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Coffee Acidity
Coffee Acidity is the bright and
dry taste that adds life to a coffee. Acidity is unmistakable in
most Kenyan coffees and should be evident in any wet-processed
coffees. Perceived acidity in coffee does not necessarily
correlate to the pH of a coffee, but is believed to be the result of
the acids present. The acidity of coffee is akin to the dry but bright
sensation experienced on the back sides of your tongue while drinking a
red wine.
Dry-processed coffees
will have a low-toned and subtle acidity. It is important to note
that as the roast develops, coffee acidity decreases. Acidity is
not a favorable quality in high amounts in espresso. For this
reason, most American roasters will roast espresso
very darkly. Unfortunately at darker roasts, the aroma and
sweetness diminish, which is equally detrimental to the espresso.
Coffee Aroma
Coffee Body
Coffee Bitterness
Coffee Sweeteness
Wet-processed coffee
Specialty Coffee
Sometimes
called "gourmet" or "premium" coffee, specialty coffees are made from
exceptional beans grown only in ideal coffee-producing climates. They
tend to feature distinctive flavors, which are shaped by the unique
characteristics of the soil that produces them.
Specialty
coffee tastes better. Grown only in ideal climates and prepared
according to exacting standards, specialty coffee possesses a richer
and more balanced flavor than mass-produced coffee. Plus, it must pass
a stringent certification process to ensure that it is free of flaws
and imperfections.
You can find specialty coffee at most gourmet coffee shops and cafes.
The
phrase "specialty coffee" was first used by Erna Knutsen in a 1974
issue of the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. Knutsen, then a coffee
buyer for B.C. Ireland in San Francisco, coined the term to describe
beans of outstanding flavor produced by special microclimates.
With the
proliferation of cafes and gourmet coffee retailers in the 1990s,
specialty coffee has become one of the fastest growing food service
markets in the world, netting an estimated $9.6 billion in the U.S.
alone in 2004.
Cupping
Cupping is a method of
systematically evaluating the aroma and taste of coffee beans. It is
often used by growers, buyers and roasters to assess the quality of a
particular coffee sample. Proper cupping requires the adherence to an
exacting set of brewing standards and a formal step-by-step evaluation
process. A trained cupper generally looks at six characteristics:
Fragrance: the smell of beans after grinding
Aroma: the smell of ground-up beans after being steeped in water
Taste: the flavor of the coffee
Nose: the vapors released by the coffee in the mouth
Aftertaste: the vapors and flavors that remain after swallowing
Body: the feel of the coffee in the mouth
Roasting
The way in which coffee is roasted
can have a profound effect its taste. Roast too quickly at too high a
temperature, and you'll scorch the exterior of the bean. Roast too
slowly at too low a temperature, and you'll sap the bean of its of
flavor. Over the years, numerous roasting methods have been developed
to address these challenges, all with the same objective: To transfer
heat to the coffee bean, initiating a series of chemical reactions that
prepare it for consumption. Most roasting methods include the following
six phases:
1. Drying Cycle:
This is the first phase of the roasting process, when the temperature
of the beans rises to 100 degrees centigrade. Also in this phase, the
beans change from a bright green color to a pale yellow.
2. First Crack:
When the beans reach 160 degrees centigrade, complex chemical reactions begin to occur causing a cracking sound.
3. Roast Initiation:
The beans swell to 140 - 160% of their initial size. Elements within
the beans begin to caramelize, giving the beans their brown color.
4. Pause:
In this phase, the audible cracking ceases, but the reactions continue.
The time of this silence will depend on the amount of heat applied by
the roaster.
5. Second Crack:
The progressive dehydration of the beans has made them brittle. As a
result, more cracking can be heard. It is at this stage that elements
in the bean begin to carbonize, producing the burnt characteristics of
extremely dark roasts.
6. Stopping the Roast
Once the optimal amount of roasting time has elapsed, the beans must be
cooled quickly. This is usually accomplished by introducing large
amounts of cool air or water.
Brewing
Proper brewing enhances the taste
of coffee by allowing you to extract the proper amount of flavor from
the bean. There are six essential elements of good brewing:
1. Correct Coffee-to-Water Ratio:
Because coffee is a strong flavoring agent, it takes relatively little
to produce a robust brew. The generally accepted ratio is 1.0 - 1.5%
coffee to 98.5 - 99% water.
2. A Coffee Grind That Matches the Brewing Time:
To prevent under- or over-extracting the flavor from the beans, you
must match the right particle size (grind) with the right brewing time.
In general, longer brewing times should be paired with larger particles
and shorter brewing times with smaller particles.
3. Properly Operating Brewing Equipment:
Because your brewing equipment controls the coffee's contact with the
water, it is important that it be precisely calibrated and well
maintained. In particular, you should pay attention to the length of
the brewing process, the temperature of the water and the amount of
mixing (turbulence).
4. Optimum Brewing Method:
To achieve the flavor you desire, you must first choose the right
brewing method. There are six basic methods of brewing: Steeping,
Decoction, Percolation, Drip Filtration, Vacuum Filtration and
Pressurized Infusion.
5. High-Quality Water:
In general, water that contains 50 - 100 parts per million of dissolved minerals will produce the best-tasting coffee.
6. An Appropriate Filtering Medium:
A well-made filter is essential to clarify the beverage and separate the extract from the coffee grounds.
Espresso
Espresso is a coffee beverage
prepared using water under pressure and served in a preheated demitasse
cup. When made correctly, espresso has a top layer of golden foam,
known as crema.
Traditionally, espresso is prepared
by a master coffee maker, or barista. To enhance the quality of
espresso, a trained barista is generally concerned with four things:
The Machine:
Because the espresso machine controls the temperature and pressure of
the water as it passes through the coffee, it is important that it be
clean and in good working order.
The Blend:
A blend is any combination of "single-origin"
coffees. Because few single-origin coffees provide all the flavors and
aromas necessary for good espresso, baristas often blend several
coffees together to achieve the taste they desire.
The Grinder/Doser:
The coffee grinder/doser crushes the beans into
small particles for brewing. However, there is no "ideal" particle
size; the barista must decide how coarse to make the ground in order to
achieve the flavor desired.
The Hand:
The skill of the operator is of great importance in espresso making - even with today's technically advanced machines.
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