07/09/2021
Let's learn some basic information about Coffee today.
1. Species
There are mainly 2 types on the market, Arabica beans are far superior to Robusta in terms of flavor, and quality. Often grown at higher altitudes; arabica beans are given more time for the flavour to mature. Robusta beans contain more caffeine than Arabica, and are mainly used for instant coffee. They are also much more disease resistant and produce a higher yield. So they are much cheaper and you rarely see a roaster recommending Robusta coffee to coffee lovers.
2. Flavour
Acidity is what gives coffee its natural flavour, but different beans have different levels of acidity and some people are sensitive to these acids. You can reduce some of the acidity with dark roast. Coffees from Africa are typically characterised by a higher acidity, with fruity or floral tastes. Coffees from places like Brazil or Sumatra tend to have a much lower acidity with cocoa and nutty tastes.
On the other hand, brewing is what gives coffee its bitterness. This usually happens when your beans are ground too fine, or if you over-brew your beans. Different types of coffee beans will give you different flavour. The general guideline is that:
If you prefer the ‘wine like’, fruity, floral flavours, you would want to use a single source of coffee beans. Light roast will bring the best out of their original flavour.
If you want something that taste very ‘coffee like’, go for a dark roast coffee, such as espresso blend with some milk added.
