Expertise
Coffee appreciation for coffee enthusiasts
By Marcel Ocampo
May 2009
IT can be said that the person who knows how to appreciate his or her coffee is the one who enjoys it the most. This is because being aware of the different sensory aspects of drinking coffee enhances the experience even more.
Coffee appreciation starts with knowing the two basic sensory qualities of the beverage: aroma and taste. Together, these two make the drinking coffee such a pleasurable affair.
To prepare for a bit of coffee appreciation, it is important to use the right kind of water. Avoid using distilled water, because artificially softened water can affect taste. Also, stay off boiling water for your coffee, as it spoils the natural flavors and aromas and increases your drink's bitterness.
The majority of commercial coffee produced around the world comes from two coffee bean species: Arabica and Robusta. Here, we'll use these two to illustrate some of the basic elements involved in appreciating coffee. This is important, because the type of coffee beans used is what initially distinguishes coffee from one another.
Coffee aroma
The coffee's aroma or scent introduces you to your coffee. Before you take a single sip, smelling the aroma gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect from that coffee cup. The mark of a truly good coffee is a good, clean coffee aroma--also known to coffee experts as its degree of coffeeness.
A strong, earthy scent is the hallmark of a Robusta cup. Its strong aroma makes for a particularly stimulating cup of coffee.
On the other hand, a refined, fruity scent, coffee made from Arabica. As opposed to Robusta, this coffee has a subtler aroma which later lingers pleasantly in your nose.
Coffee taste
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A cup of coffee is a hotbed of experiences for the palate. There are so many nuances in taste involved here that the connoisseurs and experts have come up with what is called coffee cupping or tasting. In cupping, they use a glossary of descriptive terms to describe coffee taste. For beginners, here are a few of the basics.
Juiciness is a term used by coffee experts to describe that pleasant sharpness and vibrant quality of coffee. Arabica beans are particularly known for this quality. Also often described as having a smooth and delicate flavor, Arabica is the coffee of choice for those looking for a more refined taste.
Roasting brings out the full flavor and aroma of the coffee beans. In cupping, roastiness describes the level of roast. This characteristic is more evident in Robusta coffee.
Robusta coffee comes at you with its bold, full bodied flavor. Less refined than Arabica, Robusta delivers strong notes and a juiciness that leaves a powerful taste in the mouth. This heady and strong quality is what makes most Filipinos avid drinkers of Robusta coffee.
Whichever coffee you prefer, learning the art and science of coffee appreciation will leave you with a more satisfying coffee experience. |
