Once you have a basic idea of what taste is and how to start tasting specialty coffee, you may start to ponder how coffee can be so varied in flavor and what things affect the flavor. Do you want to know why you can detect a lemon-like flavor? Are you starting to recognize coffees that have intense flavor and are curious as to why they have this character? Many things influence the tastes that end up in your mug. The taste can be affected by four key elements: surrounding, processing, roasting, and making coffee.
The environmental conditions of the region in which it was grown have a significant impact on the quality of coffee produced worldwide. After the beans are collected, they go through special methods of treatment that dictate the outcome of the product. After being processed, the green coffee beans, being an agricultural product, must undergo the roasting procedure. This procedure consists of various variables such as temperature, airflow, batch size, and drum speed that are decided by the roaster and can either increase or decrease the present properties of the green coffee. The end result that you buy is affected by all the choices made during the production process. Specialty coffee labels will provide you with details like Country, altitude, variety, process, and producer. The data from this can help us to comprehend a great deal in regard to the coffee and decide which brewing technique will bring out the coffee’s inherent qualities the most. Every aspect of the experience, from which brewing process you select to the coarseness of the grind of your coffee, contributes to the ultimate tastes and flavors you will detect when you drink it. This whole procedure, from the beginning of the bean growing to the end of the cup, has a significant influence on the flavor of the beverage.
How Environment Affects the Taste of Coffee
Climate, Soil, & Elevation
The environmental conditions of the region and the makeup of the earth where coffee is cultivated have a considerable influence on the quality of the beans. In general, coffee plants need soil that drains easily and is made up of porous materials (volcanic or clay loam), ground on a slight incline (~15% ideal), and clear of direct sunlight. The plant can be affected negatively by strong sunlight, which can hinder it from becoming the best possible coffee cherry. The ideal climate is one with high humidity and regular rain and weather conditions. This tropical, temperate climate ranges from 60ºF – 80ºF. A scorching climate could lead to difficulties for the coffee plant. If the coffee flowers, berries, or vegetation get too chilled they may solidify and be ruined. The strict conditions for growing coffee limit the number of places on earth where it can be cultivated.
The altitude at which coffee is grown, expressed in meters above sea level, is highly influential in fostering the formation of sweeteners, acids, and a range of aromas and flavors that can create a truly outstanding cup of coffee. Generally, coffees grown in lower areas (or warmer climates) usually exhibit less acidic and intricate taste than those grown in higher places (with cooler weather). At areas of high elevation, the temperature difference between day and night is greater, resulting in hotter days and cooler nights. It is thought that this swiftly changing thermal climate contributes to coffee cherries forming a more intricate combination of acids and sugars throughout the daylight hours. When darkness falls, however, development slows down and the cherries keep their mix of components stored away. The ripening procedure will create more sugar, resulting in a tastier, cleaner, and more vivid flavor.
Plant Variety or Cultivar
Coffea Arabica, the coffee plant, has various botanical varieties. Cultivar, which is an abbreviation for cultivated variety, is sometimes employed as an equivalent for the word variety. These various subspecies of arabica coffee vary in their genetics, and the tastes and growing conditions vary accordingly.
Consider apples as an example of a fruit that is more understandable. We know of different types of apples including fuji, granny smith, gala, and honeycrisp. It is clear that each kind of apple has its own individual hue, flavor, and feel. The differing concentrations of acidity and sweetness help decide the flavor of each type. Different apples can vary in tartness and sweetness which may lead you to seek out and prefer certain varieties of the fruit. Coffee is no different.
Country & Region
It’s plain to see, but where the coffee came from has a big effect on how it will taste. Each country and coffee-growing area has its own methods and customs for planting, gathering and refining coffee, as well as infrastructures used for cultivating and selling coffee, that are dissimilar from each other despite sharing a similar atmosphere.
Coffee is mostly cultivated in the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, known as the Coffee Belt, where the environment is particularly suitable for its growth. This range looks like a belt spanning the figurative waistband of the globe and can generally be broken down into the following origin zones:
Coffees from the Americas
Central American coffees have a well-known reputation for having a delicate and vibrant flavor. These coffees are cultivated in relatively high-altitude regions and consist mainly of Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra varieties. Most coffees that are processed using the washed technique exhibit a characteristic bright acidity and a full body taste. They are often considered balanced and clean. South American coffees provide a variety of flavors for all coffee enthusiasts; from mild, sweet, and sharp to robust, strong, and hearty. These coffees possess an impressive body and make a good base for combining different varieties. Searching for a delicious everyday coffee to go with breakfast? Look no further than South America.
Coffees from Africa
African coffees tend to be renowned for their berry-like tastes; for example, Kenyan coffees often have a blackberry taste, whereas process Ethiopians demonstrate berry hints, and washes from Ethiopia show citrus and flowery traits. Rwanda and Burundi coffees tend to have a jam-like flavor. These coffees are so beloved and sought-after in the specialty coffee community due to their intricate and varied taste profiles.
Coffees from Asia and the Pacific
This location is not like others that grow coffee since it is cultivated at lower elevations owing to the region’s island condition. Coffee is mainly grown as a commercial crop in people’s backyards, instead of large estates. The flavors of these coffees are typically strong and robust with a hint of earthy, herbal, or savory elements. Indonesia has gained recognition as an exceptional and unprecedented place due to its utilization of Giling Basah (Semi-washed) processing by local growers. This approach to handling the beans is responsible for Sumatran coffee’s signature earthy taste, low sourness, and full-bodied character.
