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Three Keys to a Great Cup of Coffee
As with wine, the taste of coffee depends on the quality of the fruit, and the way that fruit is transformed
into a beverage. As with freshly baked bread, fresh roasted coffee has a very short shelf life - maximum of
five days - regardless of packaging. By definition, over 95% of all coffee sold to consumers is stale.
Making a cup of coffee is a science but a simple science governed by the laws of nature. Adherence to
the "three keys" is the only way to enjoy coffee at its best - sweet with distinctive flavours derived from
country of origin. The three keys to quality coffee are:
1. Quality Green "Arabica" Coffee
The best coffee beans produce the best cup of coffee.
2. Fresh Roasted Beans
High quality coffee beans are a lot like high quality grapes, they're a crucial ingredient, but by no means
guarantee a high-quality end product. Great tasting coffee also relies on how soon the coffee is brewed
and consumed after roasting. For coffee to be fresh, and best, it must be consumed within five days after
roasting, three hours of grinding, and fifteen minutes of brewing. The first sign that coffee is stale is a bitter taste.
3. Proper Brewing
Temperature and time - brewing is the extraction of coffee flavour oils from the roasted grounds using
water. The best temperature for optimum extraction is water just off the boil (195°-205°F/ 90°-96°C). This
temperature will extract the full range of flavours from fresh roasted beans. Time is a function of brewing
method and grind size. There are many ways to brew good coffee. Steeping and espresso are two of the
best methods.
What Makes One Coffee Bean Different From Another?
Coffee acquires unique taste characteristics from its geography - soil, water, air, flora, etc. While entire
books have been written about varietals and the art of Cupping Coffee, coffee taste can be described
and generally characterized by continent of origin.
Africa
High acidity / low body
Coffees from Africa are distinctly bright (similar to citrus), sweet (fruits and floral), with a dry wine finish.
Countries to note are: Ethiopia, Yemen, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda.
South Asia
Low acidity / high body
Coffees from Asia are rich and full bodied, with heavy earth and spice flavours.
Countries to note are: India, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Papua New Guinea.
Latin America
Medium acidity / medium body
Coffees from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, possess a full spectrum of tastes from fruit and earth to nut, vanilla and chocolate. They are intensely aromatic.
Countries to note are Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.
Growing and Processing
1. Country of Origin
Over 70 countries situated between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn grow coffee for export. Most
fall into three continents: Africa, South Asia and Latin America.
2. Arabica Coffee
There are two main commercial varieties of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee, from the Coffea
arabica shrub (indigenous only to Ethiopia), is the highest in quality. Arabica coffee grows best in
equatorial rainforests, at altitudes of 3,500 to 6,000 feet above sea level, in regions with rich soil and
heavy rainfall. Robusta is a hardy low altitude coffee with inferior taste characteristics.
3. Green Beans
A green "unroasted" coffee bean looks like any other coffee bean except that it's green, tasteless and
practically odourless. If kept dry, the shelf life of a green bean, depending on country of origin, ranges
from 2 to 10 years. There are several types of arabica beans: typica, caturra, catuai, bourbon, catimor.
4. Growing
The arabica coffee shrub produces its first crop of cherries after 5 years of growth. During the harvest (a
season that lasts 3 to 4 months), delicate white and yellow flowers give way to an abundance of red or
yellow coffee cherries (a fruit). Each cherry contains two green beans. Coffee cherries must be picked at
the precise moment of ripeness - a single 'over-ripe' or 'under-ripe' cherry can spoil an entire pot of
coffee. On average, the arabica coffee tree stands 6 to 8 feet in height and one tree produces one
pound of beans per harvest.
5. Processing
After picking, coffee cherries are transported by foot, mule, or truck to mills for processing. The objective is to remove and dry the green beans to 12% moisture. Once dry the beans are ready for export and
roasting. Coffee immediately begins to deteriorate (spoil) after picking. Processing must not be delayed. There are two methods used to process coffee cherries:
Dry Method - Common in Indonesia, Brazil and parts of Africa where water is scarce. The entire coffee
cherry is dried on patios, grass mats, or wooden racks under the sun for 2-3 weeks. Once dry, milling
machines remove the outer layers of fruit pulp and parchment to expose the green beans (called husking)
which are then sorted, graded and bagged. The dry process adds an exotic dark look to the coffee bean.
Wet Method - Common in Latin America and parts of Africa and Indonesia. The coffee cherry is depulped
(grated-off) by milling machines to expose the green beans. The beans are then soaked and washed in an
interconnected system of water channels and reservoirs and dried on patios under the sun and/or in wood
burning mechanical driers. The beans are sorted, graded and bagged. Patio drying is better for green
bean quality but labour and time intensive (beans require constant raking by hand over a period of 2 to 3
weeks to prevent spoilage). Mechanical driers produce higher temperatures that reduce drying times from
weeks to 24 hours, but often damage green bean quality.
