Coffee is known to inspire various senses within us. After Hrs takes you on a path of discovery

Very few things inspire devotion and passion, like coffee. We savour the sensations like the aroma, flavour and taste. But some of us miss out on the intense experience that coffee offers.

Cupping is a method coffee tasters use to evaluate a coffee’s characteristics. If you really want to learn more about the traits of different coffees, this is a great way to do it.

“Coffee cupping is for the adventurous. There’s so much more to coffee than its taste,” says George Williams, a coffee connoisseur who hosted a coffee cupping at Gloria Jean’s Coffees. “Coffee is meant to be slurped, not sipped. It is the acidity, aroma, body, flavour and finish that define your coffee,” he adds.

The fragrance of the coffee is its aroma. This is where we discover subtle differences like floral, nutty or fruityWhen you take a sip of coffee, you’ll feel a tingle in your palette and tongue. The acidity of your coffee is this dryness you feel at the beginning. Coffee without acidity would taste as flat as soda without fizz.

The heaviness or thickness reveals how rich your coffee is. It is also known as the body. This is the same difference you feel when you take a sip of water and whole milk in your mouth. Medium and dark coffee roast styles will have a heavier body than lighter roasted coffees. The overall perception of acidity, aroma and body decide the coffee’s flavour. It can be mild, smooth or bold. Indonesian and African coffee blends are known to be milder than South American coffees. All these characteristics are decided before they are grown and roasted.

Today, we cultivate just two types of coffee — Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is believed to have a stronger flavour and is the favourite of many coffee buffs. Robusta has a comparatively inferior quality. It is used by commercial coffee makers as they are much cheaper than Arabica.

So, grab a cup for yourself and judge your coffee, now that you’re a true coffee snob! 

Jalaja Ramanunni/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication