Seasonal Flavor: A Coffee for Each Season

As we know, coffee can come in many different presentations, and some of them are more recommendable for each season.

Consuming seasonal foods/beverages is a trend that has been around since humans started exporting and importing ingredients. It stands to reason that food sourced locally and eaten in its harvest season is richer in flavor and higher in nutrients than imported or out of season food.

Seasonal produce has become the tongue-in-cheek subject of the culinary world of the 2.0 generation, this concept has been of course applied to the coffee industry as well as any other that offer seasonal produce, with a plethora of “seasonal blends” now being available.  

An interesting fact about this subject is that all coffee, by nature, is seasonal. Coffee is an equatorial crop and the harvest season occurs over a number of months and, varying from region to region, it can last from three to six months.

Dear That Coffee Roasters: What Makes Coffee In Season or Out of Season?

That Coffee Roasters says: coffee's seasonality is associated with the coffee beans harvest time. In turn, harvest times depend upon the region in which the coffee plant was grown. After harvest, it takes many weeks, sometimes even months, before the coffee makes its way to the US and is ready to be roasted. On the other hand, unroasted, green coffee can be stored for around one year under normal conditions.

Dear That Coffee Roasters: Is There an “Off Season” for Coffee?

That Coffee Roasters says: it should be noted that there’s a difference between “out of season” and “past-crop” on the matter of coffee, and we can understand how these two are often confused. In general terms, a coffee is considered “in season” if it has been harvested within the last six months. A coffee is denominated past-crop when it has been a full year since its harvest.

There’s a Brew for Each Season!

Fall and winter coffee flavors: as summer comes to an end, coffee lovers tastes move to comfort and sweet treats. It’s no wonder the most popular cappuccino at this time is none other than pumpkin spice, maybe with apple strudel, and cinnamon sticky bun on the side as the other top coffee flavors. Peppermint and gingerbread flavors go on their sales’ peak right after Halloween, and keep their popularity through the New Year. When New Year’s resolutions start, some lighter flavors (most of them with cinnamon) notes become more popular.

Spring and summer coffee flavors: around St. Patrick’s Day, coffee drinkers get into the spirit of the season with Irish crème flavored coffees, and come spring, expect fruit flavors to make their apparition on your coffee table. Blueberry cobbler is an exciting an interesting flavor combination that puts most consumers back in the mood for sunshine and the upcoming summer season. Mid-summer time is a perfect time to try brews like s’mores-flavored cappuccinos and reminisce about bonfires and the beach, as the magic of this seasons allows us to.

Voilá! Who would have known that the world of coffee could be so interesting? That’s why That Coffee Roasters brings a different perspective to our dear coffee lovers. Did you enjoy our article? Do you have any questions about it? Then follow us on our social networks and leave your comments and questions in the section below.

It's not only about taste; it's about presentation and combinations that match the season.

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

How to Taste Different Flavors in a Cup of Coffee

What do you look for in your cup?

Relax, we know how confusing talking about coffee can be. When people start talking about specialty coffee and how bold its body is or how acidic it tastes, all we can think about is: isn’t coffee just bitter and sometimes sweet if you add sugar? At first, we might be skeptical about how different coffee can actually be depending on its properties and origins, but once you learn to tell its nuances and qualities, a new world of flavors and contrasts will open up right in front of you.

So where do we begin? Is there a right way to drink coffee to better understand its characteristics? On today’s article, we’ll explore how we can train our senses to enjoy all that coffee truly has to offer.

The first thing you’ll need to do: forget about sugar and cream. We tend to add different ingredients to our coffee to make it sweeter, but they mask the best properties hidden behind coffee when it’s brewed pure. You’ll be able to sense more if you drink it simple and black. That’s how professionals do coffee cupping, which is the practice of tasting different brews to identify their different notes.

Exactly what will you be able to distinguish when you try it this way? Among others, you get to discover a new fragrance, aroma, sweetness, acidity, body and the aftertaste. Here’s how to find them in your cup of joe.

Fragrance perception

This part of the process is done with your dry coffee grounds, because it’s believed to be the most aromatic coffee form. Try to clear your mind and let your memories take over when smelling your grounds. This way, you’ll be able to tell if your coffee has fruity, floral or herbal notes. Once you’ve identified the predominant fragrance, you can even go further and try to specify its qualities. If it’s fruity, what kind of fruit do you smell? Is it citric like oranges or sweet peaches?

