Choosing the Perfect Fresh Roasted Coffee Bean for You

Take this test by answering the following questions, and then total the responses in each column.  The column with the most answers identifies the coffee and roasts that most suites your tastes....  

What flavors do you prefer?

How do you prefer your steak?

Which Fruit do you like?    

 How do you like your marshmallows?

 Which type of chocolate do you prefer?

 Which grapes do you prefer?

 What wine do you prefer?

 How do you prefer you food?

Total # of Answers per Column:                                    

 

So What's the Roast Got to Do with the Flavor of Coffee?

Dark roast simply means that the coffee bean has been roasted to a higher temperature and typically for a longer period of time. This causes all of the flavor molecules stored within the coffee beans—both the good and bad flavors—to be burnt away. By roasting so dark, the end consumer (you) can’t tell whether it’s a good bean or a bad bean because all the natural flavors have been turned to charcoal.

Think of it this way: a fine filet mignon and a strip of utility beef; if they’ve both been very overcooked, even a culinary expert would never be able to tell the difference between the two. Same with coffee.

So if you’re a large coffee company, what do you do? You roast dark, then market the heck out of it and try to convince the mass market that it’s a wonderfully rich and complex coffee. You can’t really blame them now can you? What else are they supposed to do, tell you that because they’re so big they are unable to guarantee quality, they do you a favor and roast dark so you can’t taste how bad it is?

Not to be misunderstood, I’m not saying a dark roasted coffee is always a poor coffee. There are some wonderful dark roasted single-origin coffees and blends out there. Just don’t assume the dark roast is as “rich and flavorful” as many roasters say it is. Most of the time there is a reason it’s roasted so dark.

There’s a whole world of coffee out there (quite literally) and so many natural flavors to experience, don’t settle for the mediocre stuff. The darker the roast, the less likely you’ll experience the subtle apricot flavors in a great Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, or the blueberry notes in a wonderful Harrar, or the earthy, ripened notes of a great Sumatran Mandheling.

The roasting process is typically carried out between 460F and 530F.  The green beans will first turn yellow, then start to brown.  The moisture in the beans begin to steam off taking on the familiar coffee aroma.  A loud crack is heard as the remaining moisture bursts from the bean.  At this point, the sugars are starting to caramelize which marks the beginning of the roasting process.  This is the lightest roast, as the roasting process continues the beans quickly darken.  The sugars caramelize further, and the oils of the coffee bean are released, creating a more flavourful roast.  The balance between the caramelized sugars and the oils on the bean result in the "perfect cup" for you.

What's in the Body of Coffee?

Body is the weight of the coffee that can best be sensed by allowing the coffee to rest on the tongue and by rubbing the tongue against the roof of the mouth.  Coffee body ranges from thin, to light, to heavy and is a result of the oil content of the brew.  The viscosity, however, results from proteins and fibers in the brew.  Medium and dark roast styles will have a heavier body than lighter roasted coffees.

 

What's the Country Have with the Flavor of Coffee??

The region where coffee is grown determines the flavor of the bean.  Coffee grown from around the world has very different flavors.  Here are some general rules to apply when deciding what coffee best suits your taste buds!!

Arabian Coffees
When talking about Arabian coffee they are really talking about the coffee of Yemen.  Mocha is the most ancient coffee and is still consider one of the best.  Mocha is grown in North Yemen.  It is noted for its winey overtones and good acidity.  Mocha brews into a wonderful full-flavored, full-bodied cup with a tantalizing hint of chocolate.  Yemen coffees are diverse in taste due to the varied climate conditions found within the small county.  Mocha Java is the most well know of Yemen coffees.  It has a smooth flavor with chocolate undertones. 

African Coffees

African coffees have a light to medium body combined with a medium to high acidity which is often characterized as dry.  The gourmet flavor varies from mild to intense and the taste of African coffee is best described as “wild, complex, and subtly berry-like” 

Coffee from the Americas

Coffee from the Americas have light to medium body with moderate to high acidity and are characterized by their mild flavors and clean sharp taste.  These coffees are often referred to as round or balanced with no extremes in aroma. 

Volcanic Coffees

Volcanic coffee is grown on the high volcanic mountain elevations in the Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean sea.  Together with the cool climate and moisture from the clouds produces a smooth and rich flavor that is truly remarkable.  Due to the limited supply and high demand these can be very expensive coffees – e.g. 100% Kona Coffee or Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. To get an idea if you will like this flavor start with Costa Rica coffee this is grown in the high volcanic regions of Costa Rica.