the Science of Coffee

admin

Interesting article from a scientist on the perfect extraction: http://theconversation.com/the-perfect-cup-of-coffee-boils-down-to-four-factors-30208?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+27+October+2014+-+2021&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+27+October+2014+-+2021+CID_b9130b118d0a09ff56286c5d216124e2&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=The perfect cup of coffee boils down to four factors

One thing I'm not getting from the slightly 'academic' analysis here is any appreciation of what I would consider the most important thing - i.e. the freshness of the coffee itself... for instance if Turkish-style coffee is bitter, is that because "too many organic acids got through", or simply because the beans may not have been fresh in the first place??

thoughts?

Brett H

Yes... It's a hard thing to call because the writer is using taste descriptors where he should be using chemical compounds to describe the characteristics of the shot under certain conditions.  This is clearly done to make the article more accessible but at the cost of diluting the academic intent; thus, exposing the elephant in the room:  Ultimately the science of the perfect extraction is an academic pursuit and not an aesthetic one.  If asthetics were the aim of the article the beans and their journey would have to come first and foremost!

mycuppa

A. with some styles of coffee like Turkish coffee it is more about the raw bean and the way it was roasted. Generally speaking, Turkish coffees can use some of the cheapest and lowest grade Brazils that are then very lightly roasted ( read undeveloped). What your are tasting with some Turkish coffees is a rough or dirty cup combined with unbalanced acids.