Coffee History

According to a coffee history legend, an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi found his goats dancing joyously around a dark green leafed shrub with bright red cherries in the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.  Kaldi soon determined that it was the bright red cherries on the shrub that were causing the peculiar euphoria and after trying the cherries himself, he learned of their powerful effect.  The stimulating effect was then exploited by monks at a local monastery to stay awake during extended hours of prayer and distributed to other monasteries around the world.  Coffee was born.

Despite the appeal of such a legend, recent botanical evidence suggests a different coffee bean origin. This evidence indicates that the history of the coffee bean beagan on the plateaus of central Ethiopia and somehow must have been brought to Yemen where it was cultivated since the 6th century.  Upon introduction of the first coffee houses in Cairo and Mecca coffee became a passion rather than just a stimulant.

For more coffee legends and details about the history of the coffee bean, visit National Geographic.com.

Main sections in this CategoryCoffee Preparation: Brewing, Roasting, Grinding.Coffee PlantCoffee Origins OverviewCoffee Cupping: Method, Conditions.Coffee Buying: Overview, Classification, Grading.Coffee Books: Coffee, Espresso, Business, Market

Coffee Roast Colors and Characteristics

Roast Degree Characteristics

Light Light brown to cinnamon colorLow body and light acidity.  The beans are dry.  This roast is too light and does not allow the coffee to develop to its full potential.

Medium - Light

Medium light brown color.  The acidity brightens and body increases slightly.  The bean is still dry.

Medium Medium brown color.  The acidity continues to increase and the body becomes more potent.  The bean is mostly

dry.

Medium - Dark

Rich brown color.  Very small droplets of oil appear on surface.  The acidity is slowly diminished and body is most potent.  This is the ideal roast for a well blended espresso.

Dark Deep brownish/black color.  The bean has spots of oil or is completely oily.  Subtle nuances are diminished.  Flavor decreases, while body dominates.

Very Dark Black surface covered with oil.  All subtle nuances are gone, aroma is minor, and body is thin.  This roast is characteristic of American espresso.

Coffee Chemistry: Coffee Acidity

The perceived acidity of coffee results from the proton donation of acids to receptors on the human tongue. Coffee acidity is typically a highly valued quality especially in Central American and some East African coffee. Sourness, however, is an extreme of acidity and can be considered a coffee defect. Acidity has been correlated with coffees grown at very high altitudes and in mineral rich volcanic soils. The perceived acidity of washed coffees is also significantly higher than the acidity found in naturally (dry) processed coffee. This is likely due to an increase in the body of naturally processed coffees relative to wet processed coffees since body masks the acidity in coffee. The coffee acid content in a brew is also greatly dependent upon the coffee roasting degree, type of roaster, and coffee brewing method.

The pH of a coffee has been found to correlate with the perceived acidity in coffee by Pangborn, Sivetz and Desrosier, and Griffin and Blauch; whereas Voilley et al. suggests that titratable acidity produces a better correlation to perceived coffee acidity.

The acids found in roasted coffee may be classified into three groups: aliphatic, chlorogenic, and alicyclic carboxylic and phenolic acids (Clarke, 25). Table 1 shows the main acids that have been reported in coffee.

Table 1.  Coffee Acidity Chart: Acids Present in Coffee.  Click on compound names to see structural and physical data.  

Acids Present in Coffee 3

Notes 3 Comments

Formic a pKa = 3.75, 130-159 µmole/100 mL.1 0.05-0.1% dry matter at med roast. Max at light roast.2

Acetic a pKa = 4.75, 74-226 µmole/100 mL.1 0.12-0.4% dry matter, max concentration at light roast.2 Derived from carbohydrate degredation.2

Propanoic a  

Butanoic a  

Methylpropanoic a  

Pentanoic a  

2-Methylbutanoic a  

3-Methylbutanoic a  

Hexanoic a  

Heptanoic a  

Octanoic a  

Nonanoic a  

Decanoic a  

Lactic b pKa = 3.08, 22 µmole/100 mL.1 0.11% dry matter. Concentration independent of roast.2

