Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Barismo's 10 Reasons Why Coffee Doesn't Taste as Described

10. Water
9. Grind
8. Brew time
7. Temperature
6. Crop variance
5. Weather
4. Roaster error
3. Brew method
2. Age coffee gets old.
1. Personal palette

For details click this Barismo article from last week in which Jaime van Schyndel points out nicely why your coffee doesn't taste the way it's written on the label of your coffee bag.

For me the main reason is the fact some roasters are way out of line in their descriptions.
Take this example from a Stumptown (by the way a fantastic roaster, don't get me wrong) coffee, the Nicaragua Los Golondrinas COE. This one should taste like chamomile blossom -oh subtle and hard to find back-, grannie smith apple -possible-, apricot -also possible-, dutch chocolate -can someone tell me how Dutch chocolate tastes like ; I don't even think it exists! and do we talk milk or dark or very dark chocolate?- and black cherry -ok.
It better be this spectacular Mr Sorenson, at $60 a pound!!
I have to admit I'm eager to order a bag of this coffee, but wouldn't it be a big set back not finding back the tastes written on the label? Of course, then we can go back to the 10 reasons why ; that's the circle.

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