“The problem with the caffeine is that, yes, it protects the plants, but it gives a bitter and dry aftertaste that lowers the quality of the coffee,” says Ivan. Arabica, meanwhile, is considered better quality as it contains less caffeine and, according to Ivan, “it has more fruitiness, sweetness and many more floral notes.” As a result, Arabica is considered the go-to speciality coffee, promising a more balanced, nuanced flavour.
In terms of origin, as a guideline, Ivan recommends looking to African coffee for fruity flavour profiles, Colombian coffee for a nuttier taste and Mexican coffee for milk chocolate notes.
Meanwhile, according to world-famous barista and bean expert, James Hoffmann, generally, a lighter roast will result in a more acidic coffee, while a darker roast will promise a more bitter flavour. Plus, he says, the longer a coffee is roasted, the fewer of coffee’s origin characteristics you will taste. Therefore, if you’re interested in a coffee’s complexities, don’t opt for a very dark roast.
In order to achieve a balanced flavour profile, how and when a coffee is ground is key. The fresher the grind, the better, as once ground, more of the coffee’s surface area is exposed to oxygen, resulting in a loss of flavour. The size it’s ground to is also crucial, responsible for the strength of your coffee, as well as achieving a balance between acidity, bitterness and sweetness, and extracting good body and flavour.
According to coffee experts at Perfect Daily Grind, espresso requires a fine grind, approximately 0.3mm in size, similar to fine granulated sugar. This fine grind increases the surface area, allowing for better flavour extraction. When in the coffee machine, the small, closely packed particles create pressure, slowing the water flow through the grinds and enhancing the extraction of flavours from the coffee
Still with me? Good. Speaking of water, Ivan says filtered is a must, while the Specialty Coffee Association says in order to get the best out of beans without burning them, water should be between 92°C and 96°C.
When it comes to crunch time, Ivan says, “The ideal recipe is 18g coffee to produce 36g espresso. This allows us to develop all the flavours present in our coffee bean and a silky and smooth body.” Extraction time is also critical, he continues, “Keep in mind how much bitterness and acidity you want in your cup. A quicker extraction time – around 25 seconds – will bring out more fruity and acidic flavours, while around 30 seconds will bring out more chocolatey notes and bitterness in your cup.”
When it comes to assessing the finished pour, according to Luke Thorpe, head of Wholesale at The Roasting Party, there are a few key indicators that you’re receiving a good or bad cup of coffee. “When we extract coffee, we want it to be balanced. If it’s under-extracted it will have too much acidity, which you will feel at the sides of your mouth. If it is over-extracted, there will be too much bitterness that sits on the back of your mouth – a delayed reaction that will give a very dry mouth feel. We want something which is nice and sweet right at the tip of the tongue with a nice equal acidity and a little bit of bitterness at the back. And finally, it needs to be a clean cup, if it doesn’t feel physically clean on the palette it means it’s not great coffee.”
