GUIDE TO COFFEE CUPPING AND COFFEE TASTE CHARACTERISTICS
There are six of the most important attributes of coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics, aroma, acidity, body, flavors, aftertaste, and sweetness. This sixth attribute will affect the taste sensation of the coffee we sip. Coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics is not something that is difficult for us to recognize when we are already accustomed to drinking coffee. Usually, When we enjoy a cup of coffee, the first time we are looking for is a sense, not the texture or other things. If we are always impressed with the coffee taste characteristics once we drink it, it helps us recognize these characters.
Coffee taste characteristics: Aroma
We can enjoy the aroma of coffee shortly after the coffee is brewed with water. Aroma is a sensation in the form of gas which can certainly evaporate and disappear. That is why sometimes we can not catch the aroma of coffee optimally when coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics if the coffee is already decreasing the temperature. However, it can be ascertained if the aroma of coffee still stand although the coffee was cold temperature, then it is a good aroma and this is what we are looking for. The smell of coffee is influenced from several things, such as the growth of the coffee plant in the garden, post-harvest process, and the aromas are formed during the roasting process. Not all was good and the coffee aroma can be enjoyed. For example, some taint aroma that occur because of errors in the post-harvest process until during roasting.
Coffee taste characteristics: Acidity
Acidity, which is commonly known as the acidity of coffee, is bright and refreshing taste that adds a living sense from a cup of coffee. Coffee acidity which clearly most commonly found in coffees from Ethiopia, Kenya, and also in each wet-process coffee. Perceived acidity in coffee does not always correlate with the pH of coffee, but it is believed to be the result of the plant itself. Arabica coffee acidity will more clearly than robusta coffee. But the acidity is a sensation in coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics are influenced by many things. In addition to its innate character of the plant commonly called organic-acid-acidity sensation may also be formed from post-harvest processes.
For example, coffee will have stronger accidity character in the wet process because of its fermentation process. Acidity can also be reduced with a long time coffee roasting. Without acidity, arabica coffee will have a limp taste. Arabica coffee beans great value is the acidity. Indonesian Coffee, on average have a lower acidity when compared with coffee from Africa or Central America. That does not mean Indonesian coffee has a lower quality, but it is typical of Indonesian coffee has a better body than coffee from other countries. We can feel Acidity like enjoying a cup of orange juice, apple, strawberry, lemon, and other fruit that has a refreshing acidity.
GUIDE TO COFFEE CUPPING AND COFFEE TASTE CHARACTERISTICS
Coffee taste characteristics: Body
Full taste in the mouth, when we drink coffee, is the sensation of the body. The body can be illustrated by comparing the full-fat fresh milk with low-fat fresh milk. Fresh full-fat milk will be heavier in the mouth than the low-fat fresh milk. However, if you want further elaborated coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics, the body can be felt as a bit greasy in the mouth, a bit dry in the mouth, and / or feels like a very full cream in the mouth. In addition to fresh milk, for illustration of the body, we can try the famous Sumatra coffee with a high body compared with other coffee producing regions. The body can be created by the fruit peeling process, or also because of a darker roast profile.
Coffee taste characteristics: Flavors
The coffee flavor is varied, ranging just feels a distinct character to the complex flavor. All this happened because of coffee trees genetic, in the garden process, post-harvest process, until the roaster. Coffee which has complex flavors can make quite enjoyed it because the coffee drinker feels more rousing. Coffees from Africa or Central America has a complexity of taste more than coffees from Brazil.And it's challenge to coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics.
In Indonesia, coffees from Toraja will have more complex flavor than coffees from Java. Coffee which has no complex flavor usually used as a mixture due to having one dominant flavor that may not be owned by other coffees. The Illustration of complex flavors can be a way to feel fruit punch than orange juice. Fruit punch was mixed drink of fruit that has a varies rich taste, while orange juice has only predominant flavor strong orange, but orange juice can add complex flavors in the fruit punch.
Coffee taste character: Aftertaste
If you have questions which flavor attributes can last the longest, the answer is the aftertaste. We could feel a sense of other attributes only an instant, but aftertaste can last longer or so-called long aftertaste. Coffees of which have good long aftertaste will have its own memories of the drinker. Aftertaste occurs due to complex flavors that persist longer in our oral cavity. Just for illustration, a mint-flavored candy will have a longer aftertaste when compared with a lemon-flavored candy.
Coffee taste character: Sweetness
All arabica coffee was born more sweet levels than robusta coffee beans. So, arabica coffee suppose will taste sweet when roasted well. Especially if you select arabica coffee with slightly secondary defects and without primer defects. The sweet coffee taste will make the drinker feel more comfortable. Humans are very pleased with the taste sweeter than bitter. Coffee with high sweetness signifies the quality is very good. Sweet does not mean as sweet as sugar cane, sugar white, or brown sugar. Sweet in here can not mean the same as coffee plus sugar, but the sweetness of the coffee, it will make you not want to stop sip. Illustrate a sweet taste in coffee by eating fruit ripe watermelon with melon. Both have a sweet taste, but, in general, the watermelon will taste sweeter than a melon.
It takes practice to do this. Therefore, hopefully this guide to coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics help you to understand about coffee cupping and coffee taste characteristics.