Aroma perception

This is the first time you’ll be mixing coffee with hot water, which will provoke the coffee aromas to arise. This part of the process depends heavily on how the coffee was roasted; you’ll be able to differentiate these three main categories: nutty-like notes, caramel-like notes and cocoa-like notes. The last two are typical of darker roasts and they’re perfect to take along with chocolate desserts. If, on the other hand, you sense a nutty-like aroma, then you can try to find descriptors such as almonds, peanuts or hazelnuts.

Sweetness

It’s time to taste coffee! Yes, you finally get to drink it. The first sips will let you know how sweet your coffee really is. It can actually come in different notes, such as candy-like, malty-like and fruity-like sweetness. Try to concentrate on how sweet your coffee tastes, so you can actually tell these notes apart from other coffee qualities.

Acidity

Acidity is one of the most popular qualities of coffee. Highly acidic coffees are usually light roasted and they’re perfect to accompany with fruity desserts like pies. You can tell the acidic grade of your coffee if your tongue starts to salivate once you start tasting it thoroughly. Possible descriptors include acid comparable to oranges or lemons and acid similar to green apples.

Body

We’ve reached the famous body. What are people talking about when they say coffee has a full body? It doesn’t describe too much about the taste as it does about the texture. Think about water and the way it feels inside your mouth. Now think about maple syrup, one is fuller than the other and feels heavier in your mouth, right? That’s the body of the drink! To identify this quality, take a sip and fake chew the coffee on your tongue. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does it feel heavy like syrup or honey?
• Does it feel rugged because of small coffee ground particles?
• Is there no real feeling and it’s actually more watery?

Aftertaste

You’ve sipped your coffee all the way through, what’s left? This part of the cupping process simply refers to how much aftertaste comes with the brew? Help yourself by inhaling a little bit of air and allowing yourself to feel if there’s a strong taste left behind or if it’s gone almost completely.

Once you learn to distinguish the tones and nuances of every cup, you’ll also be able to enjoy coffee like never before. At That Coffee Roasters, part of our daily routine involves cupping and identifying our roasts qualities. It’s complex but a wonderful process, and we’re always amazed at how much some processing and farming methods can change a single drink.

What are your favorite flavors?

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

How to Pick the Right Coffee Grinder for You

How to tell apart good coffee grinders from bad ones.

When it comes to coffee equipment, technology has made it a little confusing to actually pick what’s best for us. There are so many options and so many fancy gadgets that sometimes we feel like if we don’t get the best and newest tool, we’re not making a good investment. Now, most people brew ground coffee, but if you’d like to get into the world of specialty coffee and start playing with the possibilities that lie hidden behind every cup, then you should definitely start by grinding your own roasted coffee.

Why grind it when you can have it pre-ground?

Coffee is a product that’s always best consumed when fresh. The more recently-roasted the beans are, the better they’ll taste, because once the roasting is done, the beans immediately start to release aromas that can make a huge difference when it comes to flavor. On the other hand, if you want to immerse yourself into the world of coffee brewing and try different recipes and methods, then you most definitely need to have control over the grind size, since it needs to be perfect for your brewer and not too coarse or too fine.

Experimenting with different sizes will also allow you to manipulate your coffee’s flavor. But which grinder should you use then? On today’s article, we hope to shed some light on the alternatives so you can pick wisely and start having fun!

Blade vs. Burr

The first thing you need to know is that there are two main types: blade grinders and burr grinders. The former are, obviously, made of blades that slice coffee beans into multiple parts. The longer this kind of grinder is on, the finer your coffee will become. Some people advice to stick to burr grinders over blade ones, mainly because the later chops rather than grinds, which can result in an inconsistent grind. They also heat up the beans which can potentially change the flavor.

Burr grinders basically have two burrs, one that stays still and the other that is attached to a motor and rotates. Rather than chopping the beans, these types of grinders crush them and because the force of impact isn’t concentrated in one specific point, the final result tends to be more consistent. However, they tend to be more expensive and can use more energy. They can  be worth it though; a better grinder will make better coffee than most brewers will.

If you choose burr grinders, you can pick between flat blades and conical ones.  Conical grinders are known to be more precise as they can be adjusted by degrees. They’re also more expensive than flat blade grinders, since these only allow to set the disks together for finer grounds or further apart for coarser ones.

Besides all of the above, other things you need to consider are how often and how much will you grind. Once you’ve got your own coffee powder, you should be aware that it’ll go stale pretty quickly, so if you don’t need coffee in large quantities, then you should probably stick to smaller coffee grinders, especially since many of them are so big that they hardly fit countertop units.

Finally, the right choice for you will also depend on whether you tend to try different types of brews and coffee makers. If you like to go from a french press to an espresso, then you’ll need a grinder that allows you to set different settings for specific coffee machines.

