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Home | Food & Drink | Coffee Over the years and across the globe, controversies over coffee have arisen. It had been called the drink of the devil, the drink that caused men's impotence, an evil brew and many other expletives. Over a cup of coffee literary masterpieces, national testaments and oratories were created, medical advances and huge business deals that have changed the course of history have all been conducted. All of these advances, of course, were not due to the coffee, but are perhaps indebted to it. But a coffee isn't just a coffee. The world loves it, for good reason. Good coffee requires careful preparation, much like wine. Dedication, specialized processes and cultivation are all required, although it is actually the antithesis to wine. Wine can help to relax the body and slow mental process. Coffee, on the other hand, calms the nerves rather than intoxicating the mind. Coffee stimulates the senses, while wine tends to dull them. A famous line says that "It cheers the spirit without making one mad." And like wine, coffee needs blending, brewing and the various other preparations that go with excellent drinks. Coffee also has its own vocabulary. To be truly familiar with coffee here are some of its more notable terms: Acidity Coffee is similar to carrots in its level of pH. The acidity in coffee contributes to its unique liveliness, brightness and color. Coffee Arabica One of the most popular types of coffee is Arabica, the other being Robusta. Coffee Arabica contains less caffeine, and it is harder to cultivate as it grows best at altitudes from 3,500 to 7,000 feet. This type of coffee has a more full-bodied taste as compared to Robusta, and it is consequently more expensive. Bourbon is an African variety of Arabica coffee. The cultivation was not seriously pursued for some time because, although it has delicious character and taste, crop yields are smaller than the other Arabica varieties. The growing popularity of coffee, however, has increased the cultivation of this wonderful bean. Coffee Blends Blending coffee is much like artists mixing colors on their palettes. Coffee blenders take beans grown from various coffee growing regions, mix them to craft a taste that is special and cannot be achieved with coffee of single origin. Full Body The term "body" pertains to way the coffee feels when it's in the mouth. The body of the coffee may feel light, thin, delicate, syrupy or buttery. Decaffeinating / Decaf When the caffeine content of the coffee beans is minimized, it's called "decaffeinated" or "decaf" coffee. There are several processes that may be used to reduce the caffeine content in coffee including chemical, carbon dioxide and water system procedures. Regardless of the decaffeinating process used, efforts are always made to preserve the delicious natural flavors of the coffee bean. Coffee Grade The classification of beans by their density and size is known as the coffee grade. Higher grades are considered to be premium, and are sold at a higher price. Processing This term is used to describe the separation of the flesh from the coffee bean. Drying and washing are the two main methods of processing coffee. In drying the coffee, the beans or "cherries" are spread across the ground to dry out in the sun. Every day, the beans are raked several times to ensure even drying. After two or three weeks, the dried flesh cracks and the beans emerge. This type of dry processing produces an earthy flavor and a syrupy texture to your coffee. Washed processing is a method of slicing the skin of the coffee beans and letting the beans stand until they begin to ferment, and the skins are easily washed off with water. The beans are then dried. This kind of washed processing retains the natural flavors in the coffee. So now that you have a grasp of some of coffee's vocabulary, don't neglect to get your daily dose! Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Columnist Benedict Neel is a contributor to numerous Internet magazines, on leisure centres and leisure guide themes.
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