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Christmas Gift Guide

CHRISTMAS BLEND COFFEE & TEA

GIFTS UNDER £10
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      Assam Blend Tea

      Malty/Light Golden Liquor
      £9.00

       

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      Archetype Espresso

      Dark Chocolate/Hazelnut/Molasses
      £9.00

       

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      Chemex Mug

      White/Ceramic
      £15.00

       

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      Chemex Pin

      White & Blue
      £4.00

       

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      Chemex Tshirt

      White/Front and Back Logo
      £5.50

       

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      Breakfast Blend Tea

      Tippy/Balanced/Vigorous
      £9.00

       

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      Atkinsons Graffiti T-Shirt

      Grey Marl/Front and Back Logo
      £5.50

       

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      Archetype Espresso

      Dark Chocolate/Hazelnut/Molasses
      £9.00

       

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      Private: Granadilla

      Blueberry/Cinnamon/Caramel
      £12.00

       

Hoof Stout

Made with our very own Archetype Espresso the stout come from our friends Farm Yard Ales up the road at Cockerham. Expect a really full bodied stout with notes of chocolate and coffee.

Coffee Gin

Based in Fylde, West Lancashire, the guys at Black Powder Gin use our Archetype Espresso to create this liqueur-like gin with notes of caramel and hazelnut.

ACIDITY IN GREEN COFFEE

We often describe coffees grown at very high altitudes as bright, clean or crisp. Here, where the temperatures are cooler, plants have to work harder to take up nutrients from the soil. Coffee cherries also experience a slower maturation period, developing more sugars and more flavour complexity.

Soil and the coffee varieties grown in it also affect the level of acidity in coffee. Kenyan and Colombian coffees often have more acidity than say Indonesian coffees. The famous Kenyan SL-28 variety is renowned for its malic acidity and blackurrant notes.

Coffee which then undergoes fully washed processing also delivers more acidity. This method allows inherant floral and fruity qualities from the coffee's variety and growing conditions to shine through. Anaerobically fermented coffees also develop more acidity imparting a sparkling, sometimes sour, fermented acidity on the coffee.

ACIDITY IN ROASTED COFFEE

Acidity can also be manipulated during the roasting process. Generally, a short roast time will bring out more acidity and a long roast time will bring out more bitterness. This is because most acids degrade throughout the roasting process.
If we want to highlight some interesting acidity in a coffee we will aim for a short drying phase, the time it takes to get the coffee to first crack or Maillard (when the coffee starts to brown). After this we will aim for a shorter development time (the time between first crack and the end temperature).

There are around 30 different acids that can be found in roasted coffee. The most common are;

Chlorogenic acids


Most acids in roasted coffee are made up of chlorogenic acids. These are mainly responsible for the bright, zingy characteristics that are desirable when balanced in a coffee. Longer roast times will start to destroy these acids as their complex molecular structures start to break down.

Citric acid


Also found in citrus fruits like lemon, in coffee this is produced in the plant and degrades throughout the roasting process. This can be pleasant in small amounts but too much can make a coffee taste sour.

Malic Acid


This is a sweeter acidic taste associated with pears, peaches plums and commonly has a strong apple taste, making it easy to pick out when tasting coffee.

Acetic acid


This is the main acid in vinegar and can give an unpleasant fermented taste if too prominent in coffee. In small quantities, acetic acid can contribute to a lime note especially in lighter roasted coffees.

Quinic Acid


Quinic acid forms as chlorogenic acids decompose during roasting therefore these acids are more present in darker roasts. This will make your coffee taste bitter and is something you can taste when coffee has been left to stew on a hot plate. It is also present in old, stale coffee beans.

Phosphoric Acid


This acid is actually used in coke and tastes sweeter than most other acids found in coffee. When found coffee it even has a coke-like flavour and a mango or tropical fruit note.

Despite the presence of all these acids, their perception is often dampened due to more prominent flavour attributes like bitterness, sweetness, saltiness and a coffee’s body or mouthfeel.

ACIDITY IN BREWED COFFEE

Grind size, brew time, and brew temperature can also affect acidity. A finer grind, shorter brew time and higher water temperature will increase acidity.

When brewing some coffees it’s worth bearing this in mind; for example, a light roast Ethiopian might have a pleasant acidity that we might want to highlight.

The type of brew method used can also influence the perceived acidity. Metal filtration methods like cafetière, moka pot and especially espresso have the effect of dampening acidity. This is because the thicker mouthfeel of these methods, has the effect of masking acidity.

To get the most out a coffee with naturally more acidity we recommend brewing with a paper filter for a silkier mouthfeel and loads of flavour complexity. So if you've yet to be convinced by a coffee with more acidity maybe now's the time to give it another chance. Remember, acidity can add brightness, compliment sweetness and bring balance to some really amazing coffees.
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