 Once you have a good understanding of the flavor profiles characteristic of the three major coffee growing regions, and practice comparative tastings regularly, you can get crazy and do impressive things like tasting blind. You can be like Frasier and Niles in a wine tasting - spouting off erudite terms like "round and unassuming." Although, coffee connoisseurs do tend to lack pretension and probably wouldn't be caught dead making such sissy statements. But nonetheless, with a little practice you can impress others with your new-found coffee knowledge. Three Major Growing Regions Latin America - Latin American coffees tend to have a bright, clean acidity with an inherent sweetness. Also typical of these coffees, are hints of spice. I'm not a big Latin American coffee fan because of the liveliness, but everyone's palate is different. Although, I do enjoy Guatemalan coffee with its tasty hints of chocolate. Africa and Arabia - Coffees from Africa and Arabia are floral, fruity and sweet. They can have flavors reminiscent of wine, which is often referred to as "winy." These coffees can also be quite mellow. There tends to be citrus notes, and the acidity can sometimes be pungent. Pacific - I'm partial to coffees from the Pacific due to their inherent smoothness and earthy and nutty flavors. I also love the richness and full-body characteristic of Pacific coffees. The last posting in the coffee tasting series will be all about the best vehicles for tasting. Stay tuned. The Art of Tasting Coffee - Part 1: Like a Fine Wine The Art of Tasting Coffee - Part 2: It Doesn't All Have to Taste Like Mud Add Comment  Upon arrival at Spring for Coffee in the downtown Los Angeles Arts District I was a little taken back. I wasn't expecting it to be such a small space, but when I went inside I found it to be adorable. They didn't let the size of the shop deter them from doing some bold decorating. With an opulent chandelier hovering above and playful prints of movie cameras, the atmosphere felt jovial and lighthearted. After checking out their website, I was drawn to Spring for Coffee because they offered coffees from companies like Equator and Intelligentsia. These Companies have strong coffee ethos and equate coffee to a fine wine. They are cognizant of their responsibilities to the environment and to the coffee farming communities. I was also impressed by the videos Spring for Coffee has on their site that cover things like coffee art, the cupping method, roasting coffee, etc. I was elated to find that they had traditional cappuccinos (A cappuccino on a smaller scale that is prominent in Europe) on the menu. The traditional cappuccino is not easy to make, it requires the barista to steam and free-pour a very small, yet perfectly proportionate amount of milk and foam. I promptly ordered one from an amiable barista named Alex. I chatted with Alex as he made my drink. I asked him if they did latte art. With a doleful look on his face, he told me that they tried, but didn't really know how to do anything fancy. His face then broke into a smile as he informed me that they were going through an extensive coffee training program and would become certified baristas later in the fall. This will transform them into confident latte artists. Alex started telling me about his friend who is a barista at a coffee shop down the street. He busted out his phone with apparent fervor and started showing me pictures of his friend's latte art.  I took a look around the store for clear signs of coffee connoisseurship, and sure enough, it was right under my nose. The glass of the chemex brewers glistened on the counter and the gold filters nestled in white holders shimmered intensely - at least in my eyes. It made me especially happy to know that no paper filters were being used, because for God sakes, no one wants a pulpy, papery taste in their coffee. This is how it should be in all coffee shops: nothing but pristine, untainted coffee. It's a beautiful concept. As I gawked at the chemex filters, many customers came and went. The little coffee shop is quite popular. It's good to know the locals have taste.  After saying goodbye to Alex and taking my freshly concocted traditional cappuccino, I sat down at a small table in front of the shop and took a sip. It was perfection. I gazed at the laborious architecture of the historical buildings and watched the freaks, business men and the cultural array of people saunter by. It was a perfect afternoon coffee break. I peered down into my little cup and thought about how it was a metaphor for Spring for Coffee. This beverage, although tiny, had made a tremendous impression. Note: If you live in downtown Los Angeles you're lucky because Spring for Coffee delivers coffee and pastries! Spring for Coffee is located at 548 s. Spring St. Los Angeles 90013 and may be reached at (213) 228-0041.  