Know Your Java Jargon |
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We love our coffee. In fact, we love it so much that coffee is the most widely traded commodity next to oil. In fact, the consumption of coffee has reached about 400 billion cups a year, and the number is on the rise. Like every popular commodity, however, our beloved coffee has its share of controversies. Over the years, worldwide controversies have arisen over coffee. It has been called many expletives including "the drink of the devil", an evil brew and a beverage that causes men's impotence. On the other hand, literary masterpieces, national testaments and oratories have been created, medical advances have been made and huge business deals have changed the course of history, all over a cup of coffee. Of course, none of these advances were due to the coffee, but may well be indebted to it. But a coffee isn't just a coffee. The world loves it, for good reason. Good coffee requires careful preparation, much like wine. Dedication, specialized processes and cultivation are all required, although it is actually the antithesis to wine. Wine can help to relax the body and slow mental process. Coffee, on the other hand, calms the nerves rather than intoxicating the mind. Coffee stimulates the senses, while wine tends to dull them. A famous line says that "It cheers the spirit without making one mad." Like wine, coffee needs blending, brewing and various other preparations that go with excellent drinks. Coffee also has its own vocabulary of terms. If you wish to be truly familiar with coffee, here are some of the more notable terms to learn: Acidity Carrots and coffee have nearly the same pH. Acidity in coffee contributes to its special liveliness, color and brightness. Arabica There are two main types of coffee: Robusta and Arabica. Coffee Arabica contains less caffeine, but grows at altitudes of 3,500 to 7,000 feet, so it's harder to cultivate. This type of coffee is more expensive but has a superior full bodied taste as compared to Robusta. Bourbon is a variety of Arabica coffee that is grown in Africa. For some time, the cultivation of bourbon Arabica coffee was not seriously pursued, because although it has more character and taste, it does not yield as large a crop as the other Arabica varieties. However, our insatiable love affair with coffee has brought about increased cultivation and a rise in popularity. Blends of Coffee The art of blending coffee is much like an artist mixing colors on the palette. Coffee blenders use beans from various coffee-growing regions, and then mix them to craft a specialized flavor that cannot be achieved with coffee of single origin. Body or Feel Pertains to the "feel" of coffee in the mouth. The body of the coffee could feel light, delicate, thin, syrupy or buttery. Decaffeinated Coffee When the caffeine content of the coffee beans is minimized, it's called "decaffeinated" or "decaf" coffee. There are several processes that may be used to reduce the caffeine content in coffee including chemical, carbon dioxide and water system procedures. Regardless of the decaffeinating process used, efforts are always made to preserve the delicious natural flavors of the coffee bean. Coffee Grade Coffee beans are classified by their size and density. Premium coffee is the highest possible grade and it is sold at the highest price. Processing This term is used to describe the separation of the flesh from the coffee bean. Drying and washing are the two main methods of processing coffee. In drying the coffee, the beans or "cherries" are spread across the ground to dry out in the sun. Every day, the beans are raked several times to ensure even drying. After two or three weeks, the dried flesh cracks and the beans emerge. This type of dry processing produces an earthy flavor and a syrupy texture to your coffee. The washed processing is a method of cutting the skin off the coffee bean and allowing it to stand so that it ferments until the skin can be easily washed off with water. After that step, the beans are dried. This kind of processing sustains the natural flavors in the coffee. So now that you have a grasp of some of coffee's vocabulary, don't neglect to get your daily dose!
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