How to tell if your coffee is good

[missmarigold]

For frequent cafe go-ers, how good our experience is at the cafe is very much determined by how happy our tastebuds are after the meal. Besides the food and ambience, the coffee is a very integral part of a cafe and we are having increasing expectations for the coffee.

 

We often ask ourselves, what makes a good coffee? Sometimes it can be as simple as a “shiok” feeling after sipping on the cuppa, but for those who are still figuring out their preferences, we have prepared a guide on how to tell if your coffee is good.

We are doing away with all the lingos and bombastic terms, so the average coffee drinker like you and I can fully appreciate our coffee from now on!

1. FRAGRANCE

The very moment you are served your coffee, (I know you will take a picture first) put your nose near the coffee and take a deep sniff. There should be a nice and light coffee fragrance that brings a smile to your face.

2. TEMPERATURE

The coffee should be not too hot that it scalds, and not too cool that you feel like you can slurp it all down in a second. It has to be comfortable for immediate sipping but able to last the warmth for at least 30 minutes. The skilful barista will get this done perfect.

3. BODY

Simple way to understand Body - does your coffee taste like water? If it does, it probably doesn’t have sufficient body. The perfect coffee should have some viscocity and weight, and should roll on your tongue like velvet. If it leaves your tongue like you haven’t drank anything, you probably aren’t in luck that day.

4. TASTE

Now to the actual taste of the coffee. This is a bit more tricky and the actual verdict really depends on personal preferences. Easy way to tell if you like the coffee is if it is balanced in the sweetness (or, bitterness), roastiness and smoothness of the coffee. A general guideline is that, the coffee shouldn’t be too sour, too bitter or too dry you feel like you just drank some sawdust. Sometimes your taste bud is smarter than your brain, so you could tell right away whether the coffee is good the moment it contacts your tongue.

5. AFTERTASTE

After you swallow, do you have a icky bitter-sour taste that sticks to the back of your tongue and throat and doesn’t go away? You probably had a bad roast. The after taste can be mild and subtle, and that is exactly the amount you would like to keep you wanting more.

6. LATTE ART

If you have checked the above 5, the last that makes your cup the most perfect you can get, is the beautiful latte art made specially for you. We have a pool of talented baristas locally and we can almost expect to receive a beautiful pulled tulip, heart, or sometimes swan and other creative drawings in our coffee cup every time. Some of the cafes that do this best – La Ristrettos, Chock Full of Beans,Patisserie G and Penny University.

FIND THE RIGHT BLEND FOR YOURSELF!

We all have individual preferences for coffee and we have to try a few types to know what suit us best! The most common selections in a cafe are Cafe Latte, Cafe Mocha, Americano, Cappucino, and Flat White. Know how much milk, water and espresso you prefer in the mix and stick to your favourite to avoid disappointments! Personally, I really like Cafe Latte and I always add raw sugar for an added sweetness. What about you?

 

[Nostalgia]

Great guide.

 

Some trivia:

 

We've all been 'Starbucks'ed'. Starbucks serves Italian style coffee, but dumbs them down for the general population. If you walked into a cafe in Italy and asked for a 'latte', they'll serve you a glass of milk!

 

Caffe 'Americano' was created in the 40's during WWII. American soldiers frequenting cafes in France and Italy complained that the espresso was too strong, and it was watered down for them.

 

Espresso is meant to be drunk 10-15 seconds after brewing. The foam on top of cappuccino and macchiato drinks is meant to reduce the rate of oxidation and keep the espresso below warm for extended drinking. Macchiato has foam only and no milk, and cappuccino is supposed to be 1/3 foam, 1/3 milk, 1/3 espresso. If you're drinking a single-shot cappuccino from a large, full milky cup, the proportions are wrong, and you're drinking basically a foamed up caffe latte!

 

Milk drinks are meant to be an early morning/breakfast drink. If you asked for a cappuccino or caffe latte after a meal in a restaurant in Italy, the chef may come out to ask if he'd made a mistake preparing your meal, and if you had not eaten your fill!

 

Coffee is not all about espresso based drinks either, though I am partial to those and own a double-boiler espresso machine. Pour-over coffee is now huge. Read all about it here:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5759223/pour-over-coffee-is-an-intriguing-alternative-for-coffee-snobs

http://prima-coffee.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-pour-over-coffee-brewing

Edited April 21, 2014 by Nostalgia

[Nostalgia]

Finally, add all that pour-over info about roasting your own coffee, grinding, controlling the pour, etc, to this:

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/02/20/latest-coffee-trend-is-to-put-butter-in-your-coffee/

 

And THAT is why old kopitiam style kopi gau gau is the best! The ones from my youth when the kopitiam owner would roast the coffee with butter in a barrel early in the morning, pour-over from 'socks' on order, and serve them in those thick porcelain cups that absorb the oils and adds zing to every serving of coffee!