Pyruvic b 0.06% dry matter. Concentration independent of roast.2

cis- and trans-but-e-enoic

b  

cis- and trans-2-methylbut- 2-enoic

b  

3-methylbut-2-enoic b  

methylpropenoic b  

oxalic b  

malonic b  

succinic b  

3-methylene butanedioic

b  

glutaric b  

Malic b pKa = 3.40 / 5.11, 58-76 µmole/100 mL.1 0.17-0.5% dry matter at med roast. Max at light roast.2

tartaric b  

cis- and trans-butenedioic

b  

cis- and trans-methylbutenedioic

b  

methylenebutanedioic b  

citric b pKa = 3.14 / 4.77 / 6.39, 75-189 µmole/100 mL.1 0.37-0.5% dry matter, max at light roast.2

propene- 1,2,3-tricarboxylic

b  

2-furoic c  

3-monocaffeoylquinic acid

d pKa = 3.40, 96-291 µmole/100 mL.1

4-monocaffeoylquinic acid

d The chlorogenic acids have an astringent taste due to its ability to precipitate salivary proteins onto the mucous membranes. Therefore it may also be responsible for heightened body.2

5-monocaffeoylquinic acid

d At dark roasts, 80% of the CGA's may be lost resulting in a residual CGA content of 2.2-2.4%.2

3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid

d  

3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid

d  

4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid

d  

3-feruloylquinic acid d  

4-feruloylquinic acid d  

5-feruloylquinic acid d  

3,4-p-coumaroylquinic acid

d  

3,5-p-coumaroylquinic acid

d  

4,5-p-coumaroylquinic acid

d  

Quinic e pKa = 3.40, 123-242 µmole/100 mL.1 0.6-0.8% dry matter at med. roast. Concentration increases inversely with chlorogenic acid.2

Ferulic e  

Caffeic e  

Phosphoric f pKa = 2.12 / 7.21 / 12.67, 65-108 µmole/100 mL.1 0.54% of dry matter.2

Notesa. Volatile Aliphatic Carboxylicb. Non-Volatile Aliphatic Carboxylicc. Heterocyclic furanoid carboxylicd. Chlorogenice. Alicyclic/phenolice. Inorganic

Sources1. Clifford, M. Tea and Coffee Trade J. 159: 8. 1987. 35-39.2. Illy, A. and Viani, R. Espresso Coffee: The Chemistry of Quality. 107-110.3. Clarke, R.J. The Flavour of Coffee. In Dev. Food Science. 3B: 1-47. 1986. 1-47.

 

In regards to the concentration of citric, malic, lactic, pyruvic and acetic acid, Blank found that a typical medium roast coffee consisted of 0.30%, 0.22%, 0.13%, 0.07%, and 0.27% of each acid, respectively (Clarke, 25).  At very light roasts, Blank found that the total concentration of these acids was around 1.58%, while at dark roasts these acids could drop down to 0.71%.

Chlorogenic acids have been found to make up around 7% of the dry basis weight of Arabica coffee.  The 3-CQA isomer-the largest isomer present-is found at 4-5%.  Clifford and Jarvis found over 17 chlorogenic acid-like substances in 42 robusta samples.  The chlorogenic acids are largely degraded during the roasting process mainly into quinic acid.  Excessive quinic acid has been associated with unfavorable sourness when coffees are roasted too dark or brewed coffee is left on a heater plate.  This sourness, however, is contradictory to the rise in pH and reduced perceived acidity at darker roasts and is likely operating under a different mechanism.

In a study by the Technical Unit of the International Coffee Organization, they reported on the acid concentration in coffee at different particle sizes, water temperature, and extraction times.  The results have been detailed in Table 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

Table 2.  Acid concentrations at different grind sizes.  All brewing was carried out at 94°C for 5 minutes.  (Source: ICO Sensory).

Acids Course Grind Size (mg/L)

Fine Grind (mg/L)

Extra Fine Grind (mg/L)

Lactic Acid 109.67 194.50 308.33

Acetic Acid 242.67 225.67 209.00

Citric Acid 325.00 461.00 440.00

Malic Acid 119.33 137.00 163.67

Phosphoric  68.33 77.33 82.00

Quinic Acid 435.33 495.00 510.00

Chlorogenic  700.00 1,064.67 1,177.00

Palmitic Acid 5.03 5.90 3.63

Linoleic Acid 6.27 5.97 4.50

 Table 3. Concentration of extracted acids at different brewing temperatures. All coffees were brewed using a fine grind for 5 minutes.  (Source: ICO Sensory).

