Page 52 - Thirst Magazine Issue No. 3 Coffee & Tea
P. 52
WHAT IS SPECIALTY COFFEE
At this point, it is important to understand
what defines Specialty Coffee because what FERMENTATION
determines the quality of coffee is not the
type of beans, but the process. To be able to Fermentation at the right temperature is
trace the source of the beans from the time vital to preserve the character of green
they’re grown, processed, roasted and served beans. Either too much moisture or too
in the cup, and with careful separation such long in storage will cause the beans to
that only the best green beans are selected sprout, at this stage the nutrients in the
for roasting and brewing. Arabica, Robusta or
even Liberica beans, as long as it goes through bean would have been given to growing
this time consuming process, can be defined as the plant, losing their essence.
Specialty Coffee. STORAGE
THE MISCONCEPTION If stored in too dry an environment,
Liberica and Robusta beans are not sub- the fermentation process will be halted
standard. They can be of the same quality as before the flavours develop. When too
Arabica beans, but have been perceived as low moist, the beans will start to sprout. When
quality because of the lack of care by traders/ these poor quality beans end up at the
producers. Carefully handled and processed roaster, the unfavourable flavours of
Robusta and Liberica beans will produce coffee such as the greenness, the off and
a better coffee than poorly handled Arabica.
The coffee we have always had in Malaysia woody taste of the beans are carried over
has been roasted/toasted/fried with added into your cup of coffee.
sugar and margarine to conceal the bad taste USAGE
of the beans. There are a few stages that can
cause beans to lose its character. The original strong flavour character of
Liberica beans are ideal for adding into
coffee blends, giving a long lasting finish
to the coffee, which most of us describe
as “gao” (thick finish).
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