Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying, Fifth Edition

I'm just getting into the specialty coffee world for the first time. I knew nothing about coffee beans or buying or brewing. I have always enjoyed a good (to my taste) cup of coffee. The book is a wealth of information. Some is over my head but the majority is very understandable and practical. I have located a local specialty coffee shop and will visiting there soon because I still have more to learn and read again. The book gives me a vocabulary that helps me know what to ask about and to understand the answers. I don't have to depend on the coffee shop employee to educate me in the short time they could spend with me. I know what coffees I want to sample and I'll start with the three the author recommends. I would recommend this book to anyone starting out like I am or wanting to know more about how to buy, what to buy, and how to brew your perfect cup of coffee.

Most of the things I said in my review of "The Joy Of Coffee" can be repeated here. The books are similar, but the 2 authors have slightly different information & in some cases different views. For instance one says that reheating with a microwave is OK, the other says no, minor things like that. The print is brown, but is easy to read. As with the other book, the emphasis is on specialty coffee & both authors seem to frown on canned or supermarket coffee. Either book is a very good reference. I like some the drawings, such as the old "general store" type of coffee grinder. I hope Mr. Davids will come out with further editions, as the world of coffee keeps changing. For instance Starbucks made news in 2009 as some of its stores closed because of the recession. As to which book would be better, if you have the money get both of them.

I found the book Coffe: A guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying, to be a great read. Lots of history about coffee and how the beans are processed and roasted. A small book with alot of info for the money. This book cost more to ship than to purchase. The book goes into great detail about where the various beans come from, and if you want to learn how to taste and become a veteran coffee gourmet this book has a section on tasting and judging coffee. How to slurp! It also lists the various areas around the world where coffee is grown and the types. I really appreciate going to the store and now understanding where my coffee came from and what to expect in flavor with the beans that I am buying. This book is grounds for enjoying it!

After glancing through this book several times at a local espresso cafe, I bought it. The buzz faded quickly after I encountered repeat after repeat throughout the book. It seems that every time the author brought up a previously-covered subject, he added tons of the earlier detail.I loaned the book to a friend who had the companion volume on coffee roasting  Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival . Between them, the books cover 95% of the same material. I found almost everything in the roasting book that I had already seen in the coffee book. My friend had the same impression of the coffee book and put it down after the second chapter.I had hoped to learn more about how to craft a good espresso or latte at home, but this book was full of too much detail about history, origins, and legend to be of much use to an amateur barista. Even worse, the info on pulling a good shot was not up to the standards of the baristas in the cafe where I first found the book.

I have always been drinking coffee, and loved it. I knew the different brewing techniques and how to make a good cup of coffee. But never did i ask, where does these coffee come from, or what these names really mean. This books list and describes in detail of the origin of all sorts of coffee, while also telling the story of the history of coffee itself. Very interesting book. A must have in the bookshelf.

I do like that there is a lot of relevant information for anyone that wants to truly know about coffee. I wish there were more pictures in the book to truly place it onto your coffee table and show it off, but I didn't research that far into it before ordering as well. Great info on the many methods of drinking coffee and origins though.

I love coffee. I especially love good coffee. This book taught me a lot about how to select and brew good coffee. It is a great resource that I go to often when I want to know the answer to questions such as "what is the difference between a cappacino and a latte?"This book probably has more information about coffee than most people need, but for coffee geeks it is essential.

Great first book on coffee. yes! Some of this can be found online but it is written well and is very informative without being an overdose.I do disagree with his thoughts about moka pots as he tends to almost dismiss them!They are not espresso. But they are a great cup of coffee!Still a wonderful, informative and interesting read for someone starting to explore the vast world of coffee. Highly recommended!

Great book with a ton of knowledge! Must have for anyone looking to expand their coffee skills

Todo está dicho.

Wonderful book, well written, entertaining and incredibly informative. Great gift!