A Handy Guide to Coffee Tasting

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Australians are notoriously picky when it comes to their daily coffee. But how many of us actually know how and why coffees can vary so much from place to place? Sure there's the skill of the barista, but it might be time to learn a bit more about the beans to inform our preferences.

Here's a handy guide to coffee tasting, from what aromas to look for to how to drink better coffee in general. You'll be hosting your own coffee cupping sessions at home in no time — something you can even do with the humble coffee pod.

Daniel Ruswick.

WHY DO A COFFEE TASTING?

Coffee cupping sessions are about educating people on the difference in beans. Where they're from, if they're single origin, how they're roasted and ground all contribute to a different product at the end of the line.

Sam Gibson co-owner of Back and Forth cafe attends quarterly cupping sessions with his supplier Gabriel coffee. "Coffee tastings are important to identify the profile of the coffee, where it's from and how it's roasted determines the flavours which inform our choices of what to serve." Back and Forth has a house blend then a monthly single origin coffee it grinds freshly and sells to customers. Cupping sessions are also available and gaining popularity at places like Campos in Newtown and Rueben Hills in Surry Hills.

DO'S AND DON'TS

Don't do anything silly like brush your teeth just before doing a tasting. Cleanse the palate with sparkling water, that's not too cold between tasting. Don't swallow the coffee, but do leave it and swill it around your mouth a bit before spitting it out. Don't add sugar.

When you're sipping, Gibson advises to take in a little bit of air with the mouthful, in the same way as when you're tasting wine. "It's really important as it gets the coffee to the back of the mouth and all over the tongue," he says.

Drew Coffman.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

"Aroma is really important and the first thing to be considered," says Gibson. Before tasting the coffee smell each one after the other and notice the difference. Then smell each one again just before you taste it. "Very roughly speaking the darker blends are better for milky coffees as they hold up with their more full bodied, bitter chocolatey characteristics."

Lighter blends tend to be a bit more earthy, floral and citrusy which suit black coffee. When tasting the coffee think about characteristics beyond the actual flavour profiles like body, acidity, complexity, mouth feel and finish. Try to think of words that describe the flavours you're tasting, such as grassy, earthy. chocolatey, sharp, delicate, bitter, bold etc.

COFFEE TASTING AT HOME

With the rise in popularity of portable espresso machines at home, so too are people developing tastes for their favourite beans and blends in the pods. Australian startup company Tripod Coffee sources single origin and blended regional beans, then roasts and vacuum sealed locally to retain freshness. It might be an idea to get one of their sample packs, which has all five varieties from their spicy, savoury, cedar style 'Grey Gaucho' to their raisiny, citrusy and coco bean-esque 'Blue Beret'. Otherwise getting a small pack of a few different beans from a cafe, having them freshly ground and serving them French press style side by side, is a surprisingly good way to compare the characteristics of the beans.

TIPS FOR DRINKING BETTER COFFEE

Adding sugar is a real no-no for coffee purists. But knowing what kind of bean suits the way you drink your coffee (black, espresso or flat white, for instance) can help you make an educated choice to bring out the best in your coffee. Never keep coffee in the freezer at home, but tightly sealed somewhere dry. The best thing you can do is invest in a grinder and grind small quantities of beans as you make your coffee. And try as much coffee as you can — shake it up.