Everything you needed to know about coffee blends
Isn’t it amazing that the taste of coffee differs depending on where it was grown and how it is taken care of? The journey of every bean to your cup makes every sip all the more special and that’s just a single-origin coffee. Imagine how much more amazing your coffee can be if you combine different blends to achieve a new and unique flavour!
Here at South Philly Barbacoa, we will show you the wonders of coffee blends to let you explore new flavours and discover a new and authentic way to enjoy your coffee. Prepare to rediscover your love for coffee and read the article below:
Different types of coffee beans
If you want to have an in-depth understanding of coffee brews, you need to start with single-origin beans and how they differ from one another. Below, we will introduce you to the different beans and what makes them unique:
Arabica
This is considered one of the most popular types of coffee since it has a taste that easily accommodates any condiment. Even on its own, arabica has a noticeably sweet and complex taste that you would want to savour with every sip.
Additionally, arabica doesn’t have as much caffeine content as robusta and thus, it won’t keep you feeling hyper-aware of your surroundings. It’s coffee with all the fun and none of the consequences.
Robusta
Next to arabica is robusta, which has a stronger taste than arabica. Despite having a richer flavour, this coffee is cheaper in the market. Since robusta has a rather bitter taste, it is typically used for espresso shots as well as instant coffees. The flavour and the caffeine content of robusta will give you that sudden boost of energy that you need to start your day!
Liberica
Liberica is a rare coffee since it is only grown in specific climates. The production of this bean is scarce, which makes it difficult to scale an operation, which prevents the farmers from satisfying a global demand.
However, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a liberica coffee, you will find that it is a treat worth all the effort. Its taste has a somewhat fruity and flowery flavour combined with a woody aftertaste.
Near the end of the nineteenth century, there was a plant disease that killed almost all arabica plants across the world and since coffee is an important commodity, farmers are quick to find a replacement.
The first country to produce, harvest and sell liberica in huge quantities is the Philippines and since then, the nation saw growth in its economy. During this time, the Philippines was still under the governance of the US. With the economy getting better, the Philippines decided to demand independence and the US promptly cut off the supplies to the country to deny them the freedom they seek.
This act by the US caused the downfall of the liberica coffee since there is no other nation in the world that could produce the bean quite as well as the Philippines.
Excelsa
Excelsa coffee is a member of the liberica family of coffee. It is grown primarily in Southeast Asian countries and only represents a small fraction of the coffee production in the world. What’s wonderful about this coffee is that it has a beautiful tart and fruity flavour that is both light and dark at the same time. The unique profile of this coffee makes it one of the most sought-after beans in the world despite the low production rate.
Different types of coffee drinks
Affogato, black coffee, latte. It’s crazy how many things you can do with coffee! There are so many ways to enjoy your coffee and it excites us to introduce you to them below:
Black
Get that pure, strong and bold taste you are looking for with a cup of black coffee. This drink is the simplest in the book since it only requires you to steep your beans in hot water and let the coffee press do its work in letting your drink drip down to your cup.
Since this coffee is plain with no other condiments like milk or sugar, you can enjoy a bolder and fuller taste while savouring the unique flavour of each bean. If you want to sound fancy with your black coffee order, you can always ask your barista for a coffee noir!
Latte
Latte is a popular drink choice since it gives the drinker a blend of sweetness and bold taste. This kind of drink is made with steamed milk poured over a shot or two of espresso. To level down the heat of the coffee, it is served with just a touch of foam.
The best thing about latte is that you can add flavours to it to give your cup a fun twist. You can give your latte a shot of vanilla, strawberry or even pumpkin spice.
Cappuccino
Cappuccino is almost the same as a latte, except it has more foam than steamed milk. Additionally, it is often topped with a sprinkle of cocos or cinnamon, giving it a slight hint of woody flavour.
If you are into sweets, you can find a variation of cappuccino made with cream instead of milk. There are even shops that serve cappuccinos with flavour shots to level up your drink!
Americano
Americano is the same thing as black coffee. However, instead of steeping the ground coffee in hot water, you create a pure and thick shot of espresso and pour it over hot water. You can add your favourite condiments to your drink to help it fit your taste or you can power through the strong flavour and enjoy the unique taste of your chosen bean!
Espresso
Espresso is a pure coffee and often has the strongest and boldest flavour among the different types of coffee drinks. If your goal is to stay awake, then you can drink this as a solo. However, if you want to enjoy your cup, you can use it as a foundation of your coffee drink and combine it with different elements such as milk, sugar and flavour shots.
Doppio
Doppio is simply a double shot of espresso that would surely give you a pep to your walk should you dry it on its own.
Cortado
If you are looking for a balanced taste in your coffee, a cortado is a solution to your problem. This coffee is a perfect balance of steamed milk and espresso. The milk in the mix perfectly cuts out the acidity and strong taste of espresso making it less like a shot and more like a drink you can enjoy.
Red eye
Red eye is named after a midnight flight where you still feel the cusp of sleep dragging you back to bed. This drink is made with a full cup of americano combined with a shot of espresso. A sip is sure to make your heart race and give you the energy to go through your day.
Galao
This drink originated in Portugal and is closely related to cappuccino and latte. What makes it different though is that it has twice as much milk as your regular cappuccino making it feel lighter and creamier than the aforementioned two.
Lungo
Lungo is your typical long-pull espresso. Long-pull is used to describe how much caffeine is in a drink. The longer the pull, the higher the caffeine level. Be careful not to have too much or you will be awake for the whole day!
Macchiato
Macchiato is an espresso-based drink made with a small amount of foam on top. This drink can be likened to a cappuccino but with more kick in its flavour and caffeine dosage.
Mocha
If you like chocolate, then you are going to love this drink. Mocha is an espresso drink made with chocolate, steamed milk and foam. The chocolate flavour adds a sweet note to the drink that you would appreciate as you lounge around in your day.
Ristretto
Ristretto is just like an espresso shot except it is made with slightly less warm water to create a sweeter flavour compared to the string and bitter espresso.
Flat white
Flat white is a popular Aussie drink that is just a cappuccino without the milk foam and chocolate sprinkles. This is perfect for those who don’t enjoy sweet coffee but appreciate a toned-down espresso shot.
Affogato
Affogato is a famous Italian drink made with a scoop of your preferred ice cream flavour. To create this drink, you pour a shot of espresso into your ice cream creating a sweet and delicious dessert.
Cafe au lait
Cafe au lait is a coffee for those who enjoy a minimalist taste in their drink. This is made with a splash of milk on your usual americano and that’s it!