From the Roastery
Welcome to the first edition of my five-part series all about specialty coffee. Before we dive into the finer details, let’s answer one of the most common questions people ask when they first discover specialty coffee.
Why does every cup taste so different?
Coffee is an agricultural product, just like wine, apples or tomatoes. Every stage of its journey - from the variety that’s planted and where it’s grown, to how it’s processed, roasted and finally brewed, has an impact on what ends up in your cup. Understanding that journey makes tasting coffee far more enjoyable. Rather than simply recognising flavours, you begin to understand why they’re there. Suddenly those notes of berries, chocolate, citrus or caramel aren’t random, they’re the result of countless decisions made from farm to cup. One of the biggest misconceptions about specialty coffee is that flavours such as blueberry, jasmine or peach have been added to the beans. They haven’t. Tasting notes are simply a way of describing flavours and aromas that naturally occur in the coffee. They’re much like wine tasting notes, they’re comparisons that help describe the experience, not the ingredients.
What influences coffee’s flavour?
There are five key factors that shape the flavour profile of every coffee. Everything begins where the coffee is grown.
1. Coffee Variety
Just like apples have varieties such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady, coffee has many different varieties, each with its own unique characteristics. Some varieties naturally produce delicate floral aromas and bright fruit flavours, while others are known for their rich sweetness, heavier body or chocolate-like notes. The variety provides the foundation for everything that follows.
2. Altitude
Coffee is grown all over the world. So of course, no two farms are the same. One of the biggest influences is altitude. Higher elevations are generally cooler, allowing coffee cherries to mature more slowly. This slower development often produces coffees with greater sweetness, brighter acidity and more complex flavour profiles. Lower elevations are warmer, meaning the cherries ripen more quickly. These coffees often produce a fuller-bodied, more approachable cup with familiar flavours such as chocolate, nuts and caramel.
3. Processing
Once the coffee has been harvested, the fruit surrounding the bean needs to be removed. How this is done has a huge impact on flavour. A washed coffee has the fruit removed before drying, producing a clean, crisp cup where acidity and clarity shine through. A natural coffee is dried with the fruit still intact, allowing the bean to absorb sugars and fruit compounds as it dries. The result is often a sweeter, fruit-forward coffee with bold, sometimes wonderfully funky flavours. There are plenty of other processing methods too, each creating its own unique character.
4. The Roastery
Once the coffee arrives at the roastery, our role is to unlock the very best from each bean. When we buy coffee, we already know what is going to make each batch special. Our job is to develop a roast profile that showcases all of those qualities. Roasting is the final step before the coffee reaches your cup, so it’s essential that we get it right.
Light Roast
Light roasts preserve more of the coffee’s original characteristics, highlighting vibrant acidity, delicate sweetness and the unique flavours that make each origin distinctive. This is why they’re commonly used for single-origin specialty coffees.
Medium Roast
A medium roast develops a little more body and sweetness while still allowing the coffee’s origin characteristics to come through. It offers a balanced cup that appeals to a wide range of coffee drinkers.
Dark Roast
Dark roasts place greater emphasis on flavours created during roasting rather than those developed at origin. The result is typically a bold, smoky cup with notes of dark chocolate, roasted nuts and caramelised sugars. While dark roasts remain popular, most specialty roasters prefer lighter roast profiles that allow the coffee’s natural character to shine.
5. Brewing
Even after all of that, one final factor determines what you taste: how the coffee is brewed. The grind size, water temperature, brew ratio and the method in which you choose to brew, can dramatically change the final cup. The same coffee can taste bright and vibrant as a filter brew or rich and syrupy as an espresso. It’s worth remembering that a great tasting coffee is the result of every stage working together.
Discovering your favourite flavour profile
The best way to learn what you enjoy is simply to explore. Below are three steps to help you get the most out of discovering new coffee and figuring out which are your favourites.
Experiment; Try coffees from different countries, varieties and processing methods to experience how each one changes the cup.
Taste slowly; Don’t just focus on flavour. Pay attention to the aroma, body, sweetness and the finish after each sip.
Take notes; Keep a record of the coffees you enjoy and what stood out. Over time you’ll begin to recognise patterns and discover the flavour profiles that suit your palate.
Coffee is one of the most complex and fascinating drinks in the world. Every bag tells the story of where it came from, how it was grown and the people who helped shape it along the way.
The more you understand that journey, the more you’ll appreciate what’s in your cup. Try something different next time you head out for a coffee. Compare side by side and don’t stress about getting the tasting notes ‘right’. If it tastes like raspberry to you and chocolate to someone else, that’s all part of the adventure.
Next month, we’ll follow the coffee cherry after harvest and discover how different processing methods work their magic on flavour!
By Hayley Chillfox, Roastery Operator