Acids 70°C (mg/L) 94°C (mg/L) 100°C (mg/L)

Lactic Acid 121.00 194.50 187.33

Acetic Acid 151.33 225.67 187.00

Citric Acid 388.33 461.00 332.00

Malic Acid 131.00 137.00 122.00

Phosphoric Acid 86.33 77.33 80.00

Quinic Acid 348.33 495.00 383.33

Chlorogenic Acids 872.67 1,064.67 1,067.67

Palmitic Acid 3.26 5.90 6.53

Linoleic Acid 3.83 5.97 8.30

 Table 4. Concentration of extracted acids at different brewing times. All coffees brewed were of a fine grind and were brewed at 94°C.  (Source: ICO Sensory).

Acids1 Minute (mg/L)

5 Minutes (mg/L)

14 Minutes (mg/L)

Lactic Acid 56.67 194.50 125.67

Acetic Acid 261.00 225.67 242.00

Citric Acid 343.33 461.00 355.33

Malic Acid 109.33 137.00 100.33

Phosphoric  75.00 77.33 75.67

Quinic Acid 525.00 495.00 556.67

Chlorogenic  955.00 1,064.67 988.33

Palmitic Acid 4.97 5.90 5.87

Linoleic Acid 6.70 5.97 6.37

 

Virtually no free amino acids are still present after roasting for 5 min at 220°C (Maier, 568). However, the amino acids are important during the Maillard reaction in the production of aromatics early in the roasting process.

Phosphoric acid has been implicated as a major contributor to perceived acidity by Maier and Rivera, but an alternate conclusion has been reached by Griffin and Blauch who suggest that phosphoric acid might contribute, but is not directly correlated to the perceived acidity. The phosphate concentrations found in the latter study are nearly identical to those found for phosphoric acid in the Technical Unit Quality Series No 9 by the ICO.

It is still unknown which acids are imperative to recreate the acidity experienced in coffee.  It is generally understood that citric acid, malic acid, and acetic acid are the most important because they exist in high proportions and have low pKa's.  However, due to highly complex buffering effects and the wide distributions of salts and acids present in coffee, it is difficult to predict the exact mechanism and agents responsible for the perceived acidity in coffee.

Coffee Roasting    Coffee roasting is a chemical process by which aromatics, acids, and other flavor

components are either created, balanced, or altered in a way that should augment the flavor, acidity, aftertaste and body of the coffee as desired by the roaster.

Roasting Coffee Beans

The first stage is endothermic.  The green beans are slowly dried to become a yellow color and the beans begin to smell like toast or popcorn.

The second step, often called the first crack, occurs at approximately 205 °C (400 °F) in which the bean doubles in size, becomes a light brown color, and experiences a weight loss of approximately 5%.  The corresponding Agtron number for this color is between 95-90 (Davids, 68-69).

In the next step the temperature rises from 205 °C to approximately 220 °C, the color changes from light brown to medium brown (Agtron # 60-50), and a weight loss of approximately 13% occurs (Davids, 68-69).  The resulting chemical process is called pyrolysis and is characterized by a change in the chemical composition of the bean as well as a release of CO2.

The second step is followed by a short endothermic period which is followed by another exothermic step called the second crack.  This second pyrolysis occurs between 225-230°C, and the roast color is defined as medium-dark brown (Agtron #50-45) (Davids, 68-69).  The second pop is much quicker sounding and the beans take on an oily sheen. 

Espresso potential is maximized in roasting when you maximize the sweetness and aroma of the coffee while minimizing the bitterness and acidity.  Most people focus on the latter and therefore roast extremely dark, yet without sweetness and aroma the espresso will never be palatable.  This explains the unpopularity of straight espresso and the popularity of espresso based drinks where either milk or other flavors are used to replace the sweetness that was lost by roasting darkly. 