6. Traditional Versus Modern Production
Traditionally, coffee is grown on small farms, beneath a canopy of shade trees in a biodiverse ecosystem,
where birds, animals, and a variety of flora (native and commercial tree species such as nut, fruit and
hardwoods) naturally enrich the soil and protect coffee from pests and disease. Coffee cherries are
picked by hand and processed on-site by farmers who care about quality and get paid for it.
Over the past 50 years, traditional coffee production has largely been replaced by technified coffee
production, where rainforests are cleared to create a sun-drenched environment for monoagricultural
coffee production and machine harvesting. Coffee cherries are transported to large centralized facilities
for milling and high temperature drying. Quality of taste is sacrificed for low price point.
Roasting
At 400°F, sugars and carbohydrates inside the green bean caramelize in a chemical reaction called
pyrolysis - a fiery dance that creates over 800 volatile, water soluble, flavour components (called coffee
oils) which give a cup of coffee 100% of its taste. Coffee is twice as complex as red wine and just as
volatile. Degree of roast is a function of the internal temperature achieved by the bean during roasting - 450°F (a light roast) to 470°F (a dark roast).
Brewing is simply the extraction of coffee oils from roasted grounds using hot water!
Roasting in a Conventional Home Oven
A preheated ceramic plate works best, however, any pan with sides can be used, such as a cookie sheet,
pie plate or pizza pan.
Preheat oven and cooking sheet to 450°F (230°C).
Spread an even layer of beans onto cooking surface. Make a hole in center to allow for more even roast.
Roast on the middle rack for approximately 6-10 minutes, or until beans begin to crackle and pop.
Remove beans from oven and stir with a wooden spoon. Quickly place back in oven.
Roast for an additional 2-6 minutes. During this period it is critical to watch the beans as they turn colour
quickly from light to dark. Watch the beans closely to determine your preferred roast colour and stir if
necessary to create an even roast.
Tip: Roasting should take no more than 15 minutes. If it does, increase oven temperature by 25°F (14°C).
Remove cooking sheet from oven when beans have reached desired roast colour. Transfer to a heat
resistant bowl for cooling.
Enjoy immediately. Use within five days of roasting. Grind just before brewing.
Roasting with a FreshRoast Electric Home Coffee Roaster
To start, place the glass roasting chamber on top of the base and turn the timer dial to the 5-minute mark.
With the roaster turned on, pour the green beans into the roasting chamber. Fill the chamber to the point
where only the top layer of beans is "moving" or "jumping" on the hot air.
(Note: If there is no movement, take beans out until they start to jump. If there is too much movement,
add beans. Only the top layer of beans should be moving. This is very important as the roaster is
designed to roast weight not volume and different beans have different densities and roast at different
rates. Do not hesitate to add time to get a darker roast).
Place the chaff collector on top of the roasting chamber.
After a few minutes, you will hear a crackling noise - the coffee beans are beginning to roast! It is
important to watch the beans carefully in order to: (a) make sure beans are always moving; (b) achieve
desired degree of roast; (c) prevent burning. Coffee will go quickly from a light to medium to dark roast.
At the desired degree of roast, turn the timer to cool - the FreshRoast will cool the beans and
automatically shut itself down. You now have enough roasted beans for one pot of coffee. Be careful, the
beans and roaster will still be very hot!
A Few Tips
Green beans have a long shelf life (2 to 10 years). Keep dry and store away from direct sunlight.
Maximum flavour is achieved with a medium roast.
A dark roast increases body and decreases both acidity and caffeine. A light roast has less body, but
higher acidity and caffeine. Coffee tastes flat without some acidity.
Practice makes perfect. You will achieve the prized "Roast Master" status only after over roasting and
under roasting lots of green beans.
Roasted coffee is perishable. Consume fresh roasted coffee within 5 days after roasting. Store in any
vessel - glass jar, stainless steel bowl, etc. Do not store in the fridge.
Grinding
The purpose of grinding is to crush (burr grinder), or chop (blade grinder), roasted coffee beans into small
particles which will facilitate the extraction of the 'coffee oils' by hot water during brewing. The finer the
grind the faster the extraction. Measure correct amount of coffee into grinder and grind!
A Few Tips
Grind just before brewing. Grinding accelerates staling to 3 hours!!!
The grind (coarse to fine) must match the maker - i.e. ibrik, French press, espresso, automatic drip, etc.
Brewing
The objective of brewing is to extract the full range of flavours from roasted coffee. The variables are
temperature and time. The optimum temperature for brewing is water "just off the boil" (195°-205°F/
90°-96°C). If the water is too hot, the coffee oils will vaporize. If the water is not hot enough, proper
extraction is just not possible! Steeping (like tea) and espresso are the best methods for brewing, as the
hot water comes into direct contact with the maximum concentration of coffee oils for the optimum period
of time. A good ratio or measurement of coffee to water is 2 tablespoons (or 10 grams) of roasted coffee
for every 6 to 8 ounces of water (one mug).
