What kind of coffee do we drink and do we drink coffee? Coffee is your favorite drink how to choose real coffee.

A considerable amount of falsified instant coffee enters the Russian market. It is made either from low-grade, moist grains, or malt, figs, chicory, burnt sugar, caramelizates, coffee bean shells are added to the raw materials. Such a product usually has an empty taste, with bitterness and acidity uncharacteristic of coffee. Coffee with "illegal" additives cannot be considered 100%.

The quality of coffee is also determined by the caffeine content. But this indicator is not the main one, since unscrupulous manufacturers have learned to add artificial caffeine to their products. That is why for most fakes this indicator is usually normal.

True, some counterfeiters do not bother with complex chemical processes for introducing caffeine into powder and simply pour crushed tablets of chemically pure caffeine into the finished product. In such cases, caffeine in the form of white grains is visible to the naked eye. If you bought just such a “coffee”, then it is better to throw it away immediately: not only is it tasteless, it is also dangerous to health - pure caffeine has a strong stimulating effect, while in natural coffee it is associated with other substances and does not represent threats to the human condition.

There are also quite outright fakes, when a strange-smelling powder does not contain caffeine at all or its amount is much less than normal. But it happens differently: the examination shows that the 100% instant coffee declared on the label really is such, but the aroma and taste do not meet the requirements. The reason for this is a violation of manufacturing technology.

Good coffee experts define and the content of sugars. In a quality drink there are few of them, in fakes - a lot. These indicators are not yet included in the Russian standard, however, they are widely used to determine the authenticity of natural coffee abroad.

How to distinguish a fake?
Fake is cheap. Real coffee is expensive. Firstly, manufacturing technology is costly, and secondly, good coffee is made from high-quality beans, and they cost more than malt or chicory.

Fakes, as a rule, are packaged in plastic, more often transparent jars. Self-respecting firms use glass or tin cans.

If coffee is sold in a tin, then pay attention to its design: firms with a good reputation mark directly on the tin.

If there is a paper label on a tin or plastic can, there is no barcode, the country of origin, the expiration date are not indicated, then there is reason to think.

The mismatch of the first three digits with the indicated country of origin indicates that this is a fake.

Many counterfeiters distort the names of well-known manufacturing companies, but in such a way that they are consonant with them (For example, Ness-Coffee). They also steal the design of cans, the color scheme.

Blurred and obscure colors on the packaging also speak of falsification.

Varieties of coffee
There are only two main varieties: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta).

Arabica beans - elongated, evenly roasted. Robusta grains are almost round, they rarely acquire a uniform color after roasting. The taste of these varieties differ quite strongly - a drink made from Arabica is softer in taste, slightly sour. Robusta does not have such a strong infusion, but it is bitter, not so fragrant.

This happens because the carbohydrates contained in the grains have a rather large effect on the taste of coffee. So, in Arabica there are much more carbohydrates than in Robusta. But Robusta has more caffeine. By the way, due to the increased extractivity of Robusta (that is, the ability to most fully preserve the taste and quality of a natural product during processing), this variety is most often used for the production of instant coffee. So most instant coffee is from Robusta. True, the best (and expensive) instant varieties are made either from a mixture of Arabica with Robusta, or entirely from Arabica.

The taste of coffee is strongly influenced by the place where it was grown. Indian Arabica tastes sharp, bitter (we are all used to it, since the main supplies of natural coffee in Soviet times came from India), with a strong aroma. Colombian has a soft, slightly vinous taste, delicate aroma. Coffee grown in Kenya, among the shades of its mild taste, also has bread, which is attractive for gourmets. Coffee from Costa Rica is sour and spicy at the same time.

Central and North American varieties typically have light to medium grains, with clean, vigorous promats. They form the basis of many famous coffee blends such as Colombia, Costa Rica Tres Rios, Guatemala Antigua and Mexico. Kona, although originating from the Pacific Islands, falls into the category of Latin American varieties in taste and smell.

The East African varieties are one of a kind and have not yet been sufficiently evaluated. They often combine the bright astringency of Central America's finest varieties with unique floral or vinous notes, and are usually medium to high-bodied. They can be found in the morning cup of almost any professional coffee taster. This category includes Kenia, Ethiopia Sidamo and Yergacheffe and Ethiopia Harra.

