Here Are the Factors That Affect the Taste of Your Coffee

Alan Potts
3 min readSep 26, 2019

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Millions of people around the world like to take a hot cup of coffee in the morning. They do not drink this cup only for to wake their sense. In fact, they are also addicted to the rich taste of their coffee. In different parts of the world, people have different preferences as to which coffee they like more. Arabica is the common name that almost every coffee lover has heard at some point. The taste of coffee on your tongue is not dependent only on the coffee beans per se. There are a lot of other factors influencing the taste of your coffee. Let’s find out about them.

The Mix of Beans

You will be surprised to know that when you say the word “Arabica” it does not mean a particular type of bean. Within the Arabica category of coffee beans, you have many varieties. These varieties differ on the basis of the species of the plant as well as where the beans are grown. Even within a small region you can have a variety of Arabica coffee beans growing. These varieties are mixed with each other in different proportions to create different tastes of coffee. So, when you say you are drinking Arabica coffee, you are not really referring to a specific type of bean always. The proportions of the types of beans in the mixture decide the final taste of the coffee.

The Environment in Which the Beans Have Grown

You have to understand that even the same species of the coffee plant can taste differently based on which environment you grow it in. For example, the Arabica beans from brazil will taste completely differently from the coffee beans of the same type growing in Hawaii. Talking of Hawaii, one of the best coffees of the world is grown in Hawaii. It is called Kona coffee. It grows on the mountains of Hawaii in an environment that most other countries are not able to mimic, naturally or unnaturally.

When you talk about Hawaii, you have to mention Kona coffee, which is Arabica coffee beans growing on Mauna Loa Mountains and Hualalai peaks. The best thing about this coffee is the flavor it has to offer. It gives you a taste that you can’t get from any other beans in the world. Hawaii is rich with volcanic soil, and the wet conditions on the mountain slopes produce these tasty beans inside red cherry cladding that can’t be mimicked anywhere in the world.

However, how good your Kona coffee tastes depends on how real it is. Due to its popularity, many companies have tried to sell their non-kona coffee beans in the name of Kona coffee. However, if you are looking for something pure and 100% Kona, you have to refer to Greenwell Farms in Hawaii. These farms have been growing the best Kona coffee there is for not just decades but centuries.

The Roast of the Beans

Last but not least, the roast of the coffee beans gives it a good or bad taste. Keep in mind that even the best coffee beans can become tasteless or poorly tasting if the right roasting techniques are not incorporated. A lot of different types of roasts exist today. The type of roast is defined on the basis of the duration of roasting. When the coffee beans are roasted for the shortest amount of time, it is called a light roast. The strongest roast, which kind of makes the bean start looking like burned, is true French roast. The most famous roast around the world, which is also used in espresso machines, is the full or dark roast.

Last but not least, who makes the coffee also makes a difference. If someone prepares your coffee cup with love and affection, it is going to taste well even if the beans are not the best ones.

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Alan Potts
Alan Potts

Written by Alan Potts

We work with progressive organisations and we challenge them to step-up & realise their aspirations, both as individuals & as a business.

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