The Perfect Cup or Brew?

Okay, Coffee Lovers. If you’ve known me for a day or two, you have come to the conclusion that I am weird. I am weird and I think differently than most people and that’s okay… you will catch up soon (kidding… calm down).

Someone once asked me, “How do you make the perfect cup of coffee.”

I looked them in the eye and told them this truth: “The perfect cup of coffee is in the palate of the drinker. Some drink it black while some will sweeten their brew with sugar or other sweetener. Some will even add milk or cream. I knew one guy who would toss a shot of espresso into his Dr. Pepper. In short, achieving the perfect cup of coffee is a user dependent task.”

They looked at me as if I completely missed a target on a grenade range.

“No,” they stammered. “How do you make the perfect pot of coffee?”

Therein lays the problem: the English Language.

If you want the perfect cup of coffee, that is up to you. Add or take out whatever you want. It’s your taste buds, it’s your drink, and it’s your responsibility. And remember, it’s your morning buzz (or lack of buzz for the decaf crowd) don’t mess it up. But my take is this, if it takes you more than 3-words to order your coffee, you aren’t drinking coffee. You are drinking a coffee flavored beverage.

But if you are looking for the perfect “Brew”… well that is a different animal. Now let’s skin it together.

Part 1 - Different Roasts

Make sure you select a nicely roasted coffee that will help you meet your taste expectations. 

1.     Do you like the fruity and somewhat tangy flavor of coffee?  That sip that makes you wonder if someone put a bit of lemon in your cup. Or do you like the slightly floral notes of coffee that will please you during the slurp fest and then slap you with a caffeine jolt 20 minutes later? If so, you want a Light Roast. Light roast is the roast used at many competitions where they rate coffee almost like they categorize wines. It is a great taste, but one that definitely takes a refined palate to enjoy as a daily grind.

2.     Do you want a balanced and smooth flavor from your coffee?  Do you want a drink that has the full body of coffee that matches the aroma of the fresh ground beans? A coffee that sips fine and does not mess with your acid reflux? Well, Skippy, I recommend a Medium Roast. Most coffee drinkers fall in to this category and most roasters will use the medium roast to highlight their coffees.

3.     What if you like the bold and slightly smoky taste of coffee?  Sounds like you want the cowboy stuff. The coffee that will get your attention real quick and stick on your tongue until you eat the mint from your Sonic Meal… I recommend a Dark Roast. And I used to be anti-dark roast, but some of the growers tell me their beans hold up well with a darker roast and they preferred it for that particular bean.

This is only the first step in achieving coffee bliss. Stay Calm, Drink Coffee and tune in next time for Part 2 where we will discuss Different Grinds.