Indonesian varieties are on the other end of the spectrum from Latin American varieties. Usually dense and soft, not very tart, some with elements of "earthly" and exotic taste. Their density and depth make them an important base ingredient in blends such as Gold Coast and Yukon Blend. This group includes Estate Yava, Sumatra Boengie, Papua New Guinea and Sulawesi.

Dark roasts use varieties from different origins to provide a specific array of flavors, from the caramel spiciness of Espresso to the smoky flavor of Italian Roast and the roasted feel of French Roast.

Blends combine different flavors to create a special complexity of sensations. Usually mixed Central American tartness with Indonesian mildness. Mixing is the high art of combining and combining.

Decaffeinated strains are rapidly growing in popularity, as are quality and availability.

And now directly the descriptions of the varieties:

COLOMBIA NARINO SUPREMA
Colombia is the world's second largest coffee producer (after Brazil) and is known for its strict standards. Colombian varieties have a pleasant bitterness with a strong aroma. The taste is refreshing, ripe and balanced.

GUATEMALA ANTIGUA
This coffee grows in large fields under special agrotechnical supervision. Coffee of such richness and density is rarely found today even on the best plantations in Central America.

MEXICO ALTURA
From the green slopes of the Sierra to southern Mexico comes the world famous Arabica variety. It is evenly fried and brewed into a light liquid with a bright, pleasant aftertaste and medium astringency. Great for breakfast.

COSTA RICO TRES RIOS
Among discerning coffee shoppers, Costa Rica enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality of its beans. After processing, a liquid of medium density is obtained, with a characteristic odor and a delicate taste.

KONA
Native to the southwest coast of the Hawaiian island of Kona, this coffee is the only variety commercially produced in the United States. The beans are large, standard size and roast great. Soft and ripe drink, with a slight smell.

ARABIAN MOCHA SANANI
Real coffee of this variety is one of the greatest and rarest in the world. From Yemen, where this variety was first grown, the name comes from the port city of Al-Mukah. Small, irregularly shaped beans give the most exquisite coffee in the world - savory and tonic, but at the same time soft - a very special feeling.

ARABIAN MOCHA JAVA
A world-famous coffee blend that combines the sharpness and piquancy of Arabian Mocha with a seasoning from dense Estate Java. Unscrupulous traders sometimes sell a mixture with a very low content of Arabian Mocha - this expensive and rare variety.

ETHIOPIA SIDAMO
Arabica coffee originated from Ethiopia and today there are many variations of this variety. Sudamo is a developing area on a high plateau in south-central Ethiopia. Here, a lot of coffee is harvested according to an old tradition from wild trees. The dense blue-green beans give an even roast and a coffee with a penetrating, almost flowery flavor and aroma and moderate body and astringency.

ETHIOPIA YERGACHEFFE
Another mysterious variety from the Ethiopian mountains, with an exotic taste, has small oval beans that are nice to roast. The brew is viscous, medium density with unusual promatic characteristics. Slight contrast with Ethiopia Sudamo.

ETHIOPIA HARRAR
The most exotic sensation is the berry taste that fills the mouth, the wine flavor is clearly felt, which is complemented by the density of the drink.

KENYA
Much of the coffee produced in Africa is Robusto, a short growing variety used as a filler in commercial blends and instant coffees. However, this tall Kenyan Arabica is among the best in the world. The variety has an intense taste, penetrating astringency and a refreshing effect. A medium-bodied brewed drink, tart and rich, with a special combination of softness and vinous astringency.

TANZANIA
East African Arabica is known for its lively taste and strong aroma. Tanzania is another example. The taste is straight and clean, with a sharpness that your palate will surely feel.

ZIMBABWE
This tall Arabica has many of the outstanding flavor characteristics that distinguish its East African neighbors. The drink has piquant qualities, a well-balanced taste and a delicate aftertaste.

NEW GUINEA PEABERRY
Excellent coffee has been growing on this island north of Australia since Arabica trees were introduced from Jamaica in 1937. The equatorial climate and volcanic soils created extremely favorable conditions for the growth of coffee. A medium-bodied, rich drink with a pleasant aroma.

