Train Your Palate to Discover the Best Roasts

July 29, 2020

From Medium.com:

Just like wine, coffee boasts dramatic variances in flavor.

The beans themselves hold unique clusters of flavor that can bring to mind anything from violets, to cranberries, to tomato soup, and discovery of these flavor profiles is a delicious adventure well worth taking. In this article, we’re starting with the basics! This simple process will give you a solid starting place.

 

1. Grab two kinds of coffee with flavors distinct from one another. The comparison approach will give you immediate context for what you’re tasting — instead of just ‘coffee,’ the two cups become ‘smokier’ and ‘more citrus.’ The options are endless — feel free to pick from different origins, different roasts, or different processing approaches. We recommend specialty coffees, and perhaps a light to medium/dark roast. Once a bean is roasted beyond dark, the flavor is almost entirely created by the roast, not the coffee itself. Moreover, low-quality coffees tend to lack the distinct flavors and vibrance of specialty coffees, so while you may be tasting accurately, it might not be worthwhile. Don’t forget to check freshness!

 

Find six more steps when you keep reading: 

https://medium.com/@1000HillsCoffee/7-steps-to-elevating-your-coffee-palate-763584d4c873

 

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