A lot of people drink coffee; they enjoy the taste and the energy from the caffeine. However, a lot of people are unaware that this preference and passion can become a hobby. By choosing to learn more about the coffee-making process and everything that goes into making the best cup, you can definitely turn your daily habit into a fun hobby. Becoming a coffee enthusiast is easier than you might think, and there are a number of ways for you to make more out of this newfound hobby; keep reading for more.

Three hands doing cheers with two coffees and a glass of coke — Credit: Unsplash.

Get To Know More About The Different Types Of Coffee

Everybody with even a slight interest in coffee will know that it is a drink traditionally brewed with hot water and some form of coffee bean. However, not a lot of people know that coffee beans are actually the seeds from the berries produced by the Coffea plant, which is native to southern Africa.

There are four different types of coffee beans Robusta, Arabica, Liberica and Excelsa, although, Robusta and Arabica tend to be the most commonly found in stores. All four of the different beans produce a different flavor profile. Arabica beans tend to be seen as the higher quality among the two, in part because they are milder, whereas Robusta beans are considered to be more bitter.

Experiment With Making Coffee

There are a number of ways that you can experiment with making coffee in your pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee. The perfect cup of coffee for you will largely depend on your preferences and the type of coffee that you prefer. When experimenting with making coffee, you need to learn more about to the different types of roasts, grinding the beans, the different brewing techniques and even whether or not you want to purchase a coffee machine. It might also be worth looking up online resources like this post on coffee for beginners by Cup and Bean.

There are four different levels of roast when it comes to coffee beans—light, medium, medium, dark, and dark. Light roasts are obviously the most minimally roasted. Light roasts contain the most caffeine and also tend to be the most acidic. A medium roast has been roasted for a little more time, and they tend to be slightly less acidic and have more body to them. Medium dark roasts are richer, the flavor is fuller, and they have more body too. Lastly, dark roast is obviously roasted for the longest amount of time and reaches the highest temperature. Dark roast coffee tends to be sweeter because the sugars in the beans have begun to caramelize; they are also the least acidic of the beans.

You can buy beans already roasted from the store if you want to explore the different roasts to find your favorite. You could also choose to buy unroasted or light roasted beans and roast them more at home in order to really experiment. If you are buying whole beans, then you will also need a grinder to grind the beans at home as well as think about how you are going to brew the coffee too. You might also want to try pre-ground coffee. There are a lot of options to explore that can affect the taste of your coffee, and your pursuit of the perfect cup could become a hobby in and of itself.

The roasts and brewing methods aside, there are a number of other factors that can change the flavor and the experience of the coffee too. Firstly, do you prefer iced or hot coffee? Do you take the coffee black, or do you like to add coffee creamer – if you like creamer, have you explored the flavors out there? You could choose to opt for a plain creamer and then add syrup or otherwise flavor the coffee. Realistically, there is no real right or wrong way to take your coffee – despite what the coffee snobs will tell you. All that matters is that you like it.

Finding A Community

Coffee doesn't have to be an individual pursuit; you can find a lot of ways to connect with other people if you want to. There are a huge number of communities and forums, both on and offline, which you can join to learn more and share your love of coffee. Do some research to find what there is in your local area and whether there are any online groups that speak to you. You can even find coffee subscription services that deliver new coffee products right to your door and outline trends for you to explore.

Coffee is also arguably a universally enjoyed beverage too. This means that pretty much wherever you go in the world, there is likely to be coffee served in one capacity or another. This might indeed form a cornerstone of your hobby. You get to try coffee in all of the different countries that you travel to and experience how it is different to the coffee of your home nation. This does mean having the willingness to try new things.

It's Just Coffee; What Else Is There?

You might argue that simply drinking coffee is likely to get a little boring. If there is nothing more to it, then is it really a hobby at all? Obviously, as a coffee enthusiast, you are going to want to indulge. If you want to make your passion for coffee more well-rounded, then you could look for different ways to express yourself and your taste for coffee.

You could try different recipes that include coffee either in baking or cooking – although this might depend on your skill level and cooking abilities. You could also even look online to see what else could be done. Some people make art out of coffee or jewelry; the possibilities are only limited by your own imagination. You might even want to take the time to visit the local coffee shops to find the best one. This, again, could lead quite nicely into the next point.

You could endeavor to try all of the coffee creamers of syrups. There are even those online who make money from their passion for coffee. You could blog or vlog your coffee-making process and post reviews of the coffee shops that you have tried or any of the other coffee-related products. Thanks to the internet, there is a market out there for pretty much anything. You simply need to think about how you can develop your niche.

The Bottom Line

Coffee has permeated American life so heavily that it is arguably a fundamental element of American culture. Obviously, this isn't to say that coffee isn't enjoyed around the world, but it is perhaps easier to make coffee a hobby of yours in America, where it is so ingrained in daily life. Luckily, there are a number of ways for you to make more out of your passion for coffee. Finding the perfect cup and developing your coffee-making skills are simply one part of the hobby. There are a number of things that you can do to lean into your passion for coffee so be sure to take onboard the above advice.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.