ESTATE JAVA
A magnificent variety was brought to the island by the Dutch in 1696. It has spread so much that the word "Java" has become synonymous with coffee of any origin. Typically for this variety - high density, moderate astringency and complex aromatic characteristics.

SULAWESI (CELEBES)
A former Dutch colony called Celebes, now the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, is famous for its pearls and coffee. Like other Indonesian varieties, Celebes coffee is full bodied with a round flavor and a deep rich aroma. It is in demand for low astringency, soft ripe flavor and sweet aftertaste.

SUMATRA BOENGIE
An Indonesian classic, Arabica from Sumatra has an unusually concentrated taste, heaviness, high density and herbal aroma. This rare and subtle vibrating flavor can satisfy the most sophisticated coffee palate.

AGED SUMATRA
Unusual coffee is aged green for several years. Proper storage in Indonesia's native climate refines and deepens the flavor characteristics of Sumatra, resulting in a very concentrated, almost oily drink with a full bouquet of spicy aromas. For lovers of Indonesian varieties, this will be a special event.

ESPRESSO ROAST (DARK)
The lightest of the dark roasts, this is a mixture of Central American and Indonesian varieties, passed through an espresso machine. Complex caramel flavor, high body and moderate astringency make this blend great for espresso, cappuccino and all afternoon coffee drinks.

ITALIAN ROAST (DARK)
It is roasted slightly darker than espresso until the surface of the beans is covered with fragrant oil. It has a strong promat, low astringency and a roasted sweetness typical of deep brown roasted coffees.

FRENCH ROAST (DARK)
You rather feel not the taste of a particular variety, but the taste of fried. A mixture of hard Arabica beans is usually taken, so that the aroma of the coffee itself prevails over the smell of roasted butter. It is used as an after-dinner drink, and also as an addition to other coffees to give a sharp taste.

Decaffeinated varieties
DECAFFEINATED HOUSE BLEND
Get green beans. Decaffeination takes place in West Germany and roasting takes place in Seattle. Light to medium bodied, this is the most flavorful and rounded of decaffeinated drinks. Give it to guests and they'll never know it's 97% caffeine free.

DECAFFEINATED VIENNESE BLEND
A popular blend made up of 75% Decaffeinated House Blend and 25% Dark Roast Decaffeinated. Satisfy your need for a soft and balanced drink, with a pleasant aroma, without caffeine.

DECAFFEINATED DARK ROAST
For those who prefer a deep after-dinner taste, this variety makes a nice addition to other blends. Add it to your favorite coffee for a refreshing and smoky flavor.

DECAFFEINATED GUATEMALA
The best variety of Central America retains its taste and aroma for a long time.

DECAFFEINATED SUMATRA
Decaffeinated Sumatra, produced in Hamburg, West Germany, is remarkably full-bodied. Virtually devoid of caffeine, the variety has an herbal, earthy aroma.

DECAFFEINATED COLOMBIA (SWISS WATER PROCESS)
Water-treated decaffeinated coffee using the purest water and the finest Colombian beans. Low density and fresh, soft aftertaste.

DECAFFEINATED MOCCA JAVA (SWISS WATER PROCESS)
Made from carefully selected varieties of Indonesian and Ethiopian coffees. Although not as aromatic and dense as the original coffee of the same name, the blend produces a mild, pleasant flavor.

Classic coffee
Coffee ALLEGRO
100% Colombian coffee (Colombia Excelso) is a coffee variety that has a delicate, pleasant aroma and a mild, slightly vinous taste. Pairs well with all types of coffee.

Coffee FORTE
Indian coffee (India Plantation A) is a coffee variety that has a delicate, pleasant aroma and a mild, slightly winey taste. Pairs well with all types of coffee.

flavored coffee
Coffee BLUES AMARETTO
The name speaks for itself. A cup of fine coffee to which a few drops of amaretto liqueur have been added. There is a smell and taste, but no alcohol. You can safely drive.

HAZELNUT
The taste and aroma of the famous Italian liqueur "Frangelica".

Blends of different types of coffee
HOUSE BLEND
Delicate blend of Latin American coffees with a light taste and rich aroma.

