Know Your ABCoffee

by Tres Angeles January 12, 2022

ABCoffee

A series about Coffee Culture

Welcome to our first episode in the series of ABCoffee! In each episode we will serve up everything you wanted to know about coffee culture.

Origin

ALTITUDE & COFFEE QUALITY

Higher altitudes are better for coffee. Arabica beans are typically grown above 1,000m (3,300ft) sea level. Robusta beans will thrive between sea level and 1,000m (3,300ft). The climate is generally cooler in higher altitudes, giving the cherry a longer ripening period. Too cold, however, is undesirable. Therefore, coffee is grown in the tropics.

Species

ARABICA

The most widely grown coffee species is the Arabica, followed by Robusta and Liberica. High-grade specialty coffees in the world are Arabica, offering a desirable range of flavor profiles enjoyed by coffee drinkers.

Growing

AGRONOMY

Agronomy is the science of producing plants by agriculture. Coffee farms will have agronomists providing guidance and direction on the growing and harvesting of coffee trees. Sunlight, rainfall, temperature and soil quality have a big impact on how coffee trees behave and the quality of fruit they produce. While weather and climate are out of the farmer's control, irrigation and harvesting techniques are applied to compensate.

Roasting

AGTRON SCALE

The Agtron scale is the reference scale for roast color classification. The scale measures the light reflected off the roasted coffee bean, from light to dark.

Brewing

AEROPRESS

Aeropress is a syringe-like tube using manual pressure to force the brewed coffee through a filter. Invented by the same Aerobie frisbee-inventor Alan Alder. The Aeropress is a versatile brewer, including fine grinds and strong brews. The World Aeropress Championship has been held since 2008.

AGITATE

Agitating increases coffee extraction for any brewing method. Agitation can be simply achieved with a stirring stick, or a gentle shake.

Tasting

ACIDITY

Acidity is typically described as "brightness" in coffee, lifting the coffee in your mouth and gives it structure. The perceived sweetness of coffee can be derived from, or elevated by, acidity.

Enjoy your next cup!

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