Being a coffee lover it's likely if you are anything like me, you just cannot start your day without it?

I suspect that no matter how much you like your coffee you surely have your own opinion as to which is the best tasting coffee. Perhaps you like a shot of espresso or a latte but maybe you just want that cup regardless of what's in it!

Generally speaking there are two types of coffee,one derived from Arabica coffee beans and the other from Robusta beans.

Coffee from the Arabica bean is the higher quality coffee and being more popular accounts for around 75% to 80% of the coffee drunk around the world. Robusta is of lesser quality but still good in taste and makes up for around 20% of the world's coffee.Both of these beans are grown in Latin America,Southern Asia and Africa. As soon as the beans, known as berries on the plant, are ripe they are picked, dried and roasted to varying degrees depending on the desired flavors. Once roasted the coffee beans are ground and brewed to make coffee.The roasting process produces the characteristics and the flavors of coffee by expanding the green beans, changing their color, taste, smell and density. As the heat is absorbed by the beans their color changes from green to yellow and from yellow to various shades of brown. During the latter stages of roasting the surface of the bean starts to look shiny in appearance as natural oils appear on its surface. The longer the roast the darker the bean.

Lightly roasted coffee allows a lighter bodied coffee and it is easy to distinguish the taste created in the bean by the soil and weather conditions as well as the growing region and so you'll probably be able to locate where the bean came from. Darkly roasted coffee beans however, have been roasted to the point where the dominant flavor becomes the roast itself and you'll be hard pressed to guess where the coffee came from.

Brewing also plays an important role in coffee drinking as the better the coffee machine is that you use as a coffee maker the better coffee you can make. Since the fresher the coffee is the more aromatic and flavorful it is and therefore it's better to grind coffee beans yourself just prior to brewing so you can enjoy the best tasting cup.

All can contribute to a great cup of coffee, but which is the best coffee? Well again that depends on personal taste and preference but here below is a short coffee guide to help you decide:

Dark Roasts

This is coffee that is roasted longer. It's darker and has a smoky flavor. If you like this, then you'll enjoy French coffee, Espresso Coffee or Italian Coffee, although some French roast can be considered as medium roast as well.

Medium Roasts

These are a little sweeter tasting than a lighter roast with good aromas,fully flavored and balanced acidity. You can look for American, Viennese or City roast if you like to enjoy a cup of medium roasted coffee. This is also the category for most breakfast blends in the US.

Light Roasts

This light roasted coffee contains more caffeine that other categories but they offer less taste and body than the other two types of roasts. Look for New England roasts or Cinnamon roasts.

Truth be told no one can tell you exactly what the best coffee is for you. Some people prefer a particular type of coffee while others enjoy another. There are many producers, roasters and retailers of coffee so go out and try them all as ultimately it is up to you to decide which one suits your palate the best.