A Beginners Guide to … Coffee with Grumpy Mule’s coffee expert Damian Blackburn
Like chocolate or wine, coffee is a crop that reveals its varietal characteristics and production techniques in its flavour. The two main varieties of coffee bean are Arabica and Robusta, and it’s safe to say that Robusta is best avoided if you are after anything more than a strong cup of muddy caffeine. The next step is to establish whether something is wet or dry processed. Dry processing leads to a heavier, sweeter and more complex flavour, whilst wet processed beans will generally be lighter and fruitier. The best way to taste coffee is via the “cupping” technique, which you can learn more about by clicking here…
Coffee expert Damian Blackburn has chosen three coffee varietals which clearly represent how different a cup of coffee can be to the untrained drinker:
Organic Sumatra is ideal for beginners, given its particularly smooth, full bodied characteristics with underlying herbal notes. It is grown in Northern Sumatra and is a semi-washed Arabica, meaning that some of the natural sweetness from the coffee fruit surrounding the bean comes through in the flavour. It has great character and depth of flavour make it ideally suited as an after-dinner coffee.
Kenya Gethumbwini on the other hand is an exciting fruit-filled, fully washed coffee from one of Africa’s finest estates north of Nairobi. Blackcurrants and grapefruits are balanced with a steely acidity. Fruity, citrusy and refreshingly clean tasting, it was one the only coffee to win 3 Stars in the “coffee for filter and cafetiere” category at 2009 Great Taste Awards
Colombia Las Delicias Lot 20 comes from a small farm producing big flavours. The notes of dark chocolate and caramel entwine with a crisp citrusy taste, leading to a clean sweet finish - very smooth and drinkable. This is a stimulating breakfast coffee.
Explore the world of coffees and learn more at www.grumpymule.co.uk
