Used as a pick-me-upper and favorite prerequisite for a successful chat session around the world, coffee truly is the epitome of hedonism and all that contributes to a positive and productive day. The popular black nectar has been found to have numerous health benefits that accompany its unique, addictive flavor and aroma, making it a staple in every daily routine and a true delight for enthusiasts across the world.
However, not all coffee blends were created equal. Even the subtlest of nuances can make a tremendous impact on the palate, enriching the flavor or giving it a zesty aroma. Here are the essentials that will elevate your precious moments of pure hedonism to a completely new level of pleasure and allow you to enrich your palate with unique flavors.
How to Blend Individual Origins
Coffee blends range from simple to complex and they can entail as few as two different bean origins, such as Honduras and Mexico, or they can have eight or more different sources. However, in the art and science of coffee making, more is not always better. The most successful and distinct coffee blends have between two and four sources from the opposite sides of the taste spectrum, complementing each other in a perfect blend of body, flavor, sweetness and aroma. The key is to avoid pointless blends, such as similar origins. A clear example of a blend that has no distinct taste would be a mixture of Zimbabwe and Kenya, which are essentially the same.
On the other hand, beans that complement each other and bring some much-needed diversity into the mix to enrich the final product would be a mixture of Yemen Mocha and Brazil Santos‒essentially two completely different origins. When inspecting your blend, be sure to use a globe as a simple, rough indication of the uniqueness and true value of the mix that will leave your taste buds wanting more rather than leaving them dry.
Adding a Kick and a Twist
Popular coffee chains around the world have taken the true flavor of coffee out of the blends by filling the cups with artificial tastes and sweeteners to dull out the natural bitterness and body a true coffee blend is supposed to have. If you want to capture the natural essence of a blend, you need two ingredients: coffee and water. Everything else is optional. Strong coffee should have no more than three types of beans, as the killer coffee blend, or a mixture of Costa Rica, Colombia and Sumatra Mandheling.
While no coffee brand will give out its secret recipe, you can rest assured that popular commercial brands have a conveyor-belt type of mindset, where quantity trumps quality and the blends predominantly consist of a type of Robusta and poor quality Arabica. Be sure to look for craft coffee brands catering to a niche community from their humble facilities where true coffee artisanship has been nurtured through generations of master roasters.
Be Careful with Fruit Notes
Finally, a dash of uniqueness never hurt anyone. Except a coffee blend. While fruity and wine taste notes do have their place, they should be reserved for skilled roasters only as even the slightest deviation in the quantity of the ingredients can severely impact the flavour and aroma of the final product. Typically, the highlight flavor notes come from Ethiopian Harrar, Yemen, or Kenya. These bean types go wonderfully with the rich and saturated bodies of Brazil Santos and Zimbabwe or traditionally processed Sulawesi. A true coffee aficionado is able to distinguish between superior and inferior coffee blends easily by examining the body, texture, flavour and aroma of the mix. Be sure to follow these essential guidelines on your next quest for the perfect gourmet cup.