From 170-200°C the sugars in coffee begin to caramelize.  From tasting pure sugar versus its caramelized component it is evident that uncaramelized sugar is much sweeter.  The dark color of coffee is directly related to the caramelization of the sucrose in coffee.  Therefore, to maximize sweetness you want to minimize the carmelization of sucrose, yet you do not want to roast too lightly or bitter tasting compounds will not thermally degrade.  Stop the roast somewhere between the end of the first crack and less than half way through the second crack.  Do not roast well into or past the second crack.  We recommend a roasting chamber temperature somewhere between 205-215°C.  Realizing the danger of the following suggestion we might recommend a color similar to the one below.  Note: All monitors, computers, and internet browsers will display the color slightly different.  This is only a recommendation to point out that this color is preferable to the almost black color you

will frequently observe for espresso.  To get a better idea of roasting colors order the Agtron roasting classification kit from the SCAA

Coffee roasting From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search

Coffee roasting machine

Light roasted coffee beans

Dark roasted coffee beans

Roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. The roasting process is what produces the

characteristic flavor of coffee by causing the green coffee beans to expand and to change in color, taste, smell, and density. Unroasted beans contain similar acids, protein, and caffeine as those that have been roasted, but lack the taste. Heat must be applied for the Maillard and other chemical reactions to occur.

As green coffee is more stable than roasted, the roasting process tends to take place close to where it will be consumed. This reduces the time that roasted coffee spends in distribution, giving the consumer a longer shelf life. The vast majority of coffee is roasted commercially on a large scale, but some coffee drinkers roast coffee at home in order to have more control over the freshness and flavor profile of the beans.

Contents [hide] 

1 Process 2 Equipment

o 2.1 Degree of roasting o 2.2 Determining degree of roast o 2.3 Degree of roast pictorial o 2.4 Caffeine content by roast level o 2.5 Roast naming confusions

3 Roast flavors 4 Home roasting 5 Packaging 6 Emissions and control 7 Gallery 8 See also 9 References

10 External links

[edit] Process

The coffee roasting process follows coffee processing and precedes coffee brewing. It consists essentially of sorting, roasting, cooling, and packaging but can also include grinding in larger scale roasting houses. In larger operations, bags of green coffee beans are hand or machine-opened, dumped into a hopper, and screened to remove debris. The green beans are then weighed and transferred by belt or pneumatic conveyor to storage hoppers. From the storage hoppers, the green beans are conveyed to the roaster. Roasters typically operate at temperatures between 240–275 °C (464–527 °F), and the beans are roasted for a period of time ranging from 3 to 30 minutes.[1]

Initially, the process is endothermic (absorbing heat), but at around 175 °C (347 °F) it becomes exothermic (giving off heat).[2] For the roaster, this means that the beans are heating themselves and an adjustment of the roaster's heat source might be required. At the end of the roasting cycle, the roasted beans are dumped from the roasting chamber and cooled with forced air. Sometimes, in large commercial roasters, the beans are first quenched with a fine water mist. Torrefacto is a roasting process used in Spain and parts of Latin America involving the addition of sugar.

[edit] Equipment

The most common roasting machines are of two basic types: drum and hot-air, although there are others including packed bed, tangential and centrifugal roasters. Roasters can operate in either batch or continuous modes.

Drum machines consist of horizontal rotating drums that tumble the green coffee beans in a heated environment. The heat source can be supplied by natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity, or even wood. The most common employ indirectly heated drums where the heat source is under the drum. Direct-fired roasters are roasters in which a flame contacts the beans inside the drum; very few of these machines are still in operation.

Hot-air roasters force heated air through a screen or perforated plate under the coffee beans with sufficient force to lift the beans. Heat is transferred to the beans as they tumble and circulate within this fluidized bed.

