beans isn't practical for everyone.

If you don't own a grinder, professionally ground coffee can still produce an excellent result — provided you choose the correct grind for your brewing equipment.

Different brewing methods require very different grind sizes. Espresso needs a considerably finer grind than a plunger, while stovetop, filter and AeroPress brewing sit at different points in between.

If you're ordering ground coffee, tell the roaster how you're going to brew it rather than simply choosing “ground coffee”.

Choose Coffee for the Way You Actually Drink It

Coffee descriptions can become unnecessarily complicated.

Origin, variety, altitude and processing method can all influence flavour, but you don't need to become a coffee judge to choose something you'll enjoy every morning.

Start with the way you drink coffee.

For Flat Whites, Lattes and Cappuccinos

Milk changes the flavour balance considerably.

Coffees with good body and chocolate, caramel, cocoa or nut characteristics often work particularly well because their flavour remains noticeable through milk.

That doesn't mean every milk coffee needs to be dark roasted. A well-developed medium roast can provide plenty of sweetness and body without introducing excessive roast bitterness.

For Espresso and Long Blacks

Without milk, you'll notice more of the coffee's individual character.

This can be a good opportunity to explore single-origin coffee, where differences in origin, processing and variety can become much more obvious in the cup.

Some drinkers prefer chocolate and nut-driven coffees; others enjoy fruit, florals and brighter acidity. Neither is inherently better.

The best coffee is the one you enjoy drinking.

For Plunger, Filter and Other Brewing Methods

These methods can reveal flavours differently from espresso.

Rather than choosing solely according to a light, medium or dark roast label, look at the roaster's description of the coffee and its recommended brewing applications.

If you're uncertain, ask. A coffee roaster should be able to point you towards something appropriate.

Don't Judge Coffee Solely by Roast Level

Terms such as light, medium and dark roast are useful shorthand, but there is no universal standard defining exactly where one category finishes and another begins.

One roaster's medium roast may look considerably different from another's.

Roast colour also tells you only part of the story.

The green coffee itself, processing method, roast development and brewing recipe all influence the final cup. Buying the darkest coffee available doesn't necessarily give you the strongest or best coffee.

Instead, look for descriptions of body, sweetness and flavour that correspond with what you enjoy.

If you like traditional Australian espresso, words such as chocolate, cocoa, caramel, nuts and full-bodied are often useful indicators.

If you prefer something more adventurous, explore coffees described with fruit, floral, berry or citrus characteristics.

Blend or Single Origin?

Neither is automatically superior.

A well-designed coffee blend combines coffees to achieve a particular result. The objective might be greater body, sweetness, complexity or consistency throughout the year.

That consistency makes blends particularly useful as an everyday coffee. If you've spent time adjusting your espresso machine and grinder, it's convenient to have a coffee that behaves predictably from one order to the next.

Single origins offer something different.

They allow you to explore the characteristics of coffee from a particular country, region or producer. Because coffee is an agricultural product, those characteristics can change between origins and harvests.

Many coffee drinkers keep a dependable blend for everyday use and occasionally add a single origin when they feel like trying something different.

That's a perfectly sensible way to buy coffee.

Be Careful With Huge Bags of 'Fresh' Coffee

Buying in bulk can reduce the price per kilogram, but only if you can use the coffee while it's still tasting good.

A household drinking two coffees a day doesn't necessarily benefit from buying several kilograms simply because the unit price is lower.

Work out approximately how much coffee you use.

As a rough example, an 18-gram espresso dose used twice a day consumes about 250 grams per week. A household making four similar coffees each day will use roughly 500 grams per week.

That gives you a much better basis for deciding whether to buy 500 grams, 1 kilogram or more.

If you're buying larger quantities, keep unopened bags sealed somewhere cool, dry and away from direct sunlight and heat.

Compare More Than the Price Per Kilogram

Coffee prices can vary enormously, and comparing two bags solely on price rarely tells you much about what's inside them.

Consider:

• Whether the coffee is roasted locally and sold directly by the roaster

• The origin and quality of the green coffee

• Whether useful information about the coffee is provided

• Whether you can select an appropriate grind

• Bag size and how quickly you'll realistically use it

• Delivery cost

• Whether you've previously enjoyed the coffee

Shipping is particularly relevant when buying online. A cheap bag of coffee isn't necessarily cheap once delivery is added, so compare the delivered cost of the order, not simply the headline price.

Find a Coffee You Actually Look Forward to Drinking

There is no need to make buying coffee complicated.

Choose a reputable roaster. Buy an amount appropriate for your consump