HOW TO TASTE A GRAND CRU COFFEE
Just like great wines, great coffees are appreciated by respecting a few basic rules. Considered a true art by enthusiasts, coffee tasting is an opportunity to fully discover the aromatic richness of the best vintages. To get started with this practice, discover our tips for enjoying coffee like a chef.
WHY TASTE COFFEE?
Coffee has over 800 different flavor compounds. Depending on the varieties of grand cru coffee, the dosage of these compounds varies, thus offering different aromas and flavors. Each vintage draws its character from the environment where it was grown, the nature of the soil, the climate but also the harvesting method. If coffee tasting is truly an art, it is in particular because it allows you to distinguish the multiple flavors of each beverage. Between aromas of vanilla, nuts and even caramel, you will quickly understand that each coffee vintage is unique. In addition to discovering multiple aromas, tasting coffee offers the opportunity to better appreciate all the elements that make up each variety. This will allow you to better understand the bitterness, acidity, roundness (the overall balance of a coffee), the body (the thickness of the coffee) and the finish (the persistence of the aromas in the mouth) of each great vintage. Without a doubt, you'll never drink your coffee the same way again after this.
THE STEPS TO FOLLOW FOR OPTIMAL COFFEE TASTING
For a successful coffee tasting, several steps must be followed, as we mentioned previously. First of all, you should know that you can prepare several coffees simultaneously to compare them, or just one to appreciate all the aromas. Below, we present the steps to follow to compare two great wines. 1- Use a medium-sized grinder to grind the first beans, and pour the ground coffee into a cup. Clean the grinder and repeat this operation for the second variety of coffee. 2- Smell the two cups and note the aromatic differences between the two coffees. 3- Bring water to a boil and let it cool until it reaches a temperature between 93 and 96°C. Then pour the water over the ground coffee, making sure it is completely soaked. Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes. 4- After that, gently stir the surface of the coffee, break the crust and gently mix in the floating grounds. When you break the crust, don't hesitate to smell the aromas that escape. 5- Skim off the foam and floating elements using a spoon (remember to use a different spoon for each cup). When the coffee is at the right temperature, dip your spoon in it and suck up the coffee with a little air. This will allow better diffusion of aromas. Take the time to analyze the sensations that these two coffees evoke in you, their tastes, their texture as well as their different aromas. Please note that the coffee beans selected by Araku Coffee are ideal for coffee tasting. Indeed, each coffee in our range has its own identity: unique flavors and aromas, which vary significantly from one coffee to another. After finding your favorite vintages, all you have to do is introduce your loved ones.