YUKON BLEND
A popular blend of Indonesian and Central American varieties, it has a persistent strong flavor with ripe, round characteristics.

CAFE VERONA (80/20 BLEND)
A premium blend of Central American and Indonesian coffees with 20% Italian Roast for depth of flavor, very popular in many Pacific Northwest restaurants.

VIENNESE BLEND
A special blend of Latin American coffees with 25% French Roast. Great with dessert.

GOLD COAST BLEND
An extravagant blend of the finest Central American and Indonesian varieties, laced with dark roast for sweetness and depth.

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The incredible popularity of coffee explains the reason for the fact that this product is in the lead among falsifiable positions.

The largest number of fakes is among instant coffee

This is not surprising - even in a transparent container it is difficult to distinguish a genuine sublimated product from a powder of unknown origin. The chemical industry allows you to give the mass the desired color, taste, aroma, fill it with caffeine. And it’s good if the raw materials have a natural origin - barley, chicory. In most cases:

any garbage is used;

for caffeinization, ground pharmaceutical tablets are used - as a result, the dosage is absolutely not controlled both in the package and in a separate cup.

Such “improvements” can harm your health, so we recommend buying instant coffee from trusted brands, carefully monitoring the spelling of the name, and the quality of printing. It is worth noting that reputable manufacturers label the packaging directly. That is, there should not be any stickers, wrappers on plastic and cans.

As for the already prepared drink - cloudy suspensions, uncharacteristic aroma are signs of counterfeit.

The second place among counterfeit products belongs to ground coffee.

Here they go:

replacement of high-quality arabica coffee with cheap robusta;

the use of grains of improper roasting, diseased or rotten from improper storage conditions, from expired batches;

mixing foreign ingredients - legumes, acorns, burnt sugar and others.

To somehow mask the unpleasant taste, synthetic flavors are introduced into the mixture. They may not be harmful to health, but we buy coffee to enjoy the natural richness of aromas, and not the achievements of the chemical industry.

When buying ground coffee, pay attention to the density of vacuum packaging. If air got inside, it is most likely a fake. And if it is an accidental marriage, then coffee in such conditions very quickly loses its properties.

Coffee beans are harder to fake, but still possible.

The main way is to use a cheaper variety. Especially practiced in blends. In fact, you will not separate Robusta and Arabica to determine their percentage. Therefore, instead of the declared 20% of Robusta, all 50% may be in the package.

The second way is to imitate natural grains using clay or other surrogates.

When choosing a pack, pay attention to the aroma valve. With it, you can easily evaluate the aroma of the mixture even before buying. If it exists, very good. The manufacturer has nothing to hide.

When a pack of coffee beans has already been bought, take a closer look at the beans:

Arabica has a large size, an oblong shape and a curved central vein. Robusta - more round grains with a straight crack.

A strong aroma is a sign of fresh roasting and a high content of Arabica.

The grains are coated or uneven in color - not a good sign. They may have been improperly stored or contaminated with pathogens.

Well, the main rule for any type of coffee is that a quality product cannot be cheap. Be careful when choosing a seller. And if you want to try a truly exquisite coffee drink, try coffee straight from sunny Costa Rica, which is sold in our online store.

Cases of falsification of coffee have been known since the first mention of this drink in Europe. Russia was no exception to this rule, and coffee counterfeiting in our country has the same deep roots as tea counterfeiting. Fake both grain and ground coffee.

Of course, it is quite difficult to fake coffee beans, but counterfeiters invented quite unusual ways to fake it. Thus, expensive varieties of coffee were traditionally added with cheaper ones, which were sold at the prices of an expensive elite variety. Cases have been recorded when olive pits, balls of dough or clay were given out as beautiful coffee beans, which were covered with caramelized sugar solution on top, roasted and added to real coffee. Thus, the mass and volume of the sold product was increased.

To counterfeit ground coffee, various substitutes for natural coffee were used, which were either mixed with it or completely replaced it. Burnt sugar and various plants were used as such substitutes: chicory, dandelion, wine berries, rye, barley, peas, nuts. They were crushed and added to coffee.

But the most famous substitute for ground coffee was and remains chicory. In the process of its production, first the roots of this plant are cleaned, dried, then roasted, mixed with sugar, ground and added to natural coffee.

To determine the country of growth and production of a particular coffee, as a rule, they use such quality indicators as the color and appearance of the beans, as well as the surface condition of the grain, which is different for different types and varieties of coffee.

The main types of coffee falsification are shown in the table.

Types of falsification of coffee and methods for its detection

There are so many fakes in the world that coffee is no exception. And although many, buying expensive coffee, are absolutely sure that they have purchased a real product, this can be a delusion.

How to choose quality coffee

Most manufacturers use Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties. One Arabica tree can produce about 5 kg of coffee beans per year, and if they are roasted, you get only 1 kg. That is why coffee of this variety is so expensive. The highlight of Arabica is that it has a pronounced aroma and slightly sour taste. The grains of this type of coffee, unlike the other, have an oblong shape. The Robusta tree produces more coffee berries per year, so the cost of such coffee is about 10 times cheaper than Arabica. Its grains are smaller and more rounded, the taste is less intense, with a slight bitterness, and caffeine is 2 times more than in Arabica. Therefore, real coffee lovers who want to make coffee tasty and strong combine Arabica with Robusta and bring out for themselves the taste that they like.

Fake coffee

Today it is very difficult to buy a truly high-quality grain coffee. A rare gourmet living in Russia will be able to distinguish the taste of real coffee from that to which, for example, 10% fake is added. It would seem that coffee beans are almost impossible to fake. But there are craftsmen who, with the help of flour, starch, water, dye and coffee flavoring, can make coffee beans that, after roasting, visually do not differ from real ones. Some "advanced" counterfeiters make fake grains out of plastic. After all, no one will consider the sediment at the bottom of the cup, which remained after the brewed coffee.

An inexperienced coffee lover will be able to catch a fake if he throws the grain into cold water. Because of the dye, the water will turn a light brown color, and real coffee will not color the water. In addition, fake coffee sinks, while real coffee remains on the surface of the water.

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It is much easier to fake ground coffee. According to statistics, roasted chestnuts, acorns, chicory, barley and millet can be added to ground coffee. Theoretically, half of coffee lovers will not distinguish such a fake from a natural product. The only consolation is that these additives are not harmful to health. You can identify a fake in the same way as in the case of coffee beans.

The most common coffee is instant coffee. It is made from Robusta, as it is cheap coffee and contains more caffeine than other varieties of this plant. Instant coffee with additives is gaining more and more popularity. To distract a person from low-quality coffee, various flavors are used, which very often have no analogues in nature.

The most advertised coffee is "three in one", which is also called "coffee for the lazy". It can include coffee of any quality, as well as sugar and milk powder, often expired. It is because of this that the coffee can be slightly sour, and the consumer will think that the sourness is felt from the fact that the coffee was made from a mixture of Robusta and Arabica. For good foaming, flour is necessarily added to such coffee, and stabilizers, starch and thickeners are added for thickness and richness of taste. To determine the presence of starch in such coffee, you need to dissolve it in water and drop a drop of iodine. If the water turns blue, starch is present.

Let these tips help you choose high-quality coffee and make a magical drink out of it that will give vivacity and pleasant taste sensations.

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Natural coffee is one of the most delicious and popular drinks in the world. But only natural. A fake product not only shocks the taste buds, but can also be dangerous to health. Unfortunately, recently a lot of unscrupulous producers have divorced who fake world famous brands of natural coffee, for example, Lavazza. Now a huge number of Lavazza fakes have appeared in Ukraine. We make a lot of efforts to maintain the good name of the best Italian coffee, so we carefully analyzed the situation and compiled a detailed review so that you, our dear customers, can easily distinguish the original product from the counterfeit.
As raw materials, underground producers use coffee production waste, spoiled and overcooked grains, as well as something that has nothing to do with coffee at all (barley, rye, beans, burnt sugar, malt and chicory). Since the "craftsmen" guess that the finished drink will have a very unpleasant taste, they use various additives and flavors to bring the fake a little closer to the original. Very often, the counterfeit has greatly exceeded caffeine norms, this is due to the fact that it contains finely ground pharmacy caffeine. Such a shock dose of "vigor" can adversely affect health by hooking on the nervous and digestive systems, the heart.

