Note
I like to jot down things that I’d like to do and may not be able to now.
28 April 2008
I love coffee. All I know about coffee is either it is Arabica or Robusta. Today, however, I stumbled upon an article about the different type of beans and characters.
Generally I like my coffee rich and aromatic. I had in different occasions tested some coffees that taste sour-ish and leave a harsh taint on my tongue, and they (coincidently) were Robusta. Therefore I made a (premature) judgement that Robusta beans are acidic, and avoided them.
It turned out that both types of beans could be acidic. According to a source, what I call the ‘sour-ish, harsh tainty’ taste is what the industry calls ‘acerbic’, “a taste fault in the coffee brew giving an acrid and sour sensation on the tongue. The result of long-chained organic compounds due to excessive heat during the holding process after brewing.” A hah!
The ‘sour’ taste does not necessary reflects the level of acid the bean contains. In fact, in contrary, it is the acidity that gives the sweet tingling taste. A sharp or twist is what the experts call acidity, in contrast to ‘sour’, which in coffee terminology means an unpleasant sharpness.
Experts recognize three types of acidity: 1) natural desirable: acid, 2) natural undesirable: sour, and 3) undesirable: process acidity (sometimes sought as a substitute for natural acidity but generally has a biting, puckery flavor), quoting www.lucidcafe.com/coffee/glossary.html
Although Arabica is generally considered of better quality, there are some Robusta beans that are premium in taste. I am in the lookout.
San Marcos de Tarrazu from Costa Rica: full bodied, rich
Harrar from Ethiopia: light body, rich, fruity
Kenya from Kenya, Nairobi: full bodied, rich, winery
Mandheling from Sumatera: full bodied, rich, smooth
Arona from New Guinea: Medium-full bodied, fragrant & rich
Here’s a good read about the different flavours of coffee http://www.merchantsofgreencoffee.com/all_about_coffee.html
