Gourmet coffee comes in all sorts of different flavors, and the best part is that generally it’s all natural. The experts have their own ways of classifying the flavors, and I have an unofficial one. I group them in one of four categories: classic, down to earth, exotic, and top tier. This is how I explain gourmet coffee to friends and family who are not all that familiar with it. I wouldn’t want them to feel how I would in a similar situation, like among champagne aficionados for instance. I want them to see gourmet coffee for what it is, coffee that tastes exceptionally well. I want them to be at ease, so that they can learn with an open mind. That doesn’t require knowing all of the fine details, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Drinking gourmet coffee doesn’t even necessarily have to be much more expensive than drinking regular coffee
The first two categories (classic and down to earth) in my view are “level 1” or simply base level gourmet coffees. That’s not to say that there’s anything ordinary in the way they taste. Gourmet coffee by nature has an amazing taste. The other two categories to me, however, are simply on a higher plane (at times as some of you know and others will come to know, quite literally).
Those who adhere strictly to the terminology that has developed as the gourmet coffee industry has evolved will notice that I am not using those terms in this post. There is no question that a need has arisen to communicate precisely among experts and aficionados. I have simply avoided adhering to convention in an effort to keep things simple, and also in an effort to not confuse by using “two different languages.”
Classic
Gourmet
Flavored Coffee Beans
What I mean by classic is that it withstands the passing of time. Also, there’s nothing to distract the senses, just plain blossoming’ classy coffee. It’s not flashy, it’s not complicated, it’s not necessarily even sophisticated. It’s gourmet coffee that hasn’t allowed the evolution of the blossoming industry to alter much the taste that existed when gourmet coffee first originated. It’s kind of like one of those recipes that run in the family, that have been handed down from generation to generation. It may have evolved in other places and other times as others put their own twist on it, but to the purists nothing rivals the original in terms of that throwback traditional taste.
Always keep in mind that how the coffee tastes isn’t only “in the bean.” Some other factors that can influence flavor are location, cultivation, roasting, and preparation. These factors can all contribute to enhancing and/or “bringing out” additional flavor. So just because it’s classic, that doesn’t mean that the spectrum of tastes is one dimensional.
Exalted Yet Down to Earth Flavored Gourmet Coffee Beans
The gourmet coffee market has evolved quite a bit Many things regarding the geography and the environment where seeds are planted can end up contributing to the flavor of a gourmet coffee. It’s all about letting mother earth show us a bigger picture here. Here we see flavors that start branching out from the classic spectrum to a variety of other flavors including those resembling common fruits and nuts.
The reason why I refer to this category as down to earth is because it still exists somewhat in the realm of the traditional. Flavors vary much more, but generally they stay confined in a spectrum that’s more “mild.” Relatively not as mild as classic, but not quite as bold or varied as some others.
Exotically Flavored Variety in the World of Gourmet Coffee Beans
What exemplifies the range of flavors to me here is the seemingly endless creativity. In spite of the proliferation we have already seen, a whole world of possibilities still appears to exist. We have already seen many examples of exotic coffees from locations in a particular continent with a rare combination of key elements. For example, coffees that are grown in a remote location in one of the highest altitudes, and where there just happens to be an ideal climate to bring out a unique flavor.
Once many of these coffees were well-kept secrets. Now they have become more mainstream, but often they are not available in large quantities. This has augmented the mystique and allure of what was captivating enough to begin with. Like a mirage at times, I can see it yet it’s so elusive. I want to experience it, I can see photos of it, but I can’t quite can’t my hands on it. Fortunately, now this art of knowing very particular things and applying that knowledge to bring fantastic flavors to life has found a somewhat surprising but perfect partner. Advanced scientific techniques and even artificial intelligence are being considered to predict possible future flavors. It would simply be a matter of “relocating” to a somewhat similar patch of earth. It is fine art that may soon be seen on the backdrop of fertile new horizons. It could to some extent solve the problem of limited availability. I might not be able to get exactly what I wanted, but I should still be able to get something pretty close.
Yet, on the other hand, it could also potentially lead to discovering some innovative ways of tantalizing our tongues with bold new flavors. With what appears to be on the verge of becoming a reality, I see the potential for the industry to endlessly reinvent itself.
The Top Tier of Gourmet Coffee
This isn’t necessarily a spectrum of flavor (or a spectrum of flavored gourmet coffee beans) per se, in fact the opposite turns out to be true (flavor plays only a part in defining top tier coffee). When it comes to gourmet flavored coffee beans, the flavor itself is one of the ways coffees can rise above already select company. And that’s saying something when it comes to gourmet coffee. If all gourmet coffees were put to the test and all passed with an A, then these might be viewed as the A+ gourmet coffees.
Here I have no choice but to defer to the experts. But I’ll still try to keep it in my own words as much as I can. I am going to stick to coffee in a particular state, and that is when it still remains as green coffee beans. Top tier gourmet green coffee beans must (among other things) eventually result in coffee that stands out in at least one major coffee characteristic. One of these happens to be flavor. The coffee can be A+ in other characteristics besides flavor. In other words, it’s not flavor alone that defines top tier coffee. It’s only fitting to have stayed on the topic of flavor here though, since it has been the central topic of this post.