BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Coffee How coffee savvy are you?

Can you identify where your coffee is from by its flavor alone?

I don't do this very well but occasionally I will get it right, especially when it comes to a coffee from Sumatra. My taste buds seem to pick up a "fruity" quality.

Have you begun to identify the characteristics you like in a coffee?

Coffee Flavors by Region

That is kind of a chicken or egg question- what "makes" the coffee, the bean or the roast? I'm pretty picky about my cofee and have never found any I like better than locally produced french roast (I'm from Louisiana.) I think this comes from being given coffee-milk as a child. My favorite right now is Community's Cafe Blend. There is another brand around here called Mello Joy which is just as good, but I was raised on Community and tend to be pretty loyal. Their plant is right next to the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. At certain times of day you can smell the roasting coffee as you drive across the big bridge.

I love to try new things- I try crazy teas all the time, and win some-lose some- but I find that with coffee it doesn't matter if I'm drinking watery folger's crystals or $8.00 starbucks colonial blue iguana roast it all tastes like swill next to home brewed Community Coffee prepared by a cajun lady. Just can't be beat.

With some kinds of coffee, yes. Mexican coffee has a very distinctive flavor - almost spicy all by itself. Coffee from the Dominican Republic has a very strong, yet not at all bitter, flavor, that I can usually spot. Of course French Roast has its deep flavor, but I can get crossed there with Cuban coffee.

Water plays a big part, too. Where it comes from, well or spring or bottle or city really changes the flavor as well so I guess I have a ways to go before I develop that kind of palate! But, I love coffee, so it's a wonderful journey lol

Nancy Welker
BellaOnline Yoga Editor