We make our own coffee special by the way we make it, the ingredients we use, and through the rituals we associate with it. Coffee is much more to coffee lovers than a mere relaxing beverage or a quick energy drink.
This article looks at coffee and what makes it special: how and why we develop a taste for it, and how we craft our own coffees to make them “special”.
Why do we become attached to certain types of coffee?
Coffee has a complex flavour profile. In other words, when we drink it, we experience a combination of flavours working together. This why coffee drinkers all taste (and smell) different things in their coffee.
And this is why we follow our noses to our own coffee – and then stick to it! We may not know where the flavours come from or what they are. But we know we like it.
The brewing process we choose (pour over or drip coffee, for example) and the style we drink, will both enhance the taste further.
Of course, coffee is popular for the energy buzz it delivers too. Coffee rituals are arranged to make the most of it, from the early morning wake up coffee to the late night espresso we need to make a deadline.
How can I learn to make good coffee?
There are many ways to learn to make really good coffee. The easiest way is to search for good coffee-making demonstrations on YouTube. And if you are really loving the art of making coffee, then consider a career as a barista.
Once you know the style and name of the coffee you prefer, it’s easy to find instructions online. This way, you can practise the art as well as researching the equipment you need to make a really professional coffee.
Baristas learn to make all styles of coffee with skill, precision, and speed. Some even invent their own. A good barista is a coffee house’s most valuable asset. It’s also a valuable career for anyone who plans to travel.
Why is coffee so flavoursome?
The flavours in coffee come from the beans – and the flavour of these is influenced by where they are grown. Flavours are enhanced again during the roasting process, and then again by the brewing method of the final drink.
The four types of coffee beans most used are:
- Arabica – known for a sweeter, delicate and mild flavour profile and is the most used bean
- Robusta – known for a stronger and intense flavour profile and is the highest in caffeine
- Liberica – has fruity and woody notes, and sometimes smoky
- Excelsa – is tart (almost sour) with some fruity notes, and is lowest in caffeine
The roasting process causes chemical changes to take place in the beans. The unroasted green beans do not taste or smell like coffee!
When we refer to our special coffee as being a ‘light” or “dark” roast, we are referring to the length of time and the heat of the “roast”.
An expert roaster trains for years to develop the ability to “read” the beans and make decisions with split-second timing.
What does the experience of coffee involve?
When we make and drink coffee, we experience an interplay of flavour, fragrance, aroma, and aftertaste:
- Flavours – refers to the “tasting notes” present in the coffee. What we can taste and how we interpret it is highly individual. This is why our favourite coffee is so special to us.
- Fragrance – describes the smell of ground coffee before it is brewed.
- Aroma – refers to the smell of the coffee once hot water has been added. The addition of hot water allows the release of a greater quantity of those “coffee” compounds.
- Aftertaste – refers to the tastes and aromas left in the mouth after swallowing the coffee
All of these elements make our coffee special and our coffee making rituals important.
How do you make the best cup of coffee?
After you’ve identified your special brew, the kind of beans you like, and how you prefer your coffee served, you might like to try and make your own.
You may need to invest in some equipment. There is a huge variety of coffee making apparatus on the market, which range in price.
An espresso machine is expensive, but they complete the process from start to finish, producing a really fine cup of barista coffee.
There are many popular manual (some mobile) coffee making devices available now, which make quality coffee. These include:
- The Aeropress
- The French press
- The Moka Pot
- The SoftBrew
- Electric percolator
- Chemex Brewer
What’s the best way to start drinking coffee?
Most coffee amateurs begin with coffee flavoured drinks, such as milkshakes, or with coffee blends such as mochas. This way the coffee ‘hit’ is not so intense.
But if you don’t mind the original coffee flavours, start with a latte or cappuccino. These milk coffees keep all the flavour intact but dilute the bitterness associated with espressos and doppios.
Black coffee is definitely for the experienced. Black coffee drinkers like their coffee intense and strong, often accompanying the drink with sweet foods to complement the bitterness of the coffee.
If you like coffee, you will eventually discover your special brew.
Is coffee healthy?
Black coffee has some noted health benefits, including weight loss, memory improvement, and increased metabolism. However, these health benefits depend on how much coffee is consumed.
How we drink our coffee also influences our health. Unfortunately, many coffee drinks are not healthy because they are consumed with quantities of milk, cream (or ice-cream), sugar, syrups and/or flavourings.
Most of the hand crafted popular coffee drinks made at coffee houses such as Starbucks are loaded with sugar, fat, and caffeine.
However, Starbucks do make it possible for the health conscious to modify their drinks and avoid dairy products and sugar.
Caffeine should always be consumed in moderation. Although it is a legal and ‘safe’ drug, it’s strongly recommended that we don’t consume more than 400mg per day.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.