To coffee neophytes coffee tends to all taste the same. I tried to be sensitive to this when I was a coffee trainer. "I realize it probably all tastes like mud to you and that's OK," I would assure my coffee trainees during a tasting. The palette has to be developed to be capable of distinguishing a flavor profile. This means lots of tasting, and more specifically - a lot of comparative tasting. Coffee must be continually assessed and experienced to be well understood. The more the aromas are let in, the more the coffee is allowed to spend time in the mouth, the more coffees are tasted side by side, the more things like smoothness, liveliness, floral aromas, hints of chocolate, etc. will be realized. And when that moment finally comes where you realize that the coffee you are tasting is different from the one you tasted before it's very exciting! This is particularly so when you identify that the coffee has a very full body, is smooth and has earthy flavors with hints of spice and cocoa. That's when you're a goner. To get started on the voyage to coffee enlightenment, I recommend tasting a coffee from each major region side by side: Latin America, Africa and Arabia and Pacific. Remember to smell the beans, the grinds and the coffee first. Then start tasting for the following: Acidity Acidity is gauged by a sharp bite on the back of the tongue. Without acidity coffee would be flat. Low acidity is referred to as smooth and high acidity is referred to as lively, clean, bright or sparkling. Body Body is gauged by the impression of a coffee’s weight when rested on the tounge. It can range from low to very full. As we learned in part one of this coffee tasting series, it is possible for a coffee to taste like a wet beaver. However, "wet beaver" is not a coffee tasting term. Besides references to acidity and body, the following are terms typically employed by coffee professionals: Nutty Earthy Buttery Herbal Fruity Spicy Sweet Caramelly Complex Chocolatey Floral Roasty Pungent Smoky Berry Citrus Tangy Syrupy Mild Tart Soft Musty Dry Some unpleasant flavors: carbony, scorched, bitter Next we will discuss the typical flavor profiles for the three major growing regions and some of the best methods for tasting coffee. There will also be a flavor profile challenge coming up. Stay tuned!  Tasting coffee is similar to tasting a fine wine in that it is a libation to be reveled in. To truly understand the nuances of your coffee, it is essential to properly employ the senses, particularly the nose. Our sense of smell has substantial bearing on what we taste. Sniffing something can evoke strong emotions and memories. When the nose is clogged due to allergies or a cold, food can seem rather boring. This is why the olfactory receptors are utilized throughout both the wine and coffee tasting process. Smelling the beans, grinds and the freshly brewed coffee prior to tasting will give enormous insight into the complexities of the coffee. The second step is to slurp. Yes, slurp. It is perfectly acceptable to slurp your coffee when tasting. Slurping allows for the coffee to spray your tongue evenly, and it draws the aromas up through the nasal passage. Another way to engage the palette is to tap into the imagination. Although there are standard terms used in tasting coffee, there is no right or wrong answer. It is a subjective experience. If one feels that the coffee tastes like a wet beaver that is OK, just as long as an explanation is provided. Is it because of the fresh smells of wet earth that are likely to permeate from a beaver’s tail? Or is it because of a memory in which there was a close encounter with a wet beaver? The nutty flavors of a coffee may remind one of the peanut butter clusters their grandma used to make them as a child. Or the prominent chocolate and berry flavors and the rich, earthy aromas may evoke a memory of the excellent Cabernet Sauvignon that was enjoyed just the other evening. Baristas on Display at Intelligentsia in Los Angeles Locally Roasted Organic Coffee at Groundwork Coffee Company in Los Angeles  Next to the cupping method the french press is the best way to taste coffee. This is because nothing is compromised by a filter, there is no pulpy, papery taste, and every aspect of the brewing process can be controlled. I've been craving Arabian Mocha Sanani in a press pot, Peet's Coffee and Tea's most expensive coffee after their reserve coffees and special holiday offerings. But if your pocket, much like mine, has been feeling a little light these days you can order a french press of it for less than the price of a caramel macchiato at Starbucks. As usual, I dragged my protesting, anti-coffee shop-frequenting husband with me. I told him that