Text/Coffee Cheese

Coffee is a kind of fruit, and the coffee beans we commonly see are actually the seeds mentioned above. When the fruit is ripe, there is a layer of pectin on the outside of the seed, which is very sweet. Coffee beans will continue to absorb the substances in the pectin, which is also an important source of the sweet and sour fruit taste in coffee.

There are many factors that affect the fruity sweet and sour taste of coffee, such as geographical origin, processing methods, etc.

Producing area

Most of the higher quality Arabica coffee beans have a stronger acidity, such as those produced in Ethiopia, Panama, Kenya, Costa Rica, Guatemala, etc.

Processing

The same coffee beans can be processed in many different ways!

1. Sun exposure method

The most common processing method is to dry the processed green beans in the sun, so the processing cost is relatively low. This kind of naturally dried coffee beans has a strong fruity aroma, and the essence of the fruit slowly enters the coffee beans, which has a relatively high body.

The sun drying method also has some drawbacks. For example, the beans need to be shelled by machine first, which may damage the beans and increase the defect rate. Because the beans need to be dried naturally in the sun, the weather has a big impact on them. If you eat beans based on the weather, it is easy for mold to grow due to humidity.

2. Water washing method

The washed coffee beans are currently the mainstream method of processing coffee beans. The washed beans are dark green in color, with less damage to the beans and an overall intact appearance. Compared with the sun-drying method, the acidity is more prominent and the overall flavor is cleaner.

One kilogram of coffee berries will produce about 200 grams of green beans after washing. This process also consumes 2 to 10 kilograms of water, so it is not very suitable for some relatively water-scarce production areas in Africa.

3. Honey processing method

The purpose of honey processing is to increase the body and sweetness of coffee while controlling the acidity. Perfect honey processing will also make the coffee aroma more delicate.

Honey processing has certain risks. If it is not handled properly, it will have a acetic acid taste and a spicy aroma similar to onion and garlic. Generally, beans processed with honey have a slight earthy smell and relatively strong other flavors. So overall, honey processing operations have certain risks.

3. Baking Degree

The roasting process of coffee beans is also a process of balancing bitterness and sourness. The deeper the roasting, the less sour the coffee will be, and the bitterness will increase. When roasted to a certain degree, the carbonization of the coffee beans will gradually deepen, and the original characteristics of the coffee beans will gradually disappear. But this is not bad, because some people like the feeling of deep roasting. So the judgment of coffee beans still depends on your personal preference.

It is said that coffee should be drunk while it is hot, because when a cup of coffee is cold, the acidity in it will become particularly prominent, which is also an important reason why the coffee you drink is sour. So when the coffee you drink is sour, what do you think is the reason?

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