What could be better than reading books on coffee to learn a lot in a very short time? Of course, blogs like GUIDE COFFEE are also a wealth of information, but that won't replace very well-structured coffee books , especially if you want to get a quick overview of all coffee topics.
I haven't read dozens of them yet, I must admit. But I will come to update this article regularly so that you have a little grain to grind!
For the moment, I will first present to you the 2 books that I have at home and that I strongly recommend. These are two books that are recommended even by professionals. Then, I will mention other readings that are generally recommended, but that I have not yet had the opportunity to read.
Books I recommend
COFFEE PASSION
Anette Moldvaer (Co-founder of Square Miles Coffee Roaster)
This book is the first one I bought. It is perfect to start learning about coffee , because it quickly highlights the whole world of coffee, from the tree to the cup.
The book reviews the entire coffee chain from the introduction and then moves on to more specific aspects around the preparation of coffee. In a few pages, we already present to you an excellent overview of the essential elements for the preparation of a good coffee :
- choice of coffee
- conservation
- grind
- water
- making an espresso
- quick introduction to latte art
Further on, you can find information on the equipment around coffee (coffee makers, grinders, etc.). And this coffee book ends with a list of coffee-based recipes, ideal if you like to surprise your taste buds!
But before that, the second large part of the book is devoted to the different coffee-producing countries. You will have access to a presentation of 32 different countries, on the three main coffee-producing continents of Africa, Latin America and Asia.
It's really interesting to have this book handy when discovering new coffees, because you can find information about the region of the coffee you are tasting. In addition, the book presents the aroma wheel to us on a double page. Having this wheel in front of your eyes during a tasting is very practical for trying to spot aromas in the coffees you drink.
Coffee is not rocket science
Sébastien Racineux and Chung-Leng Tran
Illustration by Yannis Varoutsikos
One of the coffee books recommended by many enthusiasts and professionals!
I really enjoyed reading this book which is really pleasant, clear and accessible to all . Although there are some technical elements that are sometimes very advanced for a young coffee lover, it is nonetheless super interesting!
We can thus, for example, really understand all the need to pay attention to small details (which may seem trivial to most people) to obtain a perfect espresso.
In fact, even though the information in this book is more technical and advanced than in the previous book, I find it just as accessible. There is a very good pedagogy and the illustrations make it even easier to assimilate all the information.
This is a coffee book that I recommend to anyone who wants to acquire a solid foundation around coffee.
The Best Generally Recommended Coffee Books
The World Atlas Of Coffee
James Hoffmann (Champion Barista 2007, coffee expert)
Unfortunately, this book does not exist in French, but if you speak a little English, I recommend it.
Although I haven't got hold of it yet, it seems that this coffee book is the most recommended by coffee lovers . It brings together all the basics to know from the coffee plantation to the cup.
The first part is devoted to:
- to the history of coffee
- the coffee tree and the different varieties of coffee
- to the various post-harvest treatments
- roasting
- extraction methods
The second part, on the other hand, brings together a great deal of knowledge about the different coffee production regions . Thus, no less than 35 countries are presented in this book, in a very comprehensive way.
COFFEE
Hippolyte Courty – Founder of L'Arbre à Café
Again, this is a complete book. This is one of the few French books that shares so much information about specialty coffee.
We learn how coffee is grown, but also what are the varieties of coffee, where they grow and what are their specificities...
If you want to learn how to taste and be able to perfectly describe what it feels like to drink coffee, this is the book for you (and a bit of practice too!).
I'm seriously considering buying it because I really want to work on my palate and this book might help me do that.
I hope this little list of coffee books has made you want to take the time to discover more about the world around coffee!