Beyond The Burlap
This section is dedicated to the coffee bean and what happens after it leaves the burlap bag—how we influence the taste in production and how you can brew a better cup of coffee. You will find topics of interest that will help you understand ‘coffee’ and how you can enjoy your coffee experience to the maximum extent possible.
The Basics — Roast, Body and Acidity
Basics of coffee drinking involve understanding the differences in the roast, body and the mystery of acidity.
First of all, let’s touch on the ROAST. The color of the roast, light, medium or dark creates confusion for the coffee drinker. Whether it's light or dark or anywhere in between, every coffee has a sweet spot. During the roasting process, our roaster performs each task manually—adjusting the heat as necessary throughout the roast to ensure the coffee maximizes its full potential.
A lighter roast tends to emphasize acidity and preserve many of the unique characteristics of the coffee. The darker the roast becomes, the sweetness from the acidity diminishes and is replaced by sweetness from sugars that caramelize during the roasting process. The nuances of the lighter roast will gradually disappear as the roast becomes darker which develop certain aspects of body.
If you like coffee with low acidity and darker, smoky flavors, your coffee preferences will be toward the darker spectrums of the roast. However, if you prefer the sweet, bright, nuanced coffees without the heavier flavor of the roast, then your preferences will be towards the lighter end.
As always, it comes down to personal preference. You may find that you like different levels of roast for different reasons.
Is the taste in your mouth delicate and light or is it heavier and fuller? In essence that is the BODY of the coffee that you are sensing. One web page description compared the feel of slim milk and whole milk in your mouth. The feeling of slim milk is lighter and thinner whereas whole milk feels fuller and thicker. They are both milk but yet you can taste or feel the differences in your mouth. The same applies to coffee. Either heavy or light is good or bad—the preference is yours and the sensations you derive when it enters your mouth.
ACIDITY refers to the sweet, tart sensation that your mouth feels is the acidity of the coffee. Acidity is most prevalent in Arabica coffee and those grown at a higher altitude. Coffee Acidity is the bright and dry taste that adds life to a coffee. Acidity is unmistakable in most Kenyan coffees and should be evident in any wet-processed coffees. Perceived acidity in coffee does not necessarily correlate to the pH of a coffee, but is believed to be the result of the acids present. The acidity of coffee is akin to the dry but bright sensation experienced on the back sides of your tongue while drinking a red wine.
Purchasing Coffee:
When buying coffee in today’s market place, one is confronted with multiple options. Do I purchase Specialty Coffee such as Martin Henry or do I go with the traditional coffees available in sealed containers containing brands of coffee our parents drank twenty years ago. Do I buy whole bean or ground? And what’s all this ‘talk’ I hear about Organic, Free Trade, and Bird Friendly? This segment of Beyond the Burlap will provide information which you can use to make your personal choice.
Let’s begin with the question of do I head on down to my local grocery store to purchase coffee or do I look either in the local area or online for a specialty coffee roaster? Commercial coffees typically found in major supermarkets are roasted and processed in large facilities where blends and roasts tend to be quite limited. Commercial coffee makers roast their coffee for a short period of time, about 8 or 9 minutes...it saves money...in labor, fuel, and only 10% to 14% of the weight is lost during roasting as compared to 18% to 25% for specialty roasters. Also, the soft beans of lesser-quality beans would burn up if left in the roaster longer. This is called a cinnamon roast for the color of the beans. The green flavors of the under-roasted beans predominate and the full flavor complexities are not developed. Commercial coffees typically use a blend of lower quality Arabica and Robusta beans. Aliases: light, half city, New England, institutional. Flavor: Light-bodied and somewhat sour, grassy, and snappy--blends and levels of roasting meeting the needs of the ‘masses’.
Ground commercial coffee purchased from a store shelf is typically ‘stale’ when you first open the container. Roasted whole beans purchased from a supermarket or other large box store are probably stale when you fist bring them home. If it has been two to three weeks since the beans were roasted, chances are they will be stale. Is the coffee drinkable? Certainly, but you are not getting the best tasting product that you deserve or paid for.
Martin Henry Coffee Roasters is considered a Specialty Coffee producer using only the finest coffee beans available. Our roasting is done in small batches using traditional methods and technology for the immediate day’s order. We adhere to the rule that only the freshest beans are sold to our customers. We encourage our customers to purchase whole beans for their personal use so the beans retain their full freshness and flavor while waiting to be consumed. Roasted whole beans will last for approximately two weeks when stored at room temperature.
As a coffee purchaser, specialty coffee producers will provide you with the freshest coffee possible—the choice though remains with you.
