In some sense, coffee is an acquired taste. There are many people who absolutely love coffee, but when they love it, they LOVE it. No day goes by without their caffeine fix which might occur in the morning, afternoon, evening or even all the three. Avid coffee drinkers, who not only get their coffee from nearby cafés and coffee shops but make it at home, spend a good amount of time trying different coffee brands. They try a variety of coffee brands to see which one they prefer more and once they find that perfect coffee brand, they stick to it.

As a coffee brand, the founders of Sleepy Owl too, spent a considerable amount of time in doing their research and finding the perfect coffee beans to make our different types of coffee. We wanted to provide only the best coffee beans to our fellow coffee lovers. And from the very start, we have been completely transparent about where our delicious coffee beans come from so when you buy coffee beans online you know exactly what you are getting.

When you order coffee online, no matter what type of coffee it is, it’s hard to know what kind of coffee beans are used to make it unless the brand has laid out all the information for you. Here are some tips from our very own coffee aficionados that will help you buy the best coffee beans online.

1. Know the beans
When buying coffee online; whether you are getting whole coffee beans, different types of ground coffee, instant coffee, roasted coffee beans or flavoured coffee beans; you should know what beans are being used, where they come from and what flavour notes they have.

You essentially need to know how strong the coffee beans are, will they suit your taste preference and body type. Many times coffee causes jitters and palpitations when the beans are very strong and in those situations it’s best to have coffee beans that are well balanced. This is why it’s important to know the beans.

At Sleepy Owl, most of our coffees are made from grade-A 100% arabica coffee beans that are sourced from select plantations in Chikmagalur in South India. These arabica beans have a naturally chocolatey flavour in them and make very well balanced cups of coffee. Some other coffees, especially our South Indian Filter Coffee is made with a blend of robusta and chicory beans. These beans have their own characteristics. Robusta coffee beans have a slightly bitter yet nutty taste and chicory coffee beans have an earthy and nutty taste.

2. Packaging is essential
When it comes to ordering coffee online or even buying it from a store nearby, it’s very important that you see how the coffee is packaged. The wrong kind of packaging can rid the coffee beans of all their natural aroma, flavours and goodness. No matter what type of coffee you are buying, it should be sealed tightly and carefully so it doesn’t lose its freshness.

It’s a known fact that coffee is meant to be stored in an airtight container or bag and in a cool, dark and dry place that doesn’t have any moisture or sunlight. This is why we ensure that our packaging takes away the stress of shifting your coffee into a different container. Our packaging is ideal for storing the coffee you buy. Our Premium
Instant Coffee comes in an airtight aluminium sealed container which keeps the coffee fresh till the end. Our Hot Brew and Cold Brew Coffee comes in easy to use coffee bean bags that keep the coffee fresh and our different grinds of Ground Coffee are instantly sealed in our coffee bags after roasting. The packaging has a one way valve that doesn’t allow oxygen to enter and keeps the coffee fresh till the very end.

3. Check the shelf life
While buying coffee online or even in stores nearby you must check the shelf life of the coffee beans. Not only that, it’s also sensible to check when the fresh roasted coffee beans were packed i.e. the date of manufacturing. Some coffee beans don’t retain their freshness beyond a certain time period and you wouldn’t want to buy, make and drink coffee that doesn’t taste fresh.

All our coffees are immediately packed right after they are roasted so the freshness, aroma, taste and flavour is all sealed. Most of our coffees have a relatively long shelf life and are packaged in ways that they stay fresh till you make the very last cup.

4. Pick the perfect roast
Different types of coffee beans go through different roasting processes and end up having different levels of roasts. You have your primary light, medium and dark roast levels and you must check that before buying coffee beans depending on what you prefer the most. Goes without saying that dark roasts give the most intense, bold cup of coffee.

Sleepy Owl has a variety of roasts for you to choose from.

5. Choose the right coffee grind
You will find all types of coffee grinds in the market today. From whole coffee beans to coarse, medium and fine ground coffee - you get it all. There are also coffee powders that make instant coffee and coffee bean bags that need to be brewed in water. The options are unlimited. You need to pick the perfect type of grind for you and a lot of it will depend on a few factors, like how often do you make coffee at home, how much time do you have to make coffee, what machinery and tools do you have to make coffee etc.

We have all types of coffee grinds available along with some coffee tools like a French Press, Filter Coffee Brewer and more for you to make your favourite type of coffee in your kitchen.

Are these the tips that you have ‘bean’ waiting for? Buy premium coffee beans from Sleepy Owl and keep checking this space to know more about all things coffee!