I Know Coffee by Jessica Simms Coffee Guide (Paperback)

You know when you like a coffee. Understanding why is where the hobby gets interesting. I Know Coffee: Harvesting, Blending, Roasting, Brewing, Grinding & Tasting Coffee by Jessica Simms follows coffee from its growing regions to the finished cup, connecting the choices made along the way to what you taste.

This 248-page paperback brings together books 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 from the I Know Coffee series. Rather than focusing on just one brewing method or one stage of production, it gives you a broader view of how growing, processing, blending, roasting, grinding, and brewing fit together.

What this coffee guide covers

• Growing regions and varieties: Explore coffee cultivars and varieties, along with growing regions in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
• Harvesting and processing: Learn how harvesting, processing, and drying can shape a coffee's flavor before roasting begins.
• Blending: Read about blending beans before or after roasting and how blending fits into the coffee-making process.
• Roasting: Get familiar with the basics of how roast level changes what you taste.
• Grinding and brewing: Understand why grind size and brewing method go together, with espresso and French press as examples of different approaches.
• Tasting: Explore how professionals taste coffee and how to pay closer attention to flavor notes yourself.

Who is I Know Coffee for?

This is a good fit for someone moving beyond “I like this bag” and wanting to understand more about their preferences. If you've wondered why coffees from different regions taste different, what processing has to do with flavor, or why the same beans can change from one brew method to another, those are the kinds of connections this book explores.

It's also useful if you want a broad coffee reference instead of starting with several separate books. You can follow the process from harvest to tasting or spend time with the topic that interests you most.

Read a little, brew a little

Keep the book near your coffee setup and let your next cup give the reading some context. Read about a brewing approach, try it with your own beans and equipment, and compare it with your usual routine. Or look at the origin and processing information on a bag while you explore those subjects.

Take simple notes on what you notice. You don't need an impressive tasting vocabulary to start. The point is to become more aware of what you enjoy and make your next coffee choice with a little more understanding.

Book details

• Full title: I Know Coffee: Harvesting, Blending, Roasting, Brewing, Grinding & Tasting Coffee
• Author: Jessica Simms
• Series content: Books 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 from I Know Coffee
• Format: Paperback
• Length: 248 pages
• Published: September 11, 2017
• Dimensions: 6 × 9 × 0.56 inches

For the coffee drinker who likes asking “why,” this is a way to see more of the story behind every cup.