What are the elements of a high-quality cup of coffee?

With the continuous development of the third wave of coffee, more and more people are drinking coffee. But after drinking so many, which cup is of good quality? What should a cup of high-quality coffee taste like? Next, I will tell you several elements of high-quality coffee.

1. Balance: First of all, a cup of high-quality coffee must have a balance of sourness, sweetness, and bitterness, and be in harmony with the aroma. Too high acidity or too high bitterness is not good.

2. Mouthfeel . Compared to 'body', I think 'mouthfeel' is more appropriate. This can be understood in two parts, weight and texture. One is the coffee liquid of static coffee, such as the feeling of pressing the tongue, and the other is the coffee liquid of dynamic coffee, such as smoothness and roundness. There is no necessary connection between weight and texture. Coffee with high weight does not necessarily have good texture. A cup of good coffee must feel pleasant, comfortable, juicy, smooth and round in the mouth, while a bad cup of coffee will feel thin and dry in the mouth.

3. Sweetness . A cup of high-quality coffee must have a high sweetness. Both the roaster and the barista want to make the sweetness of the coffee optimal. Coffee itself is a kind of fruit. During the natural growth and photosynthesis process, it will produce glucose, which brings sweetness. The sweetness and sourness of coffee are naturally formed during the growth process of coffee.

4. Acidity , which can be divided into two parts: the quality of acid and its intensity. No one likes acetic acid, which is a sharp and irritating acid that makes people uncomfortable. The higher the intensity of such acid, the more annoying it is. Comfortable fruit acid is what everyone likes. Is there fruit acid in the coffee? Is there one or multiple fruit acids, such as citrus (lemon/orange/grapefruit), berries (blueberry/strawberry/raspberry), tropical fruits (passion fruit/kiwi) or stone fruits (peaches/cherries). Some beans I bought recently have more and more detailed descriptions of fruit acid, such as the acidity of raspberries or kiwis.

5. Flavor : How are the aroma and taste? Is the aroma rich and lasting? Does the taste have obvious characteristics of the producing area? How complex and layered is the taste?

6. Aftertaste refers to the feeling when there is no coffee liquid in the mouth. Is there a bitter taste in the mouth, or a little bit of sweet bitterness, and is it acceptable? Is there a lasting sweetness, and is the mouth comfortable and pleasant?

7. Overall impression : your subjective feeling about this cup of coffee, whether you like it or not. Everyone has their own preferences for coffee. This coffee is of good quality, but it may not be the type you like. However, it is undeniable that it is a cup of high-quality coffee. This is your overall subjective and objective evaluation of this cup of coffee.

Well, a cup of high-quality coffee will basically meet the above conditions. You can also try to consider these aspects when drinking coffee in the future. Slowly, you will understand coffee, taste coffee, and become a coffee expert.

Chongqing Bairest Coffee and Pastry Training Academy