[edit] Degree of roasting

Most roasters have specialized names for their favored roasts and there is very little industry standardization. This can cause a great deal of confusion, but in general, roasts fall into one of four color categories: light, medium, medium-dark, dark.[3]

Coffee roasters use names for the various degrees of roast, such as City Roast and French Roast, for the internal bean temperatures found during roasting. Roastmasters often prefer to follow a "recipe" or "roast profile" to highlight certain flavor characteristics. Any number of factors may help a person determine the best profile to use, such as the coffee's origin, variety, processing method, or desired flavor characteristics. A roast profile can be presented as a graph showing time on one axis and temperature on the other, which can be recorded manually or using computer software and data loggers linked to temperature probes inside various parts of the roaster.

[edit] Determining degree of roast

The most popular, but probably the least accurate, method of determining the degree of roast is to judge the bean's color by eye (the exception to this is using a colorimeter to measure the ground coffee reflectance under infrared light and comparing it to standards such as the Agtron scale). As the beans absorb heat, the color shifts to yellow and then to increasingly darker shades of brown. During the later stages of roasting, oils appear on the surface of the bean. The roast will continue to darken until it is removed from the heat source. Beans will also darken as they age, making color alone a poor roast determinant. Most roasters use a combination of bean mass temperature, smell, color, and sound to monitor the roasting process.

Sound is a good indicator of bean temperature during roasting. There are two temperature thresholds called "cracks" that roasters listen for. At about 205–207 °C (401–405 °F), beans will emit a cracking sound much like popcorn does when it pops, only much quieter. This point is called "first crack," marking the beginning of light roasts. When the beans are at about 224–227 °C (435–441 °F), or a medium roast,

they emit a "second crack." This is the dividing point between medium and dark roasts.

[edit] Degree of roast pictorial

These images depict samples taken from the same batch of a typical Brazilian green coffee at various bean temperatures with their subjective roast names and descriptions.[4][5][6][7][8]

22 °C (72 °F) Green Beans

Green coffee beans as they arrive at the dock. They can be stored for up to two years. Saudi coffee is prepared using unroasted beans.

165 °C (329 °F) Drying Phase

As beans roast, they lose water and increase in size.

195 °C (383 °F) Cinnamon Roast

The first and lightest roast level, immediately before first crack. Light brown, toasted grain flavors with sharp acidic tones.

205 °C (401 °F) New England Roast

Moderate light brown, still acidic but not bready, a traditional roast for Northeastern U.S. Coffee, at first crack.

210 °C (410 °F) American Roast

Medium light brown, the traditional roast for the Eastern U.S. First crack ending.

220 °C (428 °F) City Roast

Medium brown, the norm for most of the U.S., good for tasting the varietal character of a bean.

225 °C (437 °F) Full City Roast

Medium dark brown with occasional oil sheen, good for varietal character and bittersweet flavors. At the beginning of second crack.

230 °C (446 °F) Vienna Roast

Moderate dark brown with light surface oil, more bittersweet, caramel-y flavor, acidity muted. In the middle of second crack. Occasionally used for espresso blends.

240 °C (464 °F) French Roast

Dark brown, shiny with oil, burnt undertones, acidity diminished. At the end of

245 °C (473 °F) Italian Roast

Very dark brown and shiny, burnt tones become more distinct, acidity almost

second crack. A popular roast for espresso blends.

gone, thin body. The common roast for espresso blends.

250 °C (482 °F) Spanish Roast

Extremely dark brown, nearly black and very shiny, charcoal and tar tones dominate, flat, with thin body.

[edit] Caffeine content by roast level

Caffeine content varies by roast level. Caffeine diminishes with increased roasting level: light roast, 1.37%; medium roast, 1.31%; and dark roast, 1.31%.[9] However, this does not remain constant in coffee brewed from different grinds and brewing methods.

[edit] Roast naming confusions

There is no such thing as an "espresso roast." Espresso is a beverage, not a temperature. Blends of beans intended for espresso are generally roasted from between Full City and Italian roast. In recent years, the term French Roast has been marketed as the name for a coffee blend or style. While appropriately roasted to French roast, it blurs the line between blend name and temperature.

[edit] Roast flavors

At lighter roasts, the bean will exhibit more of its "origin flavor"; the flavors created in the bean by its variety, the soil, altitude, and weather conditions in the location where it was grown.[10]

Coffee beans from famous regions like Java, Kenya, Hawaiian Kona, and Jamaican Blue Mountain are usually roasted lightly so their signature characteristics dominate the flavor. As the beans darken to a deep brown, the origin flavors of the bean are eclipsed by the flavors created by the roasting process itself. At darker roasts, the

"roast flavor" is so dominant that it can be difficult to distinguish the origin of the beans used in the roast.

