Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Throughout my numerous conversations with coffee drinkers, I always try to define what makes their cup of coffee taste better or worse. The answers are as diverse and as varied as the people with whom I talk. But usually those answers fall into one of several categories.

The first and most often cited is the origin of the green beans. This is also the most subjective of all criteria. A lot of people love coffee from Kona or perhaps from Jamaica, as they remember the wonderful cup of coffee they sipped in front of the ocean, hand in hand with their partner on their honeymoon. But if we can look past this clich?, it is indeed the most significant difference between a good cup and a bad cup, as coffee of different origins will taste different. As a result, it will please one palate more than another, because the different origins will offer a vast spectrum of smell, taste, acidity level, and earthiness.

The second criteria is the roast level, with people liking such and such brand because ?their beans are so dark and taste so rich.? Here again lie some misconceptions, as some people tell me that they favor dark roast because it is more potent, that it gives them more kick than a lighter roast, when actually the lighter roast has just as much, if not more caffeine.

The third most frequent response is acquired taste, where people have been drinking the same coffee every day for quite some time and so they get used to a particular taste, good or bad. In this case, any changes or variations from what they expect, will raise a red flag on their taste buds. You may notice in many small coffee shops patrons requesting a latt? by Joe or a mocha by Chris, ?she makes them so well.? This is the criteria which is often exploited by large chains who aim to sell a consistent taste even if it was obtained through the help of an automatic machine.

Personally, I think a good cup of coffee is one that respects the origin of the bean, showcasing the work of nature and the farmers. This is why when we roast coffee at Moschetti, we try to minimize the impact of the roast on the bean taste, utilizing slow roast profiles to get the maximum aroma development without overpowering the coffee. We have an authentic craftsman approach by roasting small batches, which we evaluate individually before and after roasting.

I almost forgot, the fourth most common response that I receive from people is about the quality of conversation they get in their local coffee shops, so go ahead and send me your comments and feedback on our coffees at Fabrice@moschetti.com.

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