Darkeness of roasts, Did you know? Issue 15

The following classifications are used by professionnels to designate the numerous darkeness of roasts:

Light :

Cinammon, New England, Light

Medium :

American, Medium Brown, Brown

Medium Dark :

Full City, Vienna

Dark :

Italian, Espresso, European

Darker :

Espresso, Italian, Continental

Very Dark :

French, Dark French, Italian

Acidity, Body and Flavor, Did you know? Issue 14

There are basically three terms used in tasting coffee;

ACIDITY: Most people think that acidity means that the coffee is bitter.  However, in coffee tasting, the term “acidity” is used in a positive way to describe a “sparkling crispness, a vibrant burst of winy, palate-cleansing fruit. Bright, nuanced acidity is what high-grown washed coffees are all about”.

BODY: This term refers to the experience of weight and the feel of the coffee on the tongue. The coffee’s body can be light, medium, full or even buttery or syrupy.

FLAVOR: The term refers to the aroma, acidity and body of the coffee. It is used in the general sense to indicate the intensity and differentiate between characteristics such as spice, fruit and chocolate.

Start your day by “cupping”, Did you know? Issue 13

Professional coffee tasters start their day by “cupping”, that is, tasting a long row of coffees.  Each glass or cup contains a different coffee sample and all are arranged in order of taste, with the lighter, brighter coffees first and the heavier, darker ones down the line. The cupping room itself is not very cozy; much like a medical facility and the conversation amongst the tasters is abrupt and efficient.  Tasters are able to tell the difference between brews. The key is to have regular, consistent exposure to different coffees.

Grading coffee, Did you know? Issue 12

While they differ greatly from country to country, “grading” designations may also appear on coffee labels. Coffees are graded by size, density and sometimes by the altitude at which they are grown. Most importantly, they are graded by the number of defects permitted per pound.

Large sized coffee beans may look impressive and roast more evenly but they do not necessarily offer a better flavour, although the Columbian grade theirs differently.

Coffee that is grown at higher elevations has the potential for greater flavour.

Defects include sticks, stones, insects and under- or overripe beans. The best coffees have virtually no defects.

What labels tell you, Did you know? Issue 11

In general, coffee drinkers do not seem to embrace coffee as an agricultural product. As a result, roasters will likely put less information on the packaging labels than is actually available.  For instance, a product may be labelled under a general name like “Costa Rica” while it may actually be “Costa Rica Tres Rios La Magnolia”. Such details make consumers nervous, as they tend to question whether the different crops are of equal quality. This can be hard on the roaster’s business. Learn how to read what you see on labels and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Blend, dark roast or single-origin coffee, Did you know? Issue 10

Labels on coffee bags will tell you if the beans constitute a blend, a dark roast or a single -origin coffee.

A coffee “Blend” is a combination of coffees from different countries. The beans are blended for all sorts of reasons but roasters who create these blends, do it to distinguish their product from the others.

Although “Dark Roasts” differ in color and taste, they simply indicate that the beans are not the result of their own nature but the degree to which they were roasted. Dark roasts emphasize body but reduces acidity and aroma.

The “Single-Origin” or “Varietal” coffee originates from the same country or a particular region within that country.

Storing and Preserving fresh taste, Did you know? Issue 9

Once the coffee beans are roasted, they must be properly stored to preserve their fresh taste. The environmental factors responsible for deteriorating flavour in coffee are air, moisture, heat and light.

Consumers often purchase coffee in folded-over bags, which are generally not ideal for long-term storage because air is allowed in. A better package contains a one-way valve, which prevents air from entering.

Roasting of “green” coffee beans, Did you know? Issue 8

After the Milling and Sorting process, the next step is the roasting of the “green” coffee beans. In total, it takes approximately two to four months between the moment the coffee is harvested and the day it is received by the roaster. All coffee is usually roasted before it is consumed.

The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee bean both physically and chemically. The roasting begins when the temperature inside the bean reaches approximately 200 C° and since the beans differ in moisture and density, they roast at different rates. The intense heat breaks down the starches in the bean, changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown or caramelize, changing the color of the bean. During roasting, aromatic oils, acids and caffeine weaken, changing the flavor and in darker roasts, sucrose is rapidly lost. The color of the roasted beans will determine the labelling as light, medium, medium light, medium dark, dark, or very dark. Darker roasts are generally smoother while lighter roasts have more caffeine, with a slight bitterness and a stronger flavor.

Milling coffee beans, Did you know? Issue 7

After being processed by either the Wet or Dry methods, coffee beans are milled to remove the parchment and silverskin layers. The coffee beans are then sorted by size and density. The Milling and sorting process is used mainly to bring like beans together which is critically important to good roasting. Defects such as under ripe beans, small stones and twigs or other foreign materials are removed during this process as well.

At this stage, the coffee beans are known to the trade market as “green coffee”.  In truth, they range in color from opalescent blue to a matte gray-green.  Green coffee is fairly stable, with a shelf life of up to one year while the roasted coffee has a shelf life measured in months.

Isolating coffee beans after harvesting, Did you know? Issue 6

There are two methods used to isolate the coffee beans once they are picked from the trees.

The Wet (Washed) Method:

The pulp is mechanically removed from the beans. Once the pulp is removed, the coffee is transferred to large fermentation tanks for a period of 12 to 36 hours. After fermentation, the beans are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove the fermentation residue, then left to dry on large patios. The beans must be turned over frequently with a rake in order to evenly dry. Washed coffees are brighter, cleaner and have more consistent flavours, however, they generate massive amounts of coffee wastewater.  In countries where there is a shortage of water, the dry method is used. In Latin America, the Wet method is used with the exception of Brazil

The Dry (Natural) Method:

The dry or natural method is simpler. The coffee cherries are spread to dry in open sunlight on patios or tarps for several weeks. The layer of dried fruit is then removed leaving only the interior parchment and beans. The result of this process is a heavier-bodied coffee and more variable in flavor. Most Indonesian coffees are dry-processed, as are some more traditional coffees of Africa and Arabia.

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