Coffee Basics – The Brew for You
There are 3 major coffee growing regions: Central and South America, East Africa and Yemen, and Indonesia/the Pacific. Included in the last group is Kona, the only coffee grown in the United States. Below are some generalized descriptions of the coffees from the different regions.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN: Coffees in this category are generally mild in flavor, with light-to-medium body and considerable acidity and higher caffeine content.
EAST AFRICAN AND YEMEN: Coffees from these areas are typically intense in flavor, with unique wine-like or fruity flavor overtones and bright acidity.
INDONESIAN AND PACIFIC: Coffees from Indonesia and the Pacific are known for their full-bodied smoothness, rich, earthy flavors and low acidity.
KONA: The only coffee grown in the United States, is also one of the most expensive. It has a mild flavor very similar to Central and South American coffees.
The term organic has evolved to refer to a product grown without the use of any chemicals including chemical fertilizer for a given number of years. Composting does the fertilizing without chemicals, however, in the beginning, this often severely hinders coffee production. Composting is used extensively on organic farms, especially in the nursery. Farmers also enrich the soil’s phosphate level by grinding up rocks, a natural source of the mineral, and by planting chalum shade trees, which help to fix nitrogen in the soil. For pesticide and fungicide control, farms use wasps to combat a coffee pest called broca, and fungus is used to combat rust, or roya. People drink organic coffee not only because of health concerns, but also to support organic agriculture.
Another distinction that is often found in tandem with organic agriculture methods is the Shade Grown/Bird Friendly method. This means that no trees were cut down to make room for coffee trees. Instead, the coffee trees were planted in balance with the natural ecosystem and are thus bird friendly and not detrimental to existing plant life. In addition to these certifiably Shade Grown coffees, many other regions use the Shade Grown method. Most African coffees and many less developed countries grow Shade Grown coffees simply out of tradition. The boom of “gourmet” coffee in the last 20 years has been a huge boon to the organic coffee industry as many large coffee retailers demand their coffee be shade grown, organic and that the plantation workers be paid a fair wage.
Another way to determine how coffee will taste before brewing a single cup is to check the roast. Light or Dark roast refers to how long the coffee cherries were roasted. The length of time determines how much caffeine is burned off in the roasting process and determines the richness of flavor. Dark roasts have a very full, rich and deep flavor as the sugar present in the coffee cherry is caramelized, while the lighter roasts have a distinct nutty flavor with almost no touch of caramel flavor.,
Light Roast (sometimes called *City or Full City roast) will have a light brown color and will not appear oily, or will show only minimal oils. These roasts have more caffeine and higher acidity than dark roasts (remember the region is also a consideration). This is a good roast to sample the regional variations of the coffees. Light Roasts have the highest acidity and, in some cases, can be very hard on the stomach.
*these can also be called a medium roast, the differences are the oily quality and color of the roasted bean as well as a more pronounced caramel-like flavor. American Roast is not quite a dark as a Full City Roast.
Dark Roast (sometimes called Vienna, Italian or French roast) will have a dark brown color and will show surface oils. Any of these roasts can also be used for espresso. Dark roasts have the lowest acidity, but can turn rapidly bitter if exposed to too much light, temperature changes or poor water temperature.
Spanish roast will have a very dark brown color and is very easily burned. This coffee has a thin, brittle taste which most Americans find unpleasant.
Over-roasted beans will produce a sharp, burned flavor as the sugar has been completely burned away. This will not produce a good cup of coffee. When purchasing beans, look at the oily quality of the beans to determine how well-roasted they are. A good roast will show no green, and will have a nice, uniform appearance to the beans.
Because proper roasting requires a great deal of space and attention to time, temperature and sound of the bean, many coffee houses do not roast their own beans, but order fresh roasted coffee from a nearby coffee roaster. Coffee over a week old, no matter the storage method, will lose considerable flavor and body.
Coffee is, for many, an acquired taste, and one learned through greasy-spoon diners and late-night college study-sessions. However, it can be a gourmet treat as rich and wonderful as a fine chocolate or exceptional cigar for those willing to invest the time to sample the varieties and the money to purchase fresh, carefully brewed coffee.
