The darkest roast is Espresso. Beans are roasted until they are nearly burnt which gives the roast its distinct, sharp flavor. All coffee is best bought as whole roasted beans. The minute the beans have been ground their flavor diminishes. Whole beans can be frozen for several months, but ground beans will last in an airtight container no longer than a few weeks.
Decoction refers to boiling the beans until the flavor is released.
This method was popular before coffee machines but is now only reserved for traditional Turkish coffees. The most popular means of brewing coffee is by infusion. Infusion includes steeping coffee grounds in hot water or filtering the grounds with hot water through paper or cloth. The ideal cup of coffee depends upon one s preference, but the standard ratio is two tablespoons of coffee grounds to three-quarters a cup of water. Brewed coffee must be served immediately as oxidation will ruin the flavor.