The important thing is to have fun experimenting with beans and discovering how they can change and affect our cup of coffee. At That Coffee Roasters, we believe there are few things in life that say morning coffee as freshly grinded coffee. Those are the little details that make every day worth living to the fullest.

Have you ever ground your own coffee?

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Meet Some of the World’s Best Baristas in 2017

What does it take to be one of the best?

Every year since 2000, the best baristas from each country compete in the World Barista Championship. The premier competition, organized by World Coffee Events, was held this year in Seoul, South Korea, and it received the most talented people from around the globe to give a demonstration of the beautiful art of brewing coffee.

Six competitors faced each other in the Championship’s finals, on 12 November at Café Show in the South Korean capital. They presented 15-minute routines and served four espressos, four milk-based, and four signature beverages to a panel of four sensory judges. The results were in, and we’re here to meet the three best baristas from 2017!

Kapo Chiu

The third place in this year’s World Barista Championship belongs to Hong Kong representative, Kapo Chiu! He’s been participating since 2013 and earned the second place in 2014’s competition. Owner of his own roaster company, Cupping Room Coffee Roasters, Kapo Chiu “would love to see being a barista as being a sustainable long-term career for those who have passion in this industry, which would involve companies paying more, and providing a career path for coffee professionals.”

Coffee has always been a passion of his, but it wasn’t until recently that he started working full-time with it. He began as a home barista, visiting cafes, buying beans, and trying different brewing methods at home. Now he’s one of the best baristas in the world! Find more about his story following him on Instagram @kapoccino_.

Feeling great and proud of myself waking up this morning. Happy to be in #notgoodenough #butstillprettygreat club. 成績退步但心境進步 #worldbaristachampionship2017

Una publicación compartida de Kapo Chiu (@kapoccino_) el 13 de Nov de 2017 a la(s) 10:24 PST

Miki Suzuki

Second place was conquered by Japanese barista Miki Suzuki from Maruyama Coffee. She’s the most decorated Japanese barista and has won the first place three times before! She never expected to find herself making a living out of her love for coffee since she comes from a small town near Tokyo. But now she considers herself very fortunate to have made it this far.

“I’m so delighted to be a barista. The coffee industry has been life-changing for me. I have forged many important relationships with coffee producer, trainers, my teammates, and my customers. These experiences made me grow as a professional barista and helps me to appreciate coffee truly”, explains Suzuki. She thinks herself shy and never thought about joining competitions, but as her colleagues were all doing it, she dared, signed in, and has been very lucky ever since. Check her out on Instagram @mkszk57!

もう一度一緒にWBCに行きたいという夢を叶えてくれてありがとうごさまいます！ JBCに初めてでたときから誰よりも私以上に私のことを信じて励まし支えてくれてありがとうございます。 このトロフィー🏆は半分以上はミエさんのお陰です。私のヒーローです。 Thank you for amazing support for last 9years! It’s difficult to say in words what she gave and showed me.But I remember everything of her effort for me. Thanks a million MIE NAKAHARA. You are my hero.

Una publicación compartida de Miki Suzuki (@mkszk57) el 14 de Nov de 2017 a la(s) 3:35 PST

Dale Harris

Finally, British barista, Dale Harris, earned the first place, beating a total of 58 representatives from different countries. The first-time winner had been participating in the competition since 2009, slowly but steadily making his way to the top! “I’ve worked in coffee for a long while; competition has been a big part of my time in coffee but it’s also the excitement of new flavours, working with passionate people, and seeing how something seemingly simple can lead to incredible complexity – in the cup, economically—bringing lots of very different people and experiences together”, Harris said when asked to talk about himself and his work in the coffee industry.

The UK champion hosted the judges between two tables and provided service from both sides, even asking the judges not to watch him prepare the coffees. His routine focused on the connection between the flavors experienced in the cup, and the actions that shape them at the origin. Finally, Harris revealed his coffee and its roots towards the end of his presentation – an entirely washed 2L28 from Finca Las Brumas in El Salvador, and he explained the importance of context when it comes to an understanding the coffee’s value. You can follow Harris on Instagram @acostuiccoffee and learn more about his work!

🙃

Una publicación compartida de Dale Harris (@acousticcoffee) el 20 de Ago de 2017 a la(s) 10:53 PDT

Are you an aspiring barista? Or would you like to become one? It’s never too late! Reading the inspiring stories of these champions shows us that everybody started at the bottom and found success thanks to hard work, dedication, and passion! That’s precisely what moves us at That Coffee Roasters. Well, that and our daily cups to fuel our energies. Next year’s championship will take place in Amsterdam, are you signing in?

Sources: World Barista Championship, Sprudge

Become a barista and let the world know your talents.

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters