Summary of typical bean flavours

[trentski]

Andys last BeanBay email got me thinking about home roasting again.

But then I was hit by the big question "what to buy?" so I looked for a post that discussed the typical flavours or characteristics for beans from the various regions, and couldnt find one :-? Sure, there were lots of individual posts scattered through the forum but no sticky that made it easy for me to compare.

If it exists and I have missed it, could someone please point me in the right direction.

Im after at the higher level a list that says something like

Country of Origin - typical characteristics

then maybe some of the more common beans from that region and their characteristics. This would be a very useful resource for those new to roasting and coffee in general.

So I can just sit back now and someone else will do all the work? ;D

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

There was a Wiki web site with all of Andys bean descriptions from all past Bean Bays

However this was attacked by spammers all the time and it was abandoned

KK

[shapeshifter]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

I want to start a website, Coffee and Cars ;D now that is the type of thing I would have on it, an easy guide to read about beans and their flavours/aromas from all over the world. Obviously I wont have tried anywhere near even 1% but I thought that if I could find all the reviews on a bean and then put together the consistent views then it would be close to the reality of the bean.

Mmmm I think Im becoming a little obsessed...

[trentski]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Thanks KK, how about you just summarise it in a post and it gets made a sticky 8-)

Oh wait, SS is putting it in a website, got the URL for that yet SS? ;D

patient? who me? :-[

[rmoulynox]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

There was a Wiki web site with all of Andys bean descriptions from all past Bean Bays

Dug this out of a google search: http://coffeesnobs.com.au/attachments/CS_Wiki_27-11-08.txt

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Thanks KK, how about you just summarise it in a post and it gets made a sticky 8-)

Oh wait, SS is putting it in a website, got the URL for that yet SS? ;D

patient? who me? :-[

If you ask Andy nicely he may have all the bean taste descriptions stored on his computer

KK

[Dimal]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Actually.... :

If you head into the Knock Box, thats where Andy relocates all expired BeanBay events including the cupping notes. From this post forward cupping notes became the norm.... http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1192525322 but before that - nada....

Mal.

[trentski]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Actually.... Roll Eyes

I was really hoping you had the answer when I saw the rolling eyes

I have looked through the cupping and blending threads and whilst some of them have hints at the information I was after, it is too hard for someone of my knowledge level to put the pieces together.

You see comments like "Guatemalan for mouth feel", add some "Columbian for hazelnut and caramel" but I have no idea if they are correct generalisations (if they can exist).

Actually something like this (if the link is allowed)
http://www.suite101.com/content/coffee-bean-varieties-worldwide-a37015

[cuppacoffee]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

I think the following link will be of interest to you trentski. Youll need to scroll down to the "navigating origins" section

http://www.roastmagazine.com/education/roasting101/

Enjoy it for what it is.

[trentski]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Thanks Dennis, a lot of good stuff in there 8-)

[Bean_Bear]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Thanks Dennis, a lot of good stuff in there

+1, excellent Dennis

[Dennis]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Thanks Dennis, a lot of good stuff in there

+1, excellent Dennis

Youre welcome.

[Andy]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Enjoy it for what it is.

Sorry Dennis... scores a -1 from me and I suspect it scored similar from you with the above comment.

Glossy marketing generalizations wrapped to look like verbatim, cast in stone information makes me shudder and just keeps the myth alive that countries have a profile.

One of my pet coffee hates is quotes like:

"Columbian for hazelnut and caramel"

I might have found 10 different countries beans that give that with some good roasting and 100 Colombian farms that dont.

People really have to take each bean as its own flavour journey and try and keep away from the idea that countries have a taste.

Farms and farmers produce coffee, not countries.

For giggles, Ill line-up 5 coffees from a single country one day for others to cup, you would be surprised just how different they can be.

There is some great origin information in that link but please skim over the flavour generalisations.

_{[Andy steps off the rant milk crate and goes back to bagging beans with a unique profile]}

[cuppacoffee]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

Im not surprised by your comments Andy, and I probably have as much interest as you in where beans come from as opposed to how they taste.

And yes, yes, we all know that the same coffee can be roasted with vastly different outcomes.

There is a slight contradiction in all this though. I understand you have a preference for Africans, while I dislike most Indos.

Another fun experiment would be to cup 5 coffees from different parts of the World, and ask which is preferred. Mix it up, repeat the process, and see how often indvidual tastes continue to pick out a coffee from the same region.

Like I said, enjoy it for what it is.

[flynnaus]

Re: Summary of typical bean flavours

I agree with