The new coffee connoisseur

When constructed by a good roaster, these blends can be among the best coffees you'll ever taste. But choosing one can be confusing, since each shop is free to name its blends whatever it feels like. One place's "Caffe Roma" can be made from the same beans as another's "Morning Sonata." On the other hand, it's a pretty sure bet that no two "Breakfast Blends" will be exactly alike.

There are different degrees of roasting as well. The darker the roast, the more earthy and chocolate flavors will be in the coffee -- up to a point. Particularly when you're talking about the very dark roasts that are popular these days, the overpowering flavor is charcoal. Whether these roasts are popular because people prefer milky drinks such as cappuccino, or whether people prefer milky drinks because the roasts are so dark is hard to say. One thing's for sure -- extremely dark roasts are not intended to be drunk straight.

Stay away from those very dark roasts called Italian or French. Because this heavy roasting brings the coffee's oils to the surface, avoid beans that are very shiny or appear to be covered with oil. Choosing a lighter-colored roast -- even if it's called "dark roast" or "espresso roast" -- will reveal the nuances of flavor in a good bean.

If all of this sounds impossible to master, relax. The good news is: You don't have to.

Choosing a coffee bean can be remarkably easy. Find a local specialty coffee bean purveyor -- preferably one that roasts on site. Word of mouth is probably the best way, though generally most any place that roasts its own coffee will be better than any place that doesn't.

Chat up the salesperson and tell them what you're looking for in flavor and body. They'll probably have one or two varieties already brewed that you can sample. Buy a quarter pound each of the three or four top candidates they recommend. In less than 10 minutes and for less than $20, you will be well on your way to having chosen your house coffee.

In my case, since I wasn't sure what I was looking for, I picked up samples of two coffees from opposite ends of the flavor spectrum: a winey Kenya "AA" and a full-bodied, earthy Java, both medium roasts.

When you're tasting a coffee to decide whether it's worth committing to, sample it straight -- no sugar or milk. Look for a coffee that is aromatic, balanced and smooth in body, with a pleasant finish. It may well be a bit sour, but it should be a fruity sour, like lemons, rather than bitter, like charcoal.