Flavored Coffee Beans and
Technology
The secret to great tasting flavored
coffee beans is the technology used during processing.
In order to enhance the beans natural flavor,The secret to
great tasting flavored coffee beans is the technology
used during processing. In order to enhance the beans natural
flavor, the beans are coated with natural flavored oils. These
oils help disguise changes that may affect the beans after
processes such as oxidation, decaffeination, and aging.
The coffee boom in the 1990’s had a great
impact on the types of flavors processed by companies.
Consumers started craving a taste for more variety and exotic
flavors, not just the natural taste of the coffee bean.
Currently coffee beans can be produced in almost every flavor
from Hazelnut Cream to Burnt Pecan.
In general the type of bean used to make
flavored coffee makes the biggest difference in the overall
taste. Arabica beans are the most popular because they
are less bitter and have lower acidity levels. Many processors
use a blend of beans from different regions such as Costa Rica,
Mexico, Columbia, and Guatemala.
Flavoring oils are created by combining
natural and artificial flavor chemicals. The natural oil
is created by extracting the flavor from sources like the
vanilla bean, cocoa bean, and different types of nuts and
berries, and spices like Cinnamon and Clove. People who
previously disliked the flavor of coffee are now enjoying a cup
of Java each day. The most popular flavors are mild and creamy
which cover up the harsher natural coffee taste.
There are two methods used to process the
beans themselves. The dry method, which allows the beans to dry
naturally on the plant, or roasting which involves cooking raw
green beans at different temperatures which determine the
amount of flavor, from light to robust. Typically there
are five types of coffee roasts: American which is use light to
medium beans, Viennese which is a bit darker than the American
roast, Italian produces a bittersweet, dark coffee, French Dark
a smoky roasted flavor from very dark, dark, beans, and
Espresso Black the darkest and strongest of them all
New technology is being developed yearly
that will improve the quality and simplify the processes for
producing flavored coffee beans. As the roasting and
sorting processes improve, more innovative flavors will arise
to please our growing demand to please our taste buds.
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