Three elements of a good cup of coffee – coffee bean variety, Menard reaction & brewing water

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There are three main elements that make up a cup of coffee:

Coffee Varieties

Caramel and Menard reaction

Minerals in Hard Water

Today we will take a closer look at these three reactions.

1. Innate flavor - coffee bean variety

Arabica-Origin: Brazil and Colombia

Arabica has a low caffeine content (0.8-1.4%), a high fat content, and a carbohydrate content that is about twice that of other varieties. Therefore, in summary, Arabica tastes sweeter and softer, with a bit of berry-like sourness and floral fruity aroma. In addition, Arabica has a low chlorogenic acid content (5.2-8%), so Arabica is more susceptible to pests and climate, bears less fruit and is slower, and is generally grown at higher altitudes.

Robusta-Origin: Vietnam, Africa and India

In comparison, it has a higher caffeine content (1.5-2.6%), lower fat and carbohydrate content, and a more bitter taste. Robusta has a higher chlorogenic acid content (7-10%), is less susceptible to pests and climate, has stronger beans, produces more fruits quickly, and is grown at a lower altitude. Today, due to improved planting technology, bean varieties are further subdivided into Java, Sumatra, and other varieties based on where they are grown.

Coffee beans have a variety of flavors due to changes in altitude, climate, and planting techniques.

2. Magic in Baking - Caramel and Meiner Reaction

The aroma of coffee comes from the fact that coffee beans themselves store a wealth of aroma precursors, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, organic acids, etc. After being heated and roasted, a series of complex reactions will be initiated to create an attractive aroma. The two most important reactions are caramelization (oxidation and browning of sugars) and Maillard reaction (reaction between amino acids and sugars). Both reactions require the participation of sugars, and the rich sugar content in raw beans provides the materials needed for these two reactions. Studies have also shown that the amount of sucrose present is positively correlated with the aroma of coffee beans. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Arabica has more sugar content than Robusta, which also proves why Arabica coffee beans have a better flavor.

Caramelization and Menard reaction each produce the following aromas:

- Caramelization: sweet, sour, bitter, fruity, butterscotch, caramel, nutty

-Menage reaction: savory, floral, nutty, chocolate, potato and earthy

The products of caramelization and Menardization are divided into two parts:

A. The dark brown color of coffee beans comes from the dehydration of sugar, which is caramel or sauce color.

B. The source of coffee bean aroma – lipid decomposition products, mainly some volatile aldehydes, ketones, and furans (small molecule odor substances).

Caramelization: sweet, sour, bitter, fruity, butterscotch, caramel, nutty

Menards reaction: savory, floral, nutty, chocolate, potato and earthy

However, if the caramelization is too much during the roasting process, it is not a good thing. Instead, it will cause carbonization, making the coffee bitter and dull. In addition, it should be noted that coffee beans are rich in fat, so if they are not stored properly, these fatty acids will be oxidized and cracked to produce an unpleasant oily smell, which will greatly reduce the flavor.

The Menard reaction during roasting gives coffee beans their unique aroma and flavor

3. The supporting role of brilliance - minerals in hard water

Water quality science is no longer just about H2O. Drinking water is a complex mixture that contains a variety of minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chlorine, etc.). Coffee beans affect more than 80% of the flavor of this cup of coffee (otherwise, how can we say it is coffee?), but the remaining 20%. Our research report points out that water quality has a significant difference in the flavor of coffee. This is because water carries these phenols, organic acids and other coffee substances. It is not just simply dissolved in water and then we drink it. This includes the chemical and physical changes of water science on coffee, which in turn affects the aroma, flavor, mellowness and other sensory factors.

However, water source control, quality control and other water quality indicators are not something that ordinary stores or enthusiasts can control. However, through scientific evidence and hard work, the above factors can be overcome, which is also the reason for the new wave of waves. Perfect beans need suitable water quality, and inferior beans need water quality that can stimulate their potential.

From green beans (race) → roasting (talent) → extraction, in this era of coffee bean explosion (race and talent are built-in for you), what we can choose is to pick the water quality (battlefield) that suits it. People should develop according to their talents and nature, and so do coffee beans. Beans of different tones require different water quality, and hardness of 20-300 ppm, ion concentration (potassium, magnesium, sodium, etc.), carbonate and sulfate groups are all variables.

As for the water quality corresponding to light and medium roasted coffee beans, light roasting requires a slightly lower water hardness of 60-250 ppm.

Medium and dark roasted beans require a higher hardness of 100-300 ppm to correspond to better extraction efficiency and taste.

The difference in water quality (hardness, minerals) may vary from region to region, thus creating coffee with regional characteristics. Correcting these differences scientifically and extracting the beans with the correct water quality is the perfect way to avoid wasting coffee beans!!

Coffee is not only loved by the public, but also internalized as a part of life culture. Under the wave of coffee revolution, the trend set off in recent years is to explore and analyze the flavor of coffee with precise scientific methods, driving the development of boutique coffee to the next generation!