Coffee Tasting

 

Anybody that has followed this page knows that I love coffee and visiting local coffee shops. One of my favorite shops to visit though has been Castle Coffee and their roastery Cornerstone where they take coffee to a new level in terms of fermentation, anaerobic coffees, and flavor profiles. This is not the cup of coffee that most people are used to, instead it is craft coffee. Recently I had the chance to do a coffee tasting with their owner and roaster where we tried the same coffee with 4 different brewing methods, and the taste and differences were amazing and eye opening. The coffee of the day was the Natural Honduras, a naturally fermented bean with notes of cherry, purple grape, and honey. The brewing methods were pour-over, Aeropress, immersion, and cupping.

The first method was using the Aeropress which I was not familiar with, but it uses a plunger and pressure to separate the steeped grounds from the end coffee. This produced a very well-rounded cup of coffee. The coffee had a decent body to it and the with a bright flavor of cherry and grape. What I enjoyed most about this brewing method though was the sweet and clean finish making it really easy to drink.

After the Aeropress the next brewing method was pour over, using the V60 which has ridges in the filter to allow for optimal extraction of flavor. This was the best way to follow the first since it created a totally different flavor profile and tasting experience. This sip had a sweet aroma, but the biggest difference was in the body. This way produced a very light bodied coffee with a bright acidity, and big flavors of fruit. The finish was still sweet, and clean. This had a more well-rounded flavor from aroma to finish and was delicious.

The next method was immersion which I learned was most like a French Press, but with a filter to eliminate any sediment. The result was a complex sip. This by far created the heaviest body of all the brewing methods and had the most mellow acidity. This was also the sweetest cup of coffee from aroma to finish, with a honey profile. Again, the finish was very clean, making for a great sip.

The last method was the one I was most looking forward to as it is the basis of all coffee tasting, and that is cupping. The most interesting part about this method is after the steeping and taking in the aroma. You use a spoon to push the grounds down, and breathe in at the same time. This created a very sweet aroma, more so than in any of the other methods. After separating as many grounds as possible you use the same spoon to slurp. The flavor was clean, bright, and light bodied creating complex flavors depending on where it hit your tongue.

So, after so much coffee the question is which one was my favorite? From a experience standpoint the most enjoyable was cupping as that is something would not do at home, but from a all around flavor standpoint I was most impressed with the pour over method. The light body, bright fruit flavors, and sweet finish made for me the most complex cup. In addition, this was a very eye opening, and informative experience. It is hard to believe that how you brew coffee can alter the result so much. Different aromas, flavor profiles, and even the body can change based on grind, and extraction time. Also, it gives you a different perspective on how much work, and the craft that goes into each cup of coffee. This was a experience I am grateful I got the chance to do, and if given the chance one I would do again.