it would be an educational experience. "Arabian Mocha Sanani is like the fine wine of the coffee world," I assured him. He rolled his eyes and got into the car. Thankfully, he likes to avoid hearing me bitch and whine at all costs. I was bound and determined to expand my husband's palette and coffee enthusiasm. I decided to make it interesting by doing a little comparative tasting. When we arrived at Peet's in Long Beach I ordered a freshly brewed French Roast coffee (Oprah's favorite) out of the urn and a small french press of Arabian Mocha Sanani. We were handed the French Roast by an amiable young man who seemed a little unsure of what he was supposed to do. We sat down at the bar overlooking the Jack in the Box and we were brought out our french press a couple minutes later.  I was a little irritated because the french press was brought just slightly before the steeping time was up (steeping time is 3 minutes) and it wasn't pressed half way down so as to stir the coffee. I fought my inclination to go over to the group of young baristas who were chatting together to explain how it's done. Unfortunately, I have to fight this proclivity often. Once the time was up I poured the coffee through the metal filter that was provided in order to remove the excess grinds. I had my husband look at both coffees. You could see the oils floating at the top of the thick and unctuous coffee poured from the french press, and the residue of the sediment created a ring around the inside of the cup. The French Roast poured from the urn looked watery and flat in comparison. I had him taste both and tell me what he thought. He said he definitely preferred the Arabian Mocha Sanani out of the french press. He said the French Roast was lacking a lot of body in comparison and that he liked the sediment because it created a heavier and earthier mouth feel, but that is was a different texture from what he was used to - he didn't say it in those exact words, but that's what he meant to say. It certainly wasn't anything like the coffee he got at the gas station. He felt a little uncomfortable describing the flavor profiles and I comforted him by letting him know that there are no wrong answers.  I relished in my first sip of Arabian Mocha Sanani. It was liquid velvet. It had winy notes with hints of chocolate and earthy undertones - the flavors were perfectly harmonized. I love the thick viscosity of a coffee brewed fresh from a french press. I've never been a big fan of the French Roast - sorry Oprah. If I have to drink coffee out of an urn Peet's is the way to go because they rinse the filter to get rid of some of the paper taste, they stir the coffee while it's brewing and they brew it fresh every thirty minutes. It's horrifying to think how long some coffee shops will serve their coffee before brewing a fresh batch. However, there is really no comparison, the only real function of drinking French Roast from the urn is that it makes you appreciate Arabian Mocha Sanani poured freshly out of a french press so much more - not that that's really necessary.  There is always a long line spilling out of Intelligentsia, whether I'm in Silver Lake, Venice or Pasadena, I know what to expect. The good news is the lines go quickly and the end result is entirely worth the inconvenience endured. Not only are the coffee and espresso based drinks a thing a beauty, but viewing the process is both intriguing and entertaining.  Intelligentsia is set up like an open coffee laboratory, in which mad baristas concoct libations in such a way that can defy the imagination. The heavy rays of the lamps are intensely fixated on the espresso machines, so that a barista can craft a latte or cappuccino with ultimate precision. I am fascinated with the fact that they make the brewing and steaming process such a spectacle.  Every time I'm near an Intelligentsia I drag who ever is with me through the line. On Saturday my husband got to be the lucky one. He did get a free cup of coffee out of it and we had a leisurely time of chatting and people/dog watching. Once we got to the front we ordered a soy latte and a cup of coffee. I was so excited to watch the show commence. The coffee was ground and placed into a chemex filter. Water was poured over - just enough to saturate the grinds. Then the barista came back around with the boiling water and filled the filter to the top. The coffee was stirred as the gases released and the flavors bloomed.  I'm enamored with how they freshly brew every cup this way. The method they use allows them to control every aspect of the brewing process. When they handed my husband his cup of coffee they told him that he would be drinking a reserve coffee called Honeyed Pacamara from the El Ausol farm in El Salvador. There was a sense of pride in the barista's voice as she handed it to him.  