Award-winning barista names the best supermarket coffee beans

There's nothing like starting the day with a delicious barista-made coffee, but times are tough, forcing Aussies to cut back our their favourite cappuccinos.

A great way to save is by upgrading your at-home setup, but this can prove complicated with so many supermarket coffee beans to choose from. Even these have increased in price, by a reported 15-20 per cent in the past two years, so you want to choose carefully.

We spoke with Australian award-winning barista Matthew Lewin to help guide us through the many coffee bean choices at the supermarket.

Want the official inside scoop on MAFS, unfiltered and unseen? Watch After The Dinner Party here

Lewin was named Australian Barista Champion in 2019 and since then has built an impressive career that centres around creating the best coffee in the country.

"With supermarket coffee beans, I usually go with something organic," he told nine.com.au.

"The Macro ones from Woolies are pretty good and are a good price, good roast level."

He also likes Northern Beaches Organic Wood Fire Coffee beans, which are an Aussie brand and organic.

READ MORE: Cody Simpson parties with Aussie supermodel after split

READ MORE: Cost of lunchtime staple rockets by 40 per cent

READ MORE: Macca's customer refused straw at drive-thru, exposes secret change

Macro are currently on sale at Woolworths for $32 for a 1kg bag, and Northern Beaches Organic is $26.50 for a 500g bag.

Lewin can't see the price of coffee coming down now that these new higher prices have been established.

Added to this, the amount of time it will take for the coffee industry to recover from the frost and drought that hit Brazil and Vietnam two years ago, where much of the world's coffee is grown.

"It takes nine months to a year to harvest it, all the labour that goes into that, then we've got to ship it for three months, then you've got to roast it, grind and serve it, there's so many, many mandatory steps to make just one cup of coffee.

"No wonder it's $10 for that cup of coffee."

Australian growing conditions aren't exactly ideal for growing coffee, Lewin says.

"The trouble here is we don't really have the altitude. Good coffee needs altitude, it needs to be a bit higher, a bit cooler, and that slows the coffee from growing which improves the flavour."

This all leaves Lewin savouring his favourite coffees even more, and keen to share his knowledge with the rest of the country.

Lewin has been working in the coffee industry since he was in his early 20s, after a trip to Europe during which he became "immersed by that rich culture of Europe".

Back then he wasn't much of a coffee drinker.

When he got back to Melbourne, he "fell into hospitality" and came across a specialty roaster and the city's coffee culture.

"It just blew me away. I thought instantly, 'This is the most captivating environment I've felt and seen' and in that moment, that was it," he says.

"I have a deep long standing love of the coffee industry."

He has now been working in the coffee industry for over a decade.

Lewin said he is "more than happy to drink any coffee" from supermarket brands to a "Geisha pour-over".

Geisha coffee is an ultra-premium, rare variety of Arabica that originates from Ethiopia, known for its distinct tea-like, intensely floral flavour and can cost up to $150+ for a 150-250g bag.

"When you go to drink it, it will be like one of the most amazing wines you've ever had. It'll be long finish, textural and flawless. It'll be sweet silky mouthfeel, long finish, textural and flawless. It'll be sweet and balanced," Lewin says.

"It'll be just this harmonious experience. It'll still taste like coffee but it'll just have all these other inherent elements that will just blow you away."

For Lewin, drinking any kind of coffee is an experience.

"It's a key kick off part of our days, starting the morning ritual right is so important. A really good cup of coffee sets you up for the day."

The more coffee costs, the more Lewin wants us to focus on quality, because then at least it's a good drink: "It's about appreciating the return."

He's experienced many different coffee cultures around the world, from America's filter-based coffees to standing in an espresso bar in Italy for a pastry and a cappuccino.

"I love drinking coffee in Italy for that reason. You are standing up, one euro, have the espresso, and off you go," he says.

Lewin spent much of his career competing, which is a massive commitment involving countless hours of training and travel.

This included travelling to the World Barista Championships in Boston, USA, in 2019, sponsored by Vitasoy, which whom he has a partnership through their Barista's Choice.

He has become one of the country's leading experts at using milk alternatives in coffee including soy, oat, and almond milk.

"We all know plant milk has made huge inroads into being a staple in Australian coffee," he said.

Although almond milk is still the top milk alternative for coffee drinkers, oat milk is increasing in popularity.

Lewin also works with Ona coffee which is sold online.

For those looking to save by making more of their own coffees at home, alongside his supermarket coffee beans recommendations, Lewin said having a good coffee machine and a good bean grinder are also important.

He said it is best to buy coffee beans rather than grinds to preserve the flavour.

"Because oxygen is both an ally and an enemy," he explains.

"When it's pre-ground, as soon as you open that bag of coffee from the supermarket, [it's] created these tiny little particles that are just going to get eaten up by oxygen immediately, so they'll just go stale.

"A coffee bean will take up to or around 30 days to become stale. A little coffee grind will be stale in a day."

Lewin said the best way to store everyday coffee beans at home is to wrap the pack or seal it "really tight" to get all the air out, "and then just put it in a dark, dry place".

"Only fancy geisha like coffee can be put it in the freezer for future use anytime, anywhere."

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.