Below, roast levels and their respective flavors are described.[11] These are qualitative descriptions, and thus subjective. As a rule of thumb, the "shinier" the bean is, the more dominant the roasting flavors are.

Roast level Notes Surface Flavor

Light

Cinnamon roast, half city, New England

After several minutes the beans “pop” or "crack" and visibly expand in size. This stage is called first crack. American

mass-market roasters typically

stop here.

DryLighter-bodied, higher acidity,

no obvious roast flavor

Medium

Full city, American, regular,

breakfast, brown

After a few short minutes the beans reach this roast,

which U.S. specialty sellers tend to prefer.

Dry

Sweeter than light roast; more body exhibiting more balance

in acid, aroma, and complexity. Smoother than the

traditional American "medium" roast, but may

display fewer of the distinctive taste characteristics of the

original coffee.[12]

Full Roast

High, Viennese,

Continental

After a few more minutes the beans

begin popping again, and oils rise to the

surface. This is called second crack.

Slightly shiny

Somewhat spicy; complexity is traded for heavier

body/mouth-feel. Aromas and flavors of roast become

clearly evident.

Double Roast

French

After a few more minutes or so the

beans begin to smoke. The bean sugars begin to

carbonize.

Very oily

Smokey-sweet; light bodied, but quite intense. None of the inherent flavors of the bean

are recognizable.

[edit] Home roastingMain article: Home roasting coffee

Home roasting is the process of roasting small batches of green coffee beans for personal consumption. Even after the turn of the 20th century, it was more common for at-home coffee drinkers to roast their coffee in their residence than it was to buy pre-roasted coffee. Later, home roasting faded in popularity with the rise of the commercial coffee roasting companies. In recent years home roasting of coffee has seen a revival.[13] In some cases there is an economic advantage, but primarily it is a

means to achieve finer control over the quality and characteristics of the finished product.

[edit] Packaging

Extending the shelflife of roasted coffee relies on maintaining an optimum environment to protect it from exposure to heat, oxygen, and light. Roasted coffee has an optimal typical shelf life of 2 weeks, and ground coffee about 15 minutes. Without some sort of preservation method, coffee becomes stale. The first large scale preservation technique was vacuum packing in cans. However, because coffee emits CO2 after roasting, coffee to be vacuum packed must be allowed to degas for several days before it is sealed. To allow more immediate packaging, pressurized canisters or foil-lined bags with pressure-relief valves can be used. Refrigeration and freezing retards the staling process. Roasted whole beans can be considered fresh for up to one month if kept cool.[citation needed] Once coffee is ground it is best used immediately.

[edit] Emissions and control

Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOC), organic acids, and combustion products are the principal emissions from coffee processing.[14] Several operations are sources of PM emissions, including the cleaning and destoning equipment, roaster, cooler, and instant coffee drying equipment. The roaster is the main source of gaseous pollutants, including alcohols, aldehydes, organic acids, and nitrogen and sulfur compounds. Because roasters are typically natural gas-fired, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions result from fuel combustion. Decaffeination and instant coffee extraction and drying operations may also be sources of small amounts of VOC. Emissions from the grinding and packaging operations typically are not vented to the atmosphere.

Particulate matter emissions from the roasting and cooling operations are typically ducted to cyclones before being emitted to the atmosphere. Gaseous emissions from roasting operations are typically ducted to a thermal oxidiser or thermal catalytic oxidiser following PM removal by a cyclone. Some facilities use the burners that heat the roaster as thermal oxidisers. However, separate thermal oxidisers are more efficient because the desired operating temperature is typically between 650–816 °C (1202–1501 °F), which is 93–260 °C (199–500 °F) more than the maximum temperature of most roasters. Some facilities use thermal catalytic oxidizers, which require lower operating temperatures to achieve control efficiencies that are equivalent to standard thermal oxidisers. Catalysts are also used to improve the control efficiency of systems in which the roaster exhaust is ducted to the burners that heat the roaster. Emissions from spray dryers are typically controlled by a cyclone followed by a wet scrubber.