I watched intently as they steamed my latte. The other barista had his hand placed firmly under the pitcher for temperature gauging as the milk stirred into a tight cyclone formation. They don't use thermometer clips and the espresso is dosed and tamped by hand. They keep it real by doing it old school!  The milk was then poured into the cup in order to merge with the freshly poured espresso. And then, with a few slides and jolts of the wrist, the latte art was created. My latte came out a masterpiece, and the heart on top of the design indicated that it had been made with love. I ditched my husband for a brief moment as he perused through the sports section of the paper and I walked around the store while sipping my latte. I thoroughly enjoy observing baristas from multiple angles. I walked to the bags of freshly roasted coffee and examined their comprehensive profile cards.  The information provided is hardcore – a very good indication that they take coffee very seriously. The producer, farm, region, altitude the coffee was grown at, and the time of harvest are all identified. The flavor profiles on the cards are reminiscent of Robert Parker ardently describing a fine wine. I took pictures at Intelligentsia like tourists at Disneyland. The baristas didn't seem to care. I think they are used to being admired by crazy coffee fans like myself.  Intelligentsia is located at: Silverlake 323.663.6173 3922 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90029 Venice 310.399.1233 1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd | Venice, CA 90291 Pasadena 626.578.1270 55 E. Colorado Blvd. | Pasadena, CA 91105 There are also three locations in Chicago where the company is based.   Before Los Angeles was bombarded by the massive influx of Starbucks coffee there was the Groundwork Coffee Company. Founded in 1990, Groundwork was the first certified organic coffee roaster in Southern California. Their coffee isn’t just certified organic, it’s also fairly traded and kosher. While the organic concept has become a consumer fad – especially in Los Angeles – Groundwork has remained a beacon for locally roasted organic coffee since Dylan and Brenda first hooked up on 90210. They had me at “locally roasted,” so on a Friday afternoon I dragged my husband to the location in Venice to investigate what the veteran roasters of Los Angeles have to offer. If you roast your own coffee and care enough to make all your coffee certified organic, fair trade and kosher, the likelihood that you’ll require your baristas to adhere to high standards is pretty good. I ordered a latte with soy and hoped for the best.  It came out looking glorious. The latte art was not extensive, but it looked lovely nonetheless with its perfectly steamed creamy layer of foam. I took a sip. The flavors were perfectly balanced. Normally, I would put half a packet of Splenda in my latte for a little sweetness, but it wasn’t necessary this time. I believe this may be due to sweetened soy milk, which I’m typically not a big fan of. I had my husband, who is not big on coffee nor espresso based drinks, take a sip. He was impressed, and he raised his eyebrows with utter approval. I asked the woman at the counter if I could sample a couple of coffees. I tried Black Gold, which is their signature espresso and Bitches Brew. They were both excellent, but I was partial to Bitches Brew, as I prefer a dark roasted, full-body coffee.  I enjoyed the ambiance at Groundwork. I loved the idea that I was surrounded by coffee bins and bags full of freshly roasted beans. On the wall above, various coffee brewing vessels were prominently displayed, many of which were old and rather archaic. The diminutive coffee shop’s overall motif resembled a general store out of a wild west flick – only with coffee. I eyed the jars in the center of the shop filled with homemade pastries that were made in the shop. The jar filled to the brim with animal shaped cookies had me awfully excited. I was also smitten by the idea of alternating between dipping an almond anise biscotti and a raspberry pistachio biscotti into my latte, but I decided to be on good behavior I noticed that most of the jars were labeled with a list of ingredients. They were simple ingredients like eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and flour. It put things into perspective for me. These pastries were pure and made with love, just like the coffee.  Coffee Passion at Kean in Costa Mesa 09/06/2010
 There is an inherent passion for coffee at Kean Coffee in Costa Mesa. Next to the condiment stand light beams shed through a tall, prominent coffee tree, making it look almost unearthly and exalted. A colossal, steel roaster sits in the corner, just waiting for the opportunity to roar, shake and roast the next batch of coffee. A note from Martin Diedrich, owner of Kean and former founder of Diedrich coffee, is pervasive throughout the store. The note is a letter explaining the thought process behind Kean’s espresso to patrons. The note starts out by stating, “I much prefer the sweet, rich, syrupy, honeyed Northern Italian traditional light roast espresso over the southern dark roast style.” Diedrich goes on to explain that light roasting accentuates the quality of the coffee and evokes its complex characteristics and aromatics. Manager Mike Richardson points out that a lighter roast will produce a coffee higher in caffeine. The espresso used by Kean is a blend of five fair trade and organic coffees from all three major coffee regions (Latin America, Africa and Arabia, and Pacific). The coffee is roasted fresh everyday by master roaster Ted Vautrinot and three other roasters. The finished product is then placed on a table next to the roaster with an attached sign that both explains and touts the distinct flavor profile. A large, green sign hovers above identifying the major coffee regions, flavor profiles and coffee tasting terms. The drink menu stimulates the imagination with drinks like Turkish lattes with cardamom, lavender steamers and honey chai lattes. And it is made apparent by various photos of foam art throughout the store that Kean takes pride in the craftsmanship of their espresso based drinks along with the skills of their baristas. The store seems to function like a latte gallery. The whole place, in fact, is like a coffee museum – an homage to the brew and a hub for sharing erudite coffee knowledge with the community. Kean coffee is located in Newport Beach and Tustin 2043 Westcliff Drive, Suite 100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 642-5326 13681 Newport Avenue, Suite 14 Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 838-5326    Organic Coffee at the Lost Bean in Orange 09/06/2010
 This photo does not depict a pristine latte freshly poured. This photo is of a latte consumed immediately by a coffee shop reviewer with a voracious appetite for good espresso. Coffee is a worldly venture, and it’s a huge responsibility participating in something that affects so many lives. Many coffee companies fail to recognize or care about the impact they have. But as I found on my visit to The Lost Bean, there is an Orange County coffee shop that takes their responsibility to the world seriously, taking each step towards a cleaner and healthier earth with great fervor and intrepidity. It was a Saturday afternoon and I entered a very calming store environment with warm tones, lots of wood and paintings of trees, branches and birds. The store evoked the image of a happy and only slightly dirty hippie. I was not greeted upon entering, and the guy that helped me – who looked like he might have just smoked something good – didn’t display the kind of smiling or enthusiasm that one might encounter at say Starbucks, but my order was taken promptly and my latte was ready within minutes. I’m not that big on formality anyways. Although organic coffee is usually distributed by companies who care about the quality of their product, there are no guarantees that because the coffee is organic the end result will taste good. Although I figured it was a good bet, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I was quite tempted to order a monkey mocha (a mocha with banana syrup), but I believe it only takes one latte to determine the product tenants and integrity of a company. A latte of a higher caliber takes quality ingredients and skill. It must have good espresso that is pulled in just the right amount of time. If it is pulled too long it will be watery and leave a lasting bitter taste on the tongue, if it is pulled too short the bitterness will make an impression immediately. The foam should have no big bubbles. The bubbles should be very tight and the foam should have a creamy consistency. The milk should taste sweet and not burnt. The espresso and milk should be well proportioned. If the company sells exceptional coffee, has a passion for their product, and trains their baristas to be latte artists, then they will produce a sensational latte every single time. Most coffee shops I go to disappoint, but not The Lost Bean. The latte I received was brilliant. The espresso and the foam formed a gorgeous swirling pattern. They were melding together in perfect harmony. I took a brochure for The Lost Bean and proceeded to the condiment stand. I grabbed a biodegradable and compostable spoon and stirred a little splenda into my latte. I opened up the brochure, which pointed out that coffee is the second largest agricultural crop and the third most heavily sprayed crop in the world. This fact spoke volumes in my mind. It helped me to remember that the people selling the coffee aren’t the only ones who have a lofty impact. My buying decision dictates what’s produced and what’s not. The brochure explained that it wasn’t just the coffee that was organic, so is their loose leaf teas and soy milk. The milk they use is produced from cows that strictly consume pesticide-free feed and are not treated with hormones, antibiotics or steroids. Interestingly enough, the prices on the menu weren’t a huge deviation from mainstream coffee shops. After spending some time sipping on my perfectly crafted latte, I went over and took a look at the whole beans for sale. Each bag was labeled with a flavor profile that gave a brief overview of the area it came from. The roast level was also identified on every bag. As I left the store I heard a barista say, “Thank you! Have a nice day!” It gave me a warm fuzzy, they really do care! The Lost Bean is located at 13011 Newport Avenue Tustin, CA 92780-3516 and may be reached by phone at (714) 544-2584. Sea Salt Coffee at 85c Cafe in Irvine 09/06/2010
 The buzz forming around the sea salt coffee at 85c Cafe in Irvine struck my curiosity. After very little deliberation, I decided that it was time to cross over into Orange County to delve into the intriguing libation. I called up my friends David and Doug to see if they’d like to join me. David told me that they had been there and that it really wasn’t that great. I asked him if he had tried the sea salt coffee and he said no. I told him that until he had tried it he really wasn’t in the position to make a judgment. I arrived late, as usual, to an astonishingly long line that resembled one you might encounter for a ride at Disneyland. I don’t do long lines, and I was reluctant yet ready to move onto another coffee shop. Thankfully, someone pointed out that we were in the line for pastries and that there was a separate line for beverages on the other side of the store. I had read on the 85c Cafe Web site that their arabica coffee beans were sourced from a private Guatemalan farm. Although I tend to veer away from Latin American coffees because of their inherent liveliness (refers to acidity and is experienced by the bite on the back of the tongue), I love Guatemalan coffee for the sumptuous hints of chocolate. The coffee at 85c is also guaranteed by the Guatemalan Ambassador. The little coffee snob inside me was quite excited. There was still a wait for beverages, but it paled in comparison to the nightmare of a line that lingered close by. I noticed conspicuous signs touting sea salt coffee all over the store. I read that the coffee was sweetened on one of them, which made me feel a little apprehensive. I’m more of a savory gal. I asked the young man at the counter what the coffee was sweetened with. He told me that they added fructose, this didn’t help matters. When our sea salt coffees arrived I was in high spirits. I examined the velvety foam with tightly constructed bubbles – this was the mark of a skilled barista. I dipped my finger in the foam and had a little taste, and to no surprise it was rather salty. I probed my straw in the drink and took a sip. It was sublime. The sweetness was subtle, and complexity of the flavors served to both titillate the palette and create a balance at the same time. The fluffy foam was so creamy, the unctuous coffee was rich and decadent, and if you didn’t lick foam off your finger, the salt wasn’t really noticeable. I let David give me his opinion at this point, and judging by his relaxed demeanor – which was a little surprising considering the lack of atmosphere and swarms of people making noise nearby – I knew what he was going to say. He told me that it in all of its creamy, sweet, salty goodness it lived up to the hype. 85c is located at 2700 Alton Parkway Irvine, CA 92606-2197 and can be reached at (949) 553-8585. |  Featured on Page 54!
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About Us
The Gourmet Coffee Guru seeks to educate and provide insight into the unique and cutting-edge gourmet coffee and espresso based drinks served at Orange County and Los Angeles coffee shops. The Orange County and Los Angeles coffee shops featured on this coffee blog display a passion for coffee and have integrity. The purpose of this coffee blog is to celebrate the exceptional gourmet coffee we have at our fingertips. Guests to this Orange County and Los Angeles coffee shop blog should feel encouraged to ask questions and to share their own knowledge and experiences with gourmet coffee and espresso based drinks. And of course, recommendations for Orange County and Los Angeles coffee shops are always welcome! CategoriesAll ArchivesNovember 2011 |
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