coffee

Brews, Beans and Benefits

Catherine Lawson

Wild horses couldn’t keep me from that first cup of coffee in the morning. It’s an almost spiritual experience. From spooning ground coffee into my old battered moka pot, to savouring that first slow sip, it’s an unsurpassable moment in my day. Turns out I’m by no means alone. With over 2.5 billion cups consumed globally every day, our universal love affair with coffee is undeniable.

So what dark magic is it, exactly, that keeps us all so hooked? Let’s start with the immediate caffeine kick we all know and love. As a powerful stimulant working on our central nervous systems, coffee does way more than just re-energise us; it gives us a mini mental re-set by releasing serotonin and dopamine (the feel-good hormones), which lift our mood, improve our focus and increase our motivation – it’s not surprising so many of us start the day with a cup of Joe. Recent research has also shown that in moderation, coffee can have a more profound impact on brain health than we first imagined. Thanks to its antioxidant properties and neuroprotective effects it has been shown to lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

To enjoy the full range of health benefits, however, moderation is key. Too much of the good stuff can tip us into dangerous territory, increasing anxiety, blood pressure and cortisol levels. When enjoyed in moderation, the compounds in coffee can protect our liver from oxidative stress, support heart health, lower the risk of stroke, reduce inflammation and boost metabolism. A cup or two a day, can do wonders.

As you might expect, though, how we take our coffee has a lot to do with just how many of those perks we can enjoy. If we load it up with sugar and cream, then the benefits are vastly reduced. Keeping it black, or served with minimal sugar/milk, is where the sweet spot lies, according to research. In a market which gives us an ever-increasing list of serving options, keeping it on the healthy side can be something of a challenge.

Most people I know have one way, and one way only, of enjoying their cuppa. Rarely do we (as creatures of habit) venture into trying something new when it comes to enjoying an integral, much anticipated, part of our day. Sometimes, however, we stick with what we know because we don’t fully understand what all the choices mean, so here’s a quick look at some of the coffee options you might see regularly on menu boards near you:

• Americano: espresso with hot water (a classic black coffee)
  
• Cappuccino: equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foam (stronger than a latte)
  
• Cortado: equal parts espresso and steamed milk (served in small glasses/stronger than a flat white)
  
• Espresso: a shot of pure, strong coffee (and the base for all other coffee drinks)
  
• Flat white: espresso plus steamed milk and microfoam (smaller/smoother/stronger than a cappuccino)
  
• Latte: espresso with steamed milk (usually milk to coffee ratio of 3:1), with minimal foam (milkier/larger than a cappuccino)
  
• Long black: similar to an Americano, but slightly smaller (a long black is prepared differently – hot water first, then an espresso shot on top)
  
• Macchiato: espresso with a very small amount of milk/foam (just enough to take the edge off the espresso)
  
• Mocha: coffee flavoured hot chocolate (similar to a latte with the addition of chocolate powder or chocolate syrup)

In addition to the above preparations, there are more modern versions of coffees which have become increasingly popular, such as iced lattes and frappuccinos (served with syrups and cream), not to mention those which don’t even contain coffee anymore (think matcha lattes). Let’s not dwell on those…
For the coffee aficionados there are also specialised coffee shops, where instead of serving espresso-based coffees, manual brew methods are used instead.

• Cold brew: coffee is steeped in cold water for a minimum of 12 hours then filtered (often served with ice or milk)
  
• French press (cafetiere): ground coffee steeped in hot water for a few minutes then pressed through a plunger
  
• Pour-over: hot water is slowly poured over ground coffee in a filter, direct to cup (gives a lighter, cleaner finish)
  
• Siphon (vacuum pot): coffee is brewed using vapour pressure in a glass chamber (visually impressive – looks like a science lab experiment)

We could of course get into all the other cultural preparations such as the Turkish method (strong and unfiltered – grains left in the cup), and the Scandinavian egg method (ground coffee is mixed with a raw egg and boiled to clarify the brew), but the list is endless.

Preferred preparations aside, there’s another important dimension to consider: your choice of bean. If you’ve ever looked at the coffee flavour wheel, you’ll know that beans can be selected and roasted to offer any number of different flavour profiles, including fruity, nutty, chocolatey, floral, bitter, roasted and spiced. Across each of those main flavour profiles, there are over 100 nuanced tastes and aromas which let you pick up all kinds of delicious notes, such as brown sugar, cinnamon, rose, cherry and even whisky. And it doesn’t stop there…

Another factor when it comes to coffee flavour profiles, is the roasting process. Not all roasting is the same, and the different levels significantly impact the flavour and finish of every sip. There are four main roasting levels:

• Light: brighter, lighter and more acidic – good for pour over coffees
  
• Medium: more balanced and slightly sweeter
  
• Medium/dark: more bitter and sweet than medium
  
• Dark: rich, robust, less acidic and smoother

A common misconception is that the darker the roast, the higher the caffeine level, but this isn’t true. Caffeine levels across roasting grades remain roughly the same – if anything, the darker roast has marginally less.

Personally, I’m an unapologetic coffee purist. I keep my coffee black, I prefer the moka pot style, I choose the beans which deliver the flavour and aroma profile I know I’ll enjoy (dark, French roast beans), and I appreciate the ritual of the whole coffee making process. A good cup of coffee is my ultimate simple pleasure, not to be tampered with and not to be interrupted. It took me a while to settle on what I believe to be my perfect cup, exploring different preparations, brewing methods and beans, but I’ve finally found it. Have you found yours?