Coffee Tasting, an Introduction

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by: ArcticAl
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Word Count: 466
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 Time: 7:48 PM
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Grown in over 80 countries, providing income for over 20 million workers, world coffee production is estimated at 110-120 million bags per year. With the US alone consuming over 400 million cups of coffee per day from a wide variety of sources from coffee shops through to vending machines, it's the second most traded commodity in the world.

As with all widely traded commodities, there is a variation in quality, taste and type of bean. Factors such as location, method of growing and harvesting as well as blend, can affect the cup of coffee produced at the end of the process. In addition to these factors there is a wealth of other choices to be made which will affect your drink, such as how the beans are roasted, ground and brewed. Producing a cup of coffee is certainly not as straightforward as it seems. Here is some interesting information you may want to consider the next time you order a drink from a coffee vending machine.

Rubiaceae is the name of the coffee family of which there are many species including: Arabica, Canephora and Liberica. The two types of coffee bean commonly used are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has a lovely aroma and sweet, acidic taste. The bean itself is flat, with rather sharper edges. It is more expensive than Robusta due to the increased cost of production. In contrast Robusta plants are hardier and more resistant to disease - they are however sensitive to drought. The beans, which are slightly bulb shaped, tend to make coffee that is stronger and higher in caffeine.

By mixing different origins and types of coffee beans, new tastes and flavours can be created. Settling on a favourite cup is a very personal choice which varies greatly, from those who prefer a cup from the office coffee vending to those who prefer to freshly grind their own beans. If you are one of those people, you have probably already participated in a coffee tasting event. Just as wine lovers and buyers "taste" before they purchase, so do coffee buyers. In the world of coffee this is called "cupping" - the final stage of the quality control process, as well as a popular way to evaluate the aroma and flavour profile of a blend. Professional cuppers can taste up to 600 cups per day. For those interested in cupping, the process usually follows the format below:

1. Cups of coffee are prepared by pouring water on top of coffee grounds
2. Using a flat, round spoon, the crust is broken and ground free coffee scooped up
3. The coffee is slurped from the spoon, allowing air to be incorporated so that coffee reaches all parts of the tongue
4. The coffee is then rolled around the mouth to increase smell and perception of body. It is then spat out.

About the Author

KLIX vending machines are easy to use and highly reliable. The Klix office vending machine serves over 1 billion drinks per year.