Artisanal Coffee is arguably one of the rarest forms of coffee. This is because it is derived from artificial efforts and requires a lot of care, attention, and consideration. If brewed well, it far surpasses other forms of coffee like instant granules which makes substandard cappuccinos. The thing with artisanal coffee is that it can’t be rushed, and neither can it be made by a beginner.
As impressive as artisanal coffee is, a lot of people still dont know about it. Thus, this article will help to explain what it is, how it’s prepared, and the benefits of consuming artisanal coffee.
What is artisanal coffee?
Artisanal coffee is a type of coffee that has been around for quite a long time, although it has gone by different names over the years. In terms of the dictionary, artisanal means conserving the ways of the old. India is known for producing the oldest forms of coffee to date, which is why they mainly produce artisanal coffee.
In this country, more and more homegrown brands selling artisanal coffee keeps popping up, and they are all fabulous. If you look at the current age we live in; you would know that a lot of coffee brands use coffees that have been artificially grown and inculcated modern trends into their preparation. However, artisanal coffee means using the old methods to prepare coffee.
It would interest you to know that the old way to make coffee involved a lot of roasting and smoothing. You may not realize it, but a lot of people drink artisanal coffee as opposed to artificially made coffee. This is because of the health benefits it gives. However, this not to say that it doesn’t undergo the standard coffee processing required to make actual coffee. The difference is in the growing and methodologies used in the final processing of the coffee beans.
The process of making this form of coffee can be completed by an amateur. It requires a high level of professionalism and expertise in order to pull it off. If you tell someone used to making modern forms of coffee to make artisanal coffee, they would most likely mess it up.
Admittedly, instant coffee tends to sell a lot more in the market due to the speed at which you can make it. Thus, it captures a considerable percentage of the coffee-consuming market. However, artisanal coffee remains the sophisticated variant out of the two. It is also subject to a lot more experimentation which brings out more varieties and quality.
How does the roasting process go?
The roasting process is more complex than you may think. It requires a lot of time, patience, and determination to pull off. Interestingly, this is where a lot of people get it wrong. If you dont take these three factors into consideration while making coffee, there’s a considerable chance that you won’t get the process right.
First, you would notice the coffee beans going from pale green to a golden brown color when heat is applied. Finally, it would become a rich, deep and dark color. As the heat continues to get applied, the coffee beans start to crack and roast away. If you’re doing it with the proper heat, you will start to smell the aroma, which would smell similar to coffee. After roasting, you would know it has been done right by seeing the oils on the surface of the beans.
The Best Artisanal Coffee Brands You Should Try out
- Araku coffee
Araku coffee is one of the best coffee artisanal coffee brands you can get. Although ti is mainly produced in India, it originated from Paris. The Naandi foundation in Paris started the production of this coffee as a social experiment that involved working with Araku valley farmers partaking in the experiment. In this experiment, many people claimed that this is a fantastic creation, forecasting that it would become a great coffee brand.
After being created and tested successfully in Paris, this coffee launched in India in 2019 with four coffee variants.
All these coffee variants offer different flavors and tastes, but they all boast of quality.
- Blue Tokai coffee roasters
Blue Tokai coffee roasters is a reputable artificial coffee brand loved by millions worldwide. It has created its exceptional reputation by constantly delivering fantastic quality with its coffees. Many people have said that their Bibi plantation with notes of dark coffee is their best type of coffee.
Interestingly, they have cafes all around India and in many places around the world which sell their excellent artisanal coffee varieties. Some other coffee variants it sells include the earthy Monsoon Malabar, the Attikan Estate with notes of dark chocolate, and roasted almonds. If you’re looking for a fantastic artisanal coffee variant to check ut, then this is a fantastic option.
- Kc roasters
Although not as widely known as the two coffee brands mentioned above, it still provides fantastic benefits coupled with quality products. Some of its coffee products include red honey, elephant hills, and orchadale. Rather than trying to sell coffee in a fast-paced manner, they comparatively dont see so much, choosing to spend most of their time on the manufacturing process. As you may expect, this means that the price is higher compared to other Artisanal coffees.
They have a small coffee shop in Mumbai and are tied up with other local artisanal brands.
- Maverick and farmer coffee
Maverick seems to be the talk of the town now. One of the reasons it has become so popular in a short amount of time is because of its focus on experimentation. It has launched two coffees recently that have boosted its reputation by offering unique and fantastic flavors. These two are called Ol’ Smoky and Orange You Curious? In addition to these two sensational coffee products, they have even more lined up for release before the end of the year.
There’s something quite interesting about the Ol’ smoky coffee, which is the fact that it is not exposed to the heat source directly.
This means that it is the world’s first cold-smoked coffee. Rather than being exposed to the heat source, it is instead placed in a separate room where smoke is let in through a small hole. This would make the coffee beans absorb the aroma of the smoke without being burned. This unique process allows you to get all the nutritional benefits of the coffee while still enjoying your coffee just the way you like it.
- Subko coffee roasters
The subko coffee roasters are the newest to start producing coffee out of the other coffee brands on the list. They opened their shop recently in Mumbai. Like the Maverick and farmer coffee, they produce some of their coffee in an exciting way. They produce most of their coffee using a fermentation period of 30 hours. They let the beans ferment for about half a day and then roast as usual. The result is an enriched coffee that has taken the market by storm. As you would expect, this fermentation process is not easy to perform, as it contains quite a lot of complex steps. Thats the main reason why their coffee is in high demand. This reason, coupled with the fact that all their products are quality, makes it easy to understand why so many people love it.
The Verdict
Artisanal coffee remains in high demand to this day. It is a highly unique type of coffee that more people should try. It keeps you alert more, allowing you to better face the troubles of the day. It is also a healthy way to consume rich amounts of coffee every day without side effects.
If you experience some side effects like skin rashes, nausea, and vomiting when you take coffee, it would be best to consult your doctor. They would determine if you’re allergic to coffee and what you should do.
As mentioned earlier, this coffee has been around for generations. The ancient practices of making coffee were forgotten for quite a while because of the shift towards modernization. Fortunately, companies are now beginning to use more straightforward and ancient methods to make coffee.
That said, this article has helped to explain what artisanal coffee is, how it is produced, and the five best artisanal coffee brands you should try out. This would help you understand more about this delicious coffee and see why it is better than instant coffee.