Coffee Tasting Terms

While tasting coffee, you should try to discern whether the flavor,

body, acidity and aroma of the coffee is pleasant, or unpleasant.

Here are the criteria that most tasters use to judge coffee:

Acidity

Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation of

dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue

and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is

not unlike its role as related to the flavor of wine. It provides a

sharp, bright, vibrant quality. With out sufficient acidity, the

coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity should not be confused with

sour, which is an unpleasant, negative flavor characteristic.

Aroma

Aroma is a sensation that is difficult to separate from flavor.

Without our sense of smell, our only taste sensations would be:

sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The aroma contributes to the

flavors we discern on our palates. Subtle nuances, such as "floral"

or "winy" characteristics, are derived from the aroma of the

brewed coffee.

Body

Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the

viscosity, heaviness, thickness, or richness that is perceived on

the tongue. A good example of body would be that of the feeling

of whole milk in your mouth, as compared to water. Your

perception of the body of a coffee is related to the oils and solids

extracted during brewing. Typically, Indonesian coffees will

possess greater body than South and Central American coffees. If

you are unsure of the level of body when comparing several

coffees, try adding an equal amount of milk to each. Coffees with

a heavier body will maintain more of their flavor when diluted.

Flavor

Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth.

Acidity, aroma, and body are all components of flavor. It is the

balance and homogenization of these senses that create your

overall perception of flavor.

The following are typical flavor characteristics:

General flavor characteristics:

Richness-refers to body and fullness

Complexity- the perception of multiple flavors

Balance- the satisfying presence of all the basic taste

characteristics where no one over-powers another

Typical specific desirable flavor characteristics:

Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy- [typical of Central American

coffees]

Caramelly -candy like or syrupy

Chocolaty- an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate

or vanilla

Delicate- a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue

[typical of washed New Guinea Arabica]

Earthy- a soily characteristic [typical of Sumatran coffees]

Fragrant- an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to

spicy

Fruity- an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or

citrus

Mellow- a round, smooth taste, typically lacking acid

Nutty- an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts

Spicy- a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices

Sweet- free of harshness

Wildness- a gamey flavor that is not usually considered

favorable but is typical of Ethiopian coffees

Winy- an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine

[typical of Kenyan and Yemeni coffees]

Typical specific undesirable flavor characteristics:

Bitter- perceived on the back of the tongue, usually a result

of over roasting

Bland- neutral in flavor

Carbony- burnt charcoaly overtones

Dead- see "flat"

Dirty- a mustiness reminiscent of eating dirt

Earthy- see "dirty"

Flat- lack of acidity, aroma, and aftertaste

Grassy- an aroma and flavor reminiscent of freshly cut lawn

Harsh- a caustic, clawing, raspy characteristic

Muddy- thick and dull

Musty- a slight stuffy or moldy smell [not always a negative

characteristic when in aged coffees]

Rioy- a starchy texture similar to water which pasta has

been cooked in.

Rough- a sensation on the tongue reminiscent of eating salt

Rubbery- an aroma and flavor reminiscent of burnt rubber

[typically found only in dry-processed Robustas]

Soft- see "bland"

Sour- tart flavors reminiscent of unripe fruit

Thin- lacking acidity, typically a result of under brewing

Turpeny- turpentine-like in flavor

Watery- a lack of body or viscosity in the mouth

Wild- gamey characteristics

Coffee Tasting or Cupping

Cupping is a method coffee tasters use to evaluate a coffee's characteristics. If you really want to learn more about the traits of different coffees, this is a great way to do it.

Just the fact that you would be willing to try this means you’re well on your way to becoming a true coffee snob! So let’s get started.

First, you will need the following:

A few kinds of fresh, whole bean coffee (if you want to compare) Grinder(preferably a burr grinder)

Tea kettle for near boiling water

Tablespoon

Porcelain cups (8 oz.) for each coffee

Silver spoon

A cup (for spitting the coffee out)

Aroma is a major component of taste, try to do this where there are no strong, perfume-like smells in the air.

