For frequent cafe go-ers, how good our experience is at the cafe is very much determined by happy our tastebuds are after the meal. Besides the food and ambience, the coffee is a very integral part of a cafe and we are having increasing expectations for the coffee.
We often ask ourselves, what makes a good coffee? Sometimes it can be as simple as a “shiok” feeling after sipping on the cuppa, but for those who are still figuring out their preferences, we have prepared a guide on how to tell if your coffee is good.
We are doing away with all the lingos and bombastic terms, so the average coffee drinker like you and I can fully appreciate our coffee from now on!
1. FRAGRANCE
The very moment you are served your coffee, (I know you will take a picture first) put your nose near the coffee and take a deep sniff. There should be a nice and light coffee fragrance that brings a smile to your face.
2. TEMPERATURE
The coffee should be not too hot that it scalds, and not too cool that you feel like you can slurp it all down in a second. It has to be comfortable for immediate sipping but able to last the warmth for at least 30 minutes. The skilful barista will get this done perfect.
3. BODY
Simple way to understand Body – does your coffee taste like water? If it does, it probably doesn’t have sufficient body. The perfect coffee should have some viscocity and weight, and should roll on your tongue like velvet. If it leaves your tongue like you haven’t drank anything, you probably aren’t in luck that day.
4. TASTE
Now to the actual taste of the coffee. This is a bit more tricky and the actual verdict really depends on personal preferences. Easy way to tell if you like the coffee is if it is balanced in the sweetness (or, bitterness), roastiness and smoothness of the coffee. A general guideline is that, the coffee shouldn’t be too sour, too bitter or too dry you feel like you just drank some sawdust. Sometimes your taste bud is smarter than your brain, so you could tell right away whether the coffee is good the moment it contacts your tongue.
5. AFTERTASTE
After you swallow, do you have a icky bitter-sour taste that sticks to the back of your tongue and throat and doesn’t go away? You probably had a bad roast. The after taste can be mild and subtle, and that is exactly the amount you would like to keep you wanting more.
6. LATTE ART
If you have checked the above 5, the last that makes your cup the most perfect you can get, is the beautiful latte art made specially for you. We have a pool of talented baristas locally and we can almost expect to receive a beautiful pulled tulip, heart, or sometimes swan and other creative drawings in our coffee cup every time. Some of the cafes that do this best – La Ristrettos, Chock Full of Beans, Patisserie G and Penny University.
FIND THE RIGHT BLEND FOR YOURSELF!
We all have individual preferences for coffee and we have to try a few types to know what suit us best! The most common selections in a cafe are Cafe Latte, Cafe Mocha, Americano, Cappucino, and Flat White. Know how much milk, water and espresso you prefer in the mix and stick to your favourite to avoid disappointments! Personally, I really like Cafe Latte and I always add raw sugar for an added sweetness. What about you?
Is this how you judge your coffee? Tell us what other qualities matter in determining whether your coffee is good!