[Thaiyotakamli]

One only, price. If price expensive, your coffee bean more likely good

[Old-driver]

I have never liked `ang-moh' coffee; the 90-cents coffee-O from the coffee shop is what I need every morning

 

great aroma and taste

 

Perhaps i am just a old school cina man

[Tigerwoods]

I can only afford to drink 3-in-1 kopi sachet

Is that good coffee ?

[Cavver]

I have never liked `ang-moh' coffee; the 90-cents coffee-O from the coffee shop is what I need every morning

 

great aroma and taste

 

Perhaps i am just a old school cina man

 

 

Side note, the PRC chinese dun drink Coffee until the introduction of Starbucks .

[inlinesix]

 

 

Side note, the PRC chinese dun drink Coffee until the introduction of Starbucks .

 

PRC lim starbucks to look atas.

[Myxilplix]

At home it's now just nescafe gold 3-in-1 for me. Need kick just use 2 packets in one cup.

 

Outside it's plain black coffee, no milk no sugar.

[Salmon]

My first quick glance of your topic 'How to tell if your coffin is good'. Looks like I need a pair of reading glasses.

[Baal]

I can only afford to drink 3-in-1 kopi sachet

Is that good coffee ?

 

U 1 up liao.

 

Me is Buy 1 Bot of Nescafe Deluxe.

 

1 heap tease spoon coffee (no sugar, no milk/creamer) , add 1/4 hot water and 1/4 room temp water.

 

Repeat 4-6 times thoughout the day.

 

My bench mark for a good coffee.........must be able to alleviate or stave off the headache....

 

 

Side note, the PRC chinese dun drink Coffee until the introduction of Starbucks .

 

Huh, didnt know that.

 

PRC lim starbucks to look atas.

 

+ at home have a $4k+ , Lamborgini Coffee Machine. Gao Sark Kee, when have guest.

[Nostalgia]

One only, price. If price expensive, your coffee bean more likely good

 

Here's why it's not true:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/13/civet-coffee-cut-the-crap

 

From my perspective, origin (single source, blend, region, etc) affects the taste. Freshness of roasting is more important than price. Coffee roasted more than 1-2 weeks ago will start tasting different, adding a sour or bitter note. Finally, buy whole beans and grind them before brewing, rather than pre-packed, pre-ground coffee.

 

If you find a decent source of fresh roasted whole beans, it'll taste better than vacuum packed name-brand roasted weeks or months ago with a 2-year expiry date. This, by the way, is why I don't buy nespresso.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Nostalgia

[Thaiyotakamli]

I can only afford to drink 3-in-1 kopi sachet

Is that good coffee ?

I nvr brew coffee one, 3 in 1 coffee best for mr as its instant and easy to carry around when i go outside.

 

Whats your favourite brand?

 

I only consume old town white coffee original and the hazelnut. Other brands come no close with this coffee.

Best coffee ever, better than starbucks, coffee bean or pacific coffee

[Atonchia]

How to tell?

 

Look at it for the colour and clarity

Sniff it for aroma, any secondary scent like, flora / fruits scent

Taste it.....without and sugar or milk to find out the level of acidity and the body of the coffee.

 

If one doesn't cringe the face and feel satisfied, then it's good coffee, doesn't matter the price, the origin, roaster, and the type of coffee and the brewer.

 

If you want to go back for another cup the following day, then it's good coffee.

[Tigerwoods]

I nvr brew coffee one, 3 in 1 coffee best for mr as its instant and easy to carry around when i go outside.

 

Whats your favourite brand?

 

I only consume old town white coffee original and the hazelnut. Other brands come no close with this coffee.

Best coffee ever, better than starbucks, coffee bean or pacific coffee

Good morning!

Here it is. I try different brands all the time, no fix one.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Tigerwoods

[Ender]

Not a coffee drinker to begin with, but I ended up with a nespresso and a CBTL machine. This happened when I experienced some short term memory loss and read it somewhere that coffees slows rate of brain cells deteriorating.

[Tohto]

I have never liked `ang-moh' coffee; the 90-cents coffee-O from the coffee shop is what I need every morning

 

great aroma and taste

 

Perhaps i am just a old school cina man

 

Cina man don't drink coffee, they drink tea.

 

Coffee shop kopi-O are for true Singaporean.

[Old-driver]

Cina man don't drink coffee, they drink tea.

 

Coffee shop kopi-O are for true Singaporean.

 

Paiseh... didnt express myself clearly. I am a local chinese guy and have been drinking kopi tiam coffee for the past 40 over years

 

Never like the sourly taste of starbucks coffee