Flavored coffee: the magic behind the special aromas
Flavored coffee without additives at Espresso Perfetto
Coffee naturally has a wonderful aroma of its own. The natural aromas of coffee can vary depending on the variety, roasting and preparation. For real gourmets, every well-prepared coffee is a true taste experience. The flavors can vary from fruity to bitter. In addition to natural flavors, there is also flavored coffee.
What is flavored coffee?
"Flavored coffee" means that artificial flavors have been added. The flavoring can take place in various ways. One simple approach is to add spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, etc. This spice mixture is familiar from Dirty Chai Latte, for example. There is also the option of artificially flavoring the coffee beans with aromatic oils after roasting. As the roasting process dehydrates the coffee beans, they absorb the oils extremely quickly. Another option is to add syrup when preparing drinks.
Coffee can be flavored with hazelnut, vanilla, caramel and much more.
Why do we refrain from artificially flavoring our coffee beans?
Not every coffee that tastes aromatic is flavoured. But we at Espresso Perfetto can promise you that good coffee beans always taste aromatic without being flavored. A coffee bean is a true miracle bean, as it can develop different flavors depending on how it is processed and blended. From mild and flowery to fruity and spicy to nutty and caramel. Our focus is on the coffee beans and we don't want to steal the show with artificial flavors.
Flavored coffee: the magic behind the special aromas
How does the flavor get into the beans?
What are aromas and how do they get into coffee without adding anything? The word aroma comes from the Greek and could be translated as spice or fragrance. Today, we use this word to describe a chemical compound that is perceived through the sense of smell and taste. Many smells and tastes can be chemically recreated in the laboratory and ultimately used to flavour food.
However, good coffee has over 800 intrinsic aromas and is not dependent on additional flavorings. The chemical compounds of the intrinsic aromas are activated during the roasting process. Which aromas are present depends, among other things, on the cultivation methods, soil nutrients and weather conditions. The type of preparation also influences the taste.
Espresso too acidic or too bitter?
If an espresso is prepared correctly, it cannot be "too bitter" or "too acidic". In addition to the preparation criteria, every coffee bean also has its own aromas. So there are coffee lovers who prefer a slightly bitter or sour note. If an espresso packet is marked "fruity", you may well be able to taste a tart citrus aroma. With a bitter espresso, a bitter taste note must be expected. The aromas that are indicated as notes are intentional. Other notes include: mild, spicy, floral, nutty, sweet, etc. In addition to the intended flavor notes, there are factors in the production and preparation that make the espresso unintentionally bitter or sour. Whether fully automatic or Portafilter, this can be easily avoided with the right tips and tricks. Now you can find out what you can do to prevent an unintentionally bitter or sour taste.
One aspect that gives espresso a bitter note is excessive heat development during coffee preparation. If too much heat is generated during the grinding process, this can cause a bitter taste. We generally recommend a fine grind for espresso, but it should not be too fine, as this releases too many bitter substances from the espresso powder (you can find out more about coffee grinders in our blog post). However, it is also a matter of taste, as a lot of Robusta in the coffee blend also results in a slightly bitter note. The same applies to a strong roast, in which more bitter aromas are activated and acidity is reduced. If the coffee beans are ground too finely or if your espresso powder is exposed to the brewing water for too long, an excessive amount of bitter substances will be released from the espresso powder. This happens, for example, when you want to stretch an espresso to fill the cup. In terms of taste, we recommend a double espresso instead of a stretched espresso. If you don't want your "cup of coffee" to be quite so strong, you can add hot water to your espresso afterwards. This is then called Americano and is basically a 'cup of coffee' with reduced acidity. If you have a Portafilter at home, you can also use this technique to enjoy a 'cup of coffee'. In addition, the water should not be hotter than 94°C and the amount of espresso powder should always be adjusted to the amount of water used. A scale for espresso powder helps here. With regard to the ratio of espresso powder to water, we recommend a 1:2 ratio. This means that with 7 grams of espresso, you should end up with approx. 14 milliliters of espresso in your cup.
The acidic taste increases if the espresso is left to stand for too long after brewing. It is best to enjoy the espresso fresh. Another cause is too coarse a grind. If the espresso powder is not ground fine enough, it can happen that only the acids are washed out during brewing. This means that the bitter substances are not sufficiently dissolved and cannot balance out the acidity. The brewing pressure and brewing temperature should also be set correctly. The ideal brewing temperature for a portafilter machine is 93.5°C and the ideal brewing pressure is 4-6 bar. However, the pH value of the water itself can also influence the taste of the espresso. We recommend a pH value of 7.0. The good news is that if your tap water is too hard, there are various methods of softening it. The degree of roasting and the varieties can also provide information about the acidity contained. Some varieties naturally contain more fruit acids than others. Roasting, in turn, causes acids to be lost. A light roast ensures that the fruity taste is retained as much as possible. The opposite, so-called shock roasting, can also be problematic depending on the taste. This is because only the outer part of the bean is almost charred, with the roast not reaching the inside of the bean. This process therefore retains a large proportion of the fruit acids. In any case, you should always give an espresso packet several chances to rule out the "sour bean" phenomenon. These are defective beans that can occasionally get lost in a pack. If you find an espresso with such a bean, you will be surprised with an extremely disgusting taste. In this case, we recommend giving the espresso a second chance. Perhaps the next espresso will taste much better.
All taste factors at a glance
Here is an overview of all the flavor factors:
- Variety
- Grinding degree
- Heat development in the grinder
- Brewing temperature, brewing pressure, brewing time
- Powder/water ratio
- PH value of the water
- "sour bean"
Beans with five flavors
Ours is the perfect example of the variety of flavors of an espresso bean. Anyone who enjoys this espresso will experience a nutty, fruity firework of flavors with notes of chocolate, caramel and vanilla. This flavor composition is a true miracle of nature, as it is naturally contained in the beans. It is solely a matter of the inherent flavors of these espresso beans. The blend consists of 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta. It is an international pack with beans from Colombia Supreme, Ethiopia Djimma, Uganda, Kaapi Royale and Cerrado. With the right preparation, this espresso will spoil you with wonderful aromas.
You can order our sweet espresso from the comfort of your own home. Click here for our Espresso Dolce Gusto Cioccolato:
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