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The World of Coffee
As an employee in a famous coffee shop, my responsibility is to identify the characteristics of the coffees. The passion
of my store is to excite and inspire our customers to enjoy the finest quality and products that we offer. Therefore, I want
to introduce you to the world of coffee by telling you about coffee trees and the coffee- growing regions. You may say coffee
is coffee no matter what because it all has the same taste. Well, the taste is not the same, because the taste depends upon
where the coffee comes from. A good understanding of coffee doesn't happen overnight. You have to taste it regularly to build
your tasting ability.
First of all, coffee trees grow in the equatorial band between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The fruit of the coffee
tree is referred to as a coffee cherry. Coffee trees are indigenous to Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula; they were transplanted
to Indonesia by the Dutch and other parts of the world by explorers, merchants, and smugglers.
Coffee trees generally blossom or flower once a year. Once these jasmine-scented flowers fall off the coffee tree, small
cherry clusters form, which leads to a fully mature, ripe, red, coffee cherry. Roughly five pounds of coffee cherries are
required to produce one pound of green coffee.
Now that I've told you about the trees, let me explain the three primary coffee regions, each distinct in its landscape,
its climate, and in the flavor.
The first region is Latin America, which includes Mexico and countries in Central America and South America. The coffees
of Latin America evoke images of misty volcanic peaks and the coffees are often referred to as "washed coffees" in the industry
and are normally processed using fermentation to develop flavor. Latin American coffees are unique because of crisp acidity
and consistent quality which makes them ideal for use in blends.
The second is Africa / Arabia, home of some of the world's most exotic coffee flavors with a high standard of quality. These
coffees have unique characteristics of citrus, exotic spice and berry notes.
Last, but not least, is the Asia Pacific Region that includes the Indonesia archipelago, East Timor, South Asia and Papua
New Guinea. This vast region has a wide range of climates, and topographies, which makes coffee a full-bodied character with
spiciness and herbal aromas.
Remember to be able to taste the coffee, you have to practice the two steps of coffee tasting. Smell your coffee by cupping
your hand over your coffee mug and inhale deeply. Then the next step to follow is to slurp because by doing this, you spray
the coffee across your palate, which enables the subtle flavors and aromas to reach all the tasting zones in your tongue.
After all this quick process, locate the experience on your tongue and ask yourself: What is the mouth's feel of the coffee?
Where is the weight of the coffee in my tongue? If you still don't know the answer, you may need to recognize the coffee taste
characteristics which are going to help you to have a clear definition of the coffee. These characteristics are aroma, acidity,
body and flavor.
Aroma refers to the way the coffee smells, and some examples are earthy, spicy, floral and nutty. The second characteristic
is acidity which it can be high and low. Coffees with high acidity are described as bright, tangy and crisp with a clean finish,
and coffees with low acidity feel smooth in your mouth. The third characteristic is body, and this is when a coffee with light
body feels light in your tongue or when the coffee is full-bodied and its flavor will remain in your mouth for a while. Finally,
the fourth characteristic is about flavor that can be registered in different parts in your mouth -- citrus, cocoa, and spicey
are just a few of the flavors.
I hope that with all this helpful information, your next experience with coffee will be something really exceptional. Practice,
and you will discover the real taste of coffee. It was a pleasure to take you to the world of coffee.
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