Brewing by Steeping
Pour ground coffee into any heat safe carafe or pot and add hot water just off the boil. Stir and let steep
for 2 to 3 minutes. Filter using a French Press filter, Drip Cone filter or the Coffee Spring - Pour mixture through your filter, and enjoy!
A Few Tips
It is best to brew coffee strong and water-down to taste (nothing can save a weak brew!). To make a
greater quantity of coffee, double or triple the coffee to water ratio and add hot water after to dilute.
Steeping for more than 3 minutes over extracts less palatable flavours - bitters and sours.
Keep brewed coffee warm in a thermal insulated carafe. Exposure to a secondary heat source accelerates
staling (ie. open flame, warming plate).
The fresh taste of coffee is gone within 15 minutes of brewing.
Consumption
In 1963, a chemical engineer named Michael Sivetz introduced the world to the most advanced study ever undertaken on the coffee bean from growing and processing to roasting, brewing and tasting. His findings, published in a book called Coffee Processing Technology, set standards for the global coffee industry. It reveals that coffee quality is a function of: 1) green bean quality, 2) freshness of the roasted beans, and 3) proper brewing method(s).
In 1998, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), under President Ted Lingle, republished this book. In 1999, the SCAA adopted the following definition for fresh roasted coffee: (1) ground immediately before brewing; and (2) brewed within three to seven days after it has been roasted, no matter how it has been packaged. Don Holly, Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, concluded by saying: "This is not what large wholesale roasters want to hear, because their distribution systems cannot usually deliver coffee to the final consumer in less than a week."
After roasting, coffee produces seven times its volume in inert gases, mainly carbon dioxide. As this gas is produced, it binds with and carries coffee oils (and coffee's fresh taste) into the air as aroma (aromatics). This CO2 envelope naturally protects the coffee from oxygen; its taste assassin, however, 90% of this gas is released within 3 days after roasting. After the gas is gone, oxygen readily penetrates and oxidizies the remaining oils on contact. It is at this moment that coffee develops its characteristic bitter taste. It takes five days for all the gas to escape naturally from whole roasted coffee beans. Grinding accelerates gas discharge to 3 hours - due to greater surface area. Brewing accelerates discharge to 15 minutes - heat accelerates the reaction.
The taste of fresh roasted coffee cannot be preserved! The notion that packaging preserves freshness is false! Sufficient gas is produced by fresh roasted beans to explode conventional packaging, hence the popular use of degassing, metal canisters, vacuum bricks, and bags with one way valves. A bitter taste is the first sign that coffee has gone stale! The market is primarily supplied by companies using a centralized roasting infrastructure with distribution times that range from one week (at best) to two months (on average).
A General Overview of Coffee Tasting
Green (unroasted) coffee beans have very little taste. Coffee taste as we know it, is created during the roasting process. At 400°F/205°C to, simple sugars and carbohydrates inside the green bean begin to caramelize, creating over 800 different flavour components (water soluble coffee oils).
The two main tasting sensations in coffee are acidity and body. Acidity is the sweet tingling sensation on the tongue - not the bitter or sour taste associated with stale or low quality beans. Body is the weight of the coffee as it rests on the tongue - the mouth feel. Both body and acidity vary depending on country of origin, ranging from Africa (high acidity / low body) to South Asia (low acidity / high body).
Coffee tastes (or flavours) are characterized by: (1) fragrance & aroma, (2) taste & nose, (3) aftertaste. Ted Lingle, in the Coffee Cuppers Handbook, describes the characteristics as follows:
Fragrance & Aroma
Fragrance reveals the nature of a coffee beans taste - floral, spicy, etc. It is evaluated by vigorously sniffing/smelling a sample of ground coffee. The intensity of the fragrance reveals the freshness of the sample. Aroma is examined by taking long deep sniffs of brewed coffee. It reveals the aromatic character of the coffee - fruity, herbal, nut-like, etc.
Taste & Nose
Taste is examined by forcefully slurping brewed coffee into your mouth. This brisk aspiration spreads the fluid over the entire surface of the tongue, allowing all of the sensory nerve endings to simultaneously respond to sweet, salt, sour or bitter. Nose is examined at that same time as taste. Aspirating coffee over the tongue also aerates it, which causes a portion of the organic compounds to change into gases, which are then drawn into the nasal cavity. The nose tends to reveal flavours like caramel, malt, brown sugar, etc.
Aftertaste
The aftertaste reveals flavours such as chocolate, campfire smoke, tobacco, pine sap, etc.