What to do?

There are several common ways to identify fake coffee.

1. You need to take a few coffee beans and put them in cold water. The real one will swell and color the water quite a bit, and the fake one will only create a precipitate.
2. Overcooked grains at the break have a light yellow color.
3. You can put a couple of grains on paper and rub. If dirt remains on it, the coffee is stained with lead, which is hazardous to health.
4. When struck with a kitchen hammer, artificial clay grains crumble into fine powder, while natural ones break into small pieces.

Unfortunately, these effective methods only work after you have already bought a pack of coffee, spending a couple of hundred hryvnias. As a result, a spoiled mood and an unpleasant aftertaste from the acquisition. Is it possible to avoid all this? Yes, it's possible. In the review, we will share with you valuable information on how to distinguish a fake from the original at the stage of selection and purchase, which means saving hard-earned money and maintaining health. Here are some of the most requested items as an example:

Lavazza Qualita Oro

Lavazza Crema e Aroma espresso

Lavazza Crema e Aroma intenso

Main differences:

1. Price - this is the very first common factor that helps to distinguish a fake from the original. For example, the average market price of a kilogram pack of Oro in Ukraine is from 350 to 400 UAH, but very often there are ads like - High-quality Italian coffee, for only 170-200 UAH. This is an obvious fake! Real coffee, which is sold in our market, cannot be cheaper than in a store in Italy. In the best case, the pack contains not 100% selected Arabica, but 100% cheaper Robusta.
   
2. bend - you can detect a fake in such an effective way: see if there is a characteristic bend on the side of the pack? It is not on the original packaging, as it is made and soldered immediately before filling the coffee. Counterfeit, on the contrary, is packaged in ready-made packs, which for some time lay and waited in the wings, hence the noticeable bend.
   
3. Valve - for original products, it should be rounded, with neat, even edges. Visually, the valve is slightly concave, its edges are not pinched, and are not conspicuous. At the craft, the valve immediately catches the eye, it is as if deliberately squeezed out, the edges are pinched, even burned. In some specimens, instead of a neat slot inside the valve, two small round holes are even pierced. The slot, like on a pack of Lavazza Oro, is the old version of the valve. Some packs have a more updated one: two neat slits around the valve, inside which there is a convex inscription "GOGLIO LUIGI MILANO". This inscription can be seen when pressing on the valve with a fingernail. Fakes, however, cannot boast of such a curiosity on the valve.
   
   
   
4. date - this marking on a pack of real Lavazza of any weight is applied during the packaging of coffee. This data is different for each pack. On a fake, the date is applied during the production of the packaging material, so the entire batch of counterfeit has the same time and date of issue.
   
5. Package design - the original coffee has a high-quality packaging design, all images are clear, even, the names are designed in the manufacturer's corporate style. The color scheme is noble, pleasant. The multilayer foil has an optimum thickness. Fakes sin with bright colors that do not match the corporate design of coffee, colors and fonts can be completely different. The packaging material is thin, of poor quality, kinks are clearly visible on it. It happens that some cunning comrades come up with consonant names for their product, which differ from the original one by just one or two letters (like the real Adidas and the Chinese Abibas).
   
6. The packaging of the original must indicate the expiration date, the country of origin and a barcode that indicates information about the country, the product code and the manufacturer's code.
7. Where can you - the original?

As they say in Odessa, "a fake is the best proof of the high quality of the product." This is certainly flattering, but there is little pleasant and useful in such a purchase. Therefore, the "Coffee House" works to ensure that you drink only a real invigorating drink. We are available 24 hours/7 days a week. The online store Coffee House values ​​its image and reputation very much. On the site you will find original products of the world famous brand Lavazza, which is produced only in Italy. We constantly monitor the quality of the goods, and at the request of customers we provide certificates of conformity for coffee.
Thanks to established trade relations and direct deliveries, you can buy
at the most affordable prices. We can always : grain, ground and in capsules. And also we are constantly aware of delicious coffee novelties that immediately appear on our sale. We wish you a pleasant choice and only high-quality coffee. If you have your own methods for detecting counterfeit coffee, you can send them to us for further publication on the store's website. Contact us by phone.