Once you've acquired a coffee grinder, the gateway to a new world of coffee flavours opens. It's among the bags of whole coffee beans that you can get to know the nuances created when the coffee's location, botanical species and processing method meet. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the variable "location" to help you navigate your way to the coffee country or continent that suits your palate.
Does the origin of the coffee affect the flavour?
Yes, absolutely!
Coffee grown on one particular farm can taste very different from its neighbour's crop. Nevertheless, at a general level, we can say something about the flavours that are typical of coffee from specific countries and regions. This is of course linked to similar growing conditions, climate and soil. However, the most important factor is the cultivation culture in the area, which influences which species are grown and the production techniques used. This means that by buy whole coffee beans from specific regions (stedsegen/single origin) and farms (gårdsegen/single estate) may have some idea of what flavours you can expect from the coffee. In this guide, we've outlined the flavours commonly associated with coffee from the major coffee regions. That way, you can more easily navigate your way to the area that offers coffee beans that suit your palate.
The flavour of coffee beans from Brazil
It's natural to place Brazil in a flavour category of its own. The country is by far the largest coffee producing country and accounts for one third of the world's coffee production. At the same time, coffee from the country has become known for its distinctive flavour profile.
Brazilian coffees tend to be low in bitterness and acidity, but are characterised by a lot of delicious fruit sweetness. Nougat, nuts and chocolate are common flavour references and have ensured that the coffee has such broad appeal.
The flavour is partly a consequence of the most popular processing methods in the country: natural and pulped natural. Because the coffee is dried with the pulp intact (to a greater or lesser extent), more of the sweetness from the ripe coffee berry is transferred to the beans.
The flavour of coffee beans from Africa
It would be easy to dedicate separate sections to several coffee countries in Africa, but there are a number of common characteristics that make it possible to gather coffee from the continent under one umbrella. The most obvious common denominator is flavour references to berries and fresh fruit. Here, coffee powerhouse Kenya is an obvious example. The best representatives of Kenyan coffee offer a juicy mouthfeel with intense flavours of fresh berries, often blackcurrants, as a recurring theme.
Coffee beans from the coffee's homeland, Ethiopia, share a number of qualities with Kenya, but the flavour references differ. Where Kenyan freshness is often associated with darker berries, the freshness of Ethiopian coffee is more comparable to citrus fruits and bright berries. Bergamot, the citrus fruit best known for adding flavour to Earl Grey, is a frequent reference. Ethiopian coffee at its best is luscious, elegant and floral with good freshness and balanced sweetness.
If you like the taste of what you're reading, try coffee beans from Tade; a premium Ethiopian with a floral aroma and sweet citrus, honey and bergamot flavours.
The flavour of coffee beans from Central America, Colombia and Peru
It's a big coffee barrel to fill, but there are several similarities between coffees from many Central and South American countries. The most important common denominator is the perfect balance that can be found in a well-cared-for coffee from the region.
Caturra and bourbon are common features on the coffee trees of the best farms, two quality varieties that offer balanced fruit sweetness with references to chocolate, caramel, sweet berries and stone fruits.
With velvety smooth and rounded mouthfeel, pleasant sweetness and balanced freshness, it's not hard to imagine that coffee from these countries has broad appeal.
The flavour of coffee beans from Asia and Oceania
Coffee from Asia can be many things, but it's primarily India and Indonesia that have put the continent on the coffee map in this country. Well-cared-for coffees from these countries share many qualities with coffee beans from Central America, but there are some differences that set them apart from their counterparts on the other side of the Pacific.
The flavour profile tends to be sweet, with references to chocolate, nuts and tobacco. Combined with a rich and full-bodied mouthfeel, this has made Indian and Indonesian coffees popular features in Norwegian cups.
It is common to roast coffees from these countries somewhat darker, which contributes to more caramelised sweetness and slightly more bitterness than is common in, for example, Central American coffees.
If you like the taste of what you're reading, try coffee beans from Merthi Mountain in India; a classic Indian coffee with a rich flavour of cocoa chocolate and sweet hazelnuts.
The secrets of the coffee grinder: In a freshly roasted coffee bean, there are more than a thousand flavours and aromas waiting to be released when it meets hot water. Here you'll find out why the flavours are preserved by grinding the coffee just before brewing, what type of grinder gives the best results and why the choice of grinding degree is so important. Read more here