UNDERSTAND WHAT INFLUENCES COFFEE FLAVOR
Coffee, like other items, has its flavor influenced by the place it is grown in.
SOIL
The term Terroir refers to ‘soil’, which should serve as an indication of its significance!
Enough soil minerals like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium must be present for plants to thrive and for bountiful crops to be yielded.
Significant quantities of specific minerals have an immediate impact on the formation of flavor. For example, large quantities of potassium boost the citric acid level of coffee, making it taste like either lemons or limes. Too much phosphorous will bring up the level of phosphoric acid in coffee, leading to coffee that tastes like grape or raspberry.
I have been instructed by a coffee producer that I have collaborated with that certain types of bacteria in the dirt can enrich the flavor of the finished beverage.
Microorganisms work as repurposers, changing improbable materials in the dirt into healthful, vigor-packed constituents that are good for vegetation advancement and output. Another reason for coffee farmers to avoid pesticide use!
CLIMATE
Coffee yields the best results when cultivated in the climates of the tropics and subtropics, which lie both north and south of the equator; the region which is branded ‘The Coffee Belt’. In this particular region, there tend to be only two different times of the year – a rainy season, and a dry period.
Rain during the growing season serves as a way to water crops and helps the ground to take up essential minerals.
The dry season gives farmers a chance to collect and prepare the coffee beans. This serves as an indicator that the plants should start to bloom as the time period approaches its end.
ALTITUDE
If you have gone on a climb up a mountain, you could have observed an increased amount of precipitation as well as much colder evenings.
When the temperature is chilly, the ripening of the coffee fruit takes more time and this permits complex flavors and greater levels of sweetness to come to the fore.
In most cases, this means quality. As an example, Ethiopian coffees cultivated at a height of 1900 meters or more are highly valued for their fruity and flowery characteristics.
Coffees that are cultivated at lower heights tend to have a lighter flavor and are not as acidic. Although it gets hotter, the increase in temperature brings the benefit of speedier coffee cultivation, giving the farmers a chance to collect many more goods at a more affordable price.
COFFEE PROCESSING
Processing involves a series of steps which culminate in the separation of green coffee from the harvested coffee fruit. This can be accomplished in various methods, all of which have a major effect on the taste of the coffee.
The specialty coffee industry has seen a major surge in a number of innovative processes, but let’s focus on the top three that are most commonly employed.
WASHED OR WET PROCESS
The initial step of this procedure is to remove the skin and pulp from the coffee fruit, followed by a soaking in water and a rinsing and fermentation process.
Fermentation is largely responsible for the various flavors of coffee, and the seed itself gives a pure, satisfying taste. Traces of acetic acid are present in the bean, resulting in a sharp sharpness.
This process usually produces a tartness with flavors reminiscent of lemons and pineapples and an airy, tea-like quality.
NATURAL OR DRY PROCESS
This process includes letting the entire fruit dry out in the sunlight until a specific water content is achieved. This technique of fermentation within the fruit lets the seed pick up tastes from the pulp and peel while it is drying.
The presence of fruit enhances the overall strength of the coffee. The taste of this item is similar to blueberry jelly, mature papaya, and even rich dark chocolate, with more highlighted sweet and fruity flavors.
Natural processing has a greater possibility of producing negative flavoring issues than other methods. Incorrect and irregular drying can produce unpleasant and sour tastes that deteriorate the quality of the coffee.
HONEY OR PULP-NATURAL PROCESS
The initial step in the honey process is comparable to the washed procedure. The shell and rind of the coffee fruit are removed and only a slight coating of flesh, referred to as mucilage or honey, is preserved, thus earning it the name ‘honey coffee’.
The coating that is sticky provides a great deal of sweetness to the seed when it has been allowed to ferment and dry naturally like a traditional coffee.
The taste range also lies somewhere in the middle, much like the way the process is a mixture of the first two.
It is probable that you will get an acidity level that is in the middle range such as that of an orange – not too sharp, not overly strong. This beverage is supplemented by its pleasant taste and a gloss-like consistency, making it a desirable option for various coffee fans.
COFFEE VARIETIES
Apples come in different shapes, colors, and flavors. Granny Smiths have a green hue and a tangy taste, whereas Galas are succulently crispy with a spotted red hue.
Coffee, much like apples, possesses an extensive variety of types, all of which have their own unique look and flavor.
Kenya’s SL28 variety can taste like tomato. Yellow Bourbons from Brazil are chocolatey and nutty. Panama’s Geisha variety is sought-after for its amazing aroma and light tastes of jasmine, Earl Grey, and bergamot.
Nevertheless, not all coffees are offered as an individual kind. Many coffee estates mix two or more kinds of beans together to make a consistent product or spend less money, analogous to how roasters join two or more sources. If you’re not interested in varietal blends, fancy Specialty Coffees might be more your style.
Believe it or not, the flavor of a cup of coffee has a scientific foundation. Coffee is one of the most intricate drinks in existence, with over one thousand different fragrant substances that can produce tastes ranging from fruit to chocolate to flower and beyond.
It’s the various compounds found in coffee that don’t all make it into your mug which results in each cup being distinct. Several elements during the production cycle of coffee are what give rise to the flavor profile of the finished product. These are:
COFFEE ORIGIN
Terroir in winemaking pertains to the unique flavor elements imparted on grapes because of the land and climate in which it is produced and cultivated.