Perfect coffee taste and health

Coffee as a taste experience - balance between acidity and bitterness

09/05/2014

Coffee is the Germans favorite drink. Excessive coffee consumption was considered unhealthy for a long time. The coffee damages the nerves, the cardiovascular system and deprives the body of fluid, so the widespread prejudices. In recent years, however, positive health effects of coffee have been increasingly demonstrated and with the triumph of the various variations in the preparation of the coffee consumption of the Germans has again increased significantly.

The morning cup of coffee is essential for many to start the day reasonably well-balanced. Most Germans still rely on filter coffee, but espresso, latte macchiato and cappuccino are also quickly prepared in many private households thanks to the fully automatic coffee machines and the coffee pads. Taking into account a few details, however, the preparation succeeds even better and the coffee becomes a true taste sensation, reports the news agency „dpa“ citing book author and coffee expert Thomas Schweiger, who was German Barista Champion in 2010 and 2012.

Germans drink more coffee than mineral water or beer
According to the news agency, the per capita consumption of coffee in Germany in 2013 was higher than that of mineral water and beer. The German Coffee Association has given the average consumption of 165 liters per person for the year 2013. Whether in the morning after getting up, at the meeting in the office or in the afternoon to cake - coffee is an integral part of everyday life for many Germans. But although they do not want to give up their coffee, consumers often do not really pay attention to the quality. Only with the selection of the right beans and the correct preparation, however, the true coffee enjoyment can be achieved, explained Schweiger.

Roasting gives the coffee its aroma
According to the coffee experts, for the taste experience „always, the balance between acidity and bitterness“, crucial. A vote can be made here on the degree of grinding. For example, with a fine grind, the water takes longer to flow through the coffee powder, which adds more flavor. However, a coarse degree of grinding means that the water flows faster through the coffee powder and less flavors are transported. „Less flavor means the coffee tastes more sour, more flavor makes it more bitter“, quotes the „dpa“ the coffee expert. According to the barista master, the coffee gets the aroma when roasting the beans. While ground green coffee would taste like tea after brewing, roasting adds to the special coffee taste, Stefan Richter from the Berlin Coffee Roasting Company added „dpa“Although green coffee brings different flavors with it (for example, earthy, nutty or fruity), but only when roasting the actual coffee aroma. „Roasters are not craftsmen, but artists“, Judge continues. Due to the duration of the heating and the temperature they give the beans the special aroma.

Filter coffee is extremely popular to this day
According to Richter, the current trend in coffee roasting tends to be towards lighter roasts in which the individual character of the type of coffee is more pronounced. Thus, the light roasts are fruity and more acidic than dark roasts. According to the expert, they offer themselves primarily for filter coffee. This is despite the success of new coffee variations to this day, the preferred variant of the Germans. The preparation is sufficient according to Schweiger „a porcelain handheld filter that stores the temperature, a kettle with temperature gauge and a coffee grinder to cook good coffee.“ For dosing, the expert explained that five to 6.5 grams of ground coffee per 100 milliliters of water are provided. The coffee powder is poured with hot (boiling point 92 to 96 degrees), but no more boiling water.

Proper storage of the coffee beans
When preparing the coffee in the home-based fully automatic much less details are to be considered, but also here the taste experience can be improved slightly if the beans used are stored properly, said Schweiger. The barista master recommends keeping beans or coffee powder in a cool, dry and dark place. Due to the relatively high humidity storage in the refrigerator is not suitable. When filling the fully automatic Schweiger advises to use only the daily requirement, since the beans would be stored in the machine near the heating element and this could cause a loss of flavor. The coffee expert also explained the peculiarities of preparing espresso. In this case, unlike filter coffee, the water is pressed through the coffee grounds with pressure. The espresso is practically a flavor concentrate. This also serves as the basis of the popular coffee variations such as cappuccino or latte macchiato, with the difference between the two drinks essentially being determined by the difference in milk content. Latte coffee, on the other hand, is not based on espresso, but on filter coffee mixed with milk.

Coffee consumption protects against heart attacks and strokes
Commenting on the health aspects of coffee consumption, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School (both in Boston, USA), the National University of Singapore and the National University Health System (both in Singapore ) have published a study, according to which coffee consumption has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system at quantities below nine cups per day. The heart attack and stroke risk is significantly reduced by the consumption of coffee, the researchers reported in the journal „Circulation“. (Fp)