Good coffee depends on the raw material, roasting and the quality of preparation, including water, grind size and the right coffee-to-water ratio.

How should you drink coffee, with or without milk?

Coffee can be enjoyed with carefully chosen milk, but it is better tasted without additions. Sugar masks the coffee's identity, lowers acidity and hides the bean's essence.

Arabica grows at altitude, has deeper roots and offers a broader aromatic range. Robusta is more productive, less aromatic and higher in caffeine, making it more bitter.

Where does coffee come from?

Ethiopia is considered the cradle of coffee. It is home to old coffee trees and semi-wild plantations, and trust between growers and distributors is essential to quality.

Coffee's extraordinary adventure

Q: Filtered coffee or espresso?

Espresso is more concentrated, while filter coffee is more diluted and lets aromas unfold gradually. The best choice depends on personal preference and drinking style.

Coffee accompanies us from the moment we get out of bed, supports us during the day and punctuates the end of a good meal, lunch or dinner. However, where does the little bean come from and how to drink it? Christophe Servell, a coffee specialist who is gaining recognition in France and who is a specialty coffee pioneer in France, gave us few advices on coffee.

Published on 09/01/2018 at 00:00

©Pixabay

Son and grandson of coffee roasters, he started his career at the time of big coffee distributors. He was interested in the world of wine and fascinated by different methods of its cultivation. He seeked the link between the land and the grower and found it in...coffee.

What is good coffee?

Good coffee depends on the raw material, the roasting and the quality of the drink itself, which depends on the water, the size of the grind and the weight/quantity ratio of coffee. Therefore, if "your weight" matches "your quantity", you will achieve perfection.... The barista is there to advice. His role is to discover the aroma that best suits everyone's expectations.

How to taste it? With or without milk?

You can taste it with milk if it is chosen carefully, although it is better without.... On the other hand, sugar diminishes specific characteristics of coffee; it decreases the acidity and hides the essence of the bean, which leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.

Filtered coffee or espresso?

Espresso is concentrated, while filter coffee is a diluted version (it is recommended to stir it and mix the foam with the liquid, to make the drink more homogeneous).The way to drink coffee depends on individual preferences. Some drink it hot, in one or two swallows, others slowly, over a longer period. "Gentle methods" of preparation (coffee dripper, siphon coffee brewer, the French press...) use light roasted coffee beans and the temperature variations of each sip make it easier to assess the aromas.

Arabica or robusta?

There are two species whose beans we use to make coffee, Robusta and Canephora (Arabica is the only variety that we consume). The Arabica grows in altitude, and benefits from cool nocturnal temperatures. Its deep roots allow it to feed on a wider variety of minerals, which in turn give a broader aromatic range to the plant. Robusta extends its roots horizontally, is more productive and its beans are less aromatic but more concentrated in caffeine, thus bitter.

Origins of coffee

Ethiopia is the cradle of coffee. This country has trees from 50 to 100 years of age that produce the best coffee beans. There are semi-wild plantations in the forest. The growers cultivate the soil in a way that they keep the plants that do not disturb the growth of coffee plant and tear out those who do. Agroforestry is not adaptable to an industrial model, which distinguishes it from other plant breeding systems. The bond with the grower remains strong. A coffee-producing country is not necessarily a country that knows how to make coffee. A relationship based on trust makes it possible to establish constructive exchanges and learning between growers and distributors. The latter allows small producers to survive and improve the quality of coffee.