Here are the procedures for cupping: 1. Grind each coffee to a medium-course ground similar to course sand or

raw sugar. Do not grind coffee too fine or it will become over-extracted and taste bitter.

2. Fill cup with 2 heaping tablespoons of the ground coffee. 3. Add 6 oz. of nearly boiling water (about 200 degrees) 4. Steep for 2-3 minutes. The coffee should form a crust or “cap” on top of

the water. While steeping, check the coffee for any sour smells. Sour smells are bad and could indicate old or rancid coffee.

5. Gently break the crust with your spoon by pushing the grounds back exposing the water. You should notice a fine-celled foam. If there is no foam, the coffee may not be fresh. Again smell the coffee because much of the fragrance is trapped under this crust. Pay extra attention to the fragrance because it is so important to the taste. As you continue to break the crust, the grounds will sink to the bottom of the cup.

6. Fill your spoon with the brewed coffee avoiding the floating grounds. 7. Slurp the coffee into your mouth with some force. This will mix air with the

coffee and disperse it evenly throughout your mouth. 8. Swirl the coffee around your mouth to get a good feel for the overall flavor. 9. Spit the coffee out and rinse mouth with water before tasting another.

While you are tasting the coffee, here are the major characteristics you should be paying attention to:

Acidity - The sensation of dryness in the back and under the edges of your mouth. This is a desirable quality and not to be confused with sour (which is considered a bad quality of coffee). Acidity creates a lively, bright taste which without it, the coffee would taste flat.

Aroma – Without aroma, we could only taste sweet, sour, bitter and salty. This is where we get the subtle differences such as floral, nutty or fruity.

Body – The way the coffee feels in your mouth, its viscosity or heaviness. The best way to describe it is the comparison to how whole milk feels in your mouth compared to water. If you are unsure as to the level of body in the different coffees, add an equal amount of milk to each one and the one with the heavier body will retain more of its flavor when diluted.

Flavor – This is the overall perception of the three characteristics above. Flavor can be rich (full bodied), complex (multi-flavored), or balanced (no one characteristic over powers the other.

Here are some terms used to describe DESIRABLE flavor qualities:

Bright or dry – highly acidic leaving a dry aftertasteCaramelly – caramel like or syrupyChocolaty – aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanillaEarthy – a soily-like quality (sometimes unfavorable)Fragrant – an aroma ranging from floral to nutty to spicy, etc.

Fruity – having a citrus or berry scentMellow – a smooth taste lacking acidity but not flatNutty – similar to roasted nutsSpicy – an exotic aroma of various spicesSweet – a lack of harshnessWild – a gamey flavor rarely, but sometimes considered favorableWiny – aftertaste resembling a mature wine

Here are some terms used to describe UNDESIRABLE flavor qualities:

Bitter – aftertaste perceived on the back of the tongueBland – neutral in flavorCarbony – burnt charcoal flavorsEarthy – a musty, soily-like qualityFlat – lacking aroma, acidity, and aftertasteGrassy – aroma and taste of grassHarsh – a caustic, raspy qualityMuddy – thick and flatMusty – slightly stuffy smell (sometimes desirable in aged coffees)Rubbery – a smell of burnt rubberSour – a tart flavor such as unripe fruitTurpeny – a flavor resembling turpentineWatery – a lack of bodyWild – a gamey flavor

Tasting the Roasts

As coffee is roasted, it goes from a sharper, more acidic taste, to a smoother more full bodied taste, and finally to a full bodied, almost charred taste. Here is a breakdown of the typical roasts followed by the flavor characteristics.

Cinnamon or Light Roast (Light brown and dry surface): a bright, acidic, toasted grain taste.

Medium High or Regular Roast (Milk chocolate brown with a dry surface): acidic and bright but lacks the grain taste.

Full City or High Roast (Darker brown with a satin appearance): Slight bittersweet tang with less acidity.

French, Italian, or Espresso Roast (Dark chocolate with patches of oil): Very little acidity and noticeably bittersweet.

Dark French or Heavy (Almost black and very oily): Almost no