The Coffee Experience

In every cup of coffee, there are three key characteristics that create its overall flavour: aroma, acidity and body.

Aroma

Coffee can have up to 1000 aromatic compounds that contribute to its profile. A coffee aroma can be: fruity, caramel, roasted, cereal, rubber, fermented, earthy, spicy, floral, nutty, and even cooked.

Body

When it comes to coffee, acidity isn’t what you think it is. It’s a sharp and vibrant taste, a tingling on the tongue. Good acidity tastes bright and crisp, whereas a coffee without enough acidity tastes flat and dull.

Coffee Cupping

Coffee cupping is the practice of tasting coffee. At NESCAFÉ, our professional coffee cuppers make sure we’re delivering consistent quality at the highest standard. Try putting yourself to the test! Here are a few tips to help you have a coffee cupping session at home:

1 - Nose the aromas while the coffee is still steaming

2 - Take a spoonful of coffee with a silver spoon

3 -Pucker your lips and slurp the coffee loudly

4 - Feel the texture of the coffee on your tongue

5 - Sense the weight of the coffee in your mouth

6 - Notice if it lingers... and enjoy!

Coffee Does You Good

Not only is coffee delicious, it’s also packed with healthy antioxidants and nutrients. Thanks to its caffeine content, coffee can improve memory, boost energy levels and increase mental alertness, as well as stimulating metabolism and improving physical performance.

On the other hand, decaf coffee has between 97% - 99.9% of the caffeine content removed, so those benefits are lessened significantly. However, it still has most of the antioxidant and nutrient content of regular coffee. So you can enjoy a delicious cup in the evening and still get a good night’s sleep.

Making Coffee

There are so many different ways to make coffee, whether you go for complex concoctions or instant inventions, each method results in a different brew.

For many people, brewing coffee is an art form. Particularly for the professionals – the baristas. They pride themselves on their coffee skills and can whip up foamy works of art. Want to bring out your inner barista? Here are just a few different ways to brew a delicious cup:

Drip Coffee

You can make drip coffee by placing fine coffee grounds on top of a coffee filter over your cup. Then slowly pour hot water over it and wait as the coffee drips through to create a smooth cup.

French Press

If you have coarser coffee grounds, you can use a French press. To do this, you mix the grounds with hot water, stir and let it steep. After a few minutes, plunge the plunger and start pouring.

Espresso

If you’re after something a little stronger, a stove-top espresso pot brews coffee by passing boiling water through ground coffee, pressurised by steam. The result? A perfect espresso.

Turkish

Turkish coffee is made with a special pot called a cezve. Extremely fine coffee grounds, sugar, cardamom and water are added to the cezve and brought to the boil, for an intensely rich coffee.

Brew like a barista

You can still make yourself a great coffee even if you aren’t a barista. Our instant coffee is a top-quality product that’s been enjoyed on the summit of Everest and was even the the first coffee to land on the Moon. It’s easy to prepare, store and transport. The beauty of instant coffee is that it gives you a wonderful coffee experience in a totally convenient way.

Instant coffee has a longer shelf life than most coffees. But whether you like your coffee made from beans or granules, it’s important to store it correctly.

DO store your coffee within a dry, airtight container and place it in a cool, dark, dry environment.

DON’T store your coffee in the fridge or freezer and keep it away from warm, light, moist environment.

Drinking Coffee

There’s always a new coffee drink to try, but there are some classics that you’ll find in every coffee shop. Here’s a little more information about the different ways to drink coffee...

There are so many different ways to enjoy coffee. Whether you like yours simply black or flamboyantly flavoured, piping hot or ice cold, with added cream or a splash of liquor, there’s a coffee to suit whatever mood you’re in.

Espresso

An espresso is a shot of concentrated coffee made by forcing steam through very finely ground coffee beans.

Ristretto

A ristretto is a more intense espresso. It’s made in the same way, with the same amount of coffee, but less water.

Macchiato

A macchiato is a thick and creamy coffee, made with one shot of espresso and a small amount of frothy milk foam on top.

Mocha

A mocha is a sweeter, chocolatey coffee, made with espresso, hot milk and cocoa powder or chocolate syrup.

Flavoured coffees have been around for centuries and you can find them in coffee shops and supermarkets all over the world. Flavours can be added to the beans directly, or as flavoured syrups mixed in with fresh brews. Some of the most popular tastes are chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, hazelnut and almond, but there are many more exotic combinations.

Americano

A latte, or caffè latte, is similar to a cappuccino, but with more milk and only about a finger width of foam on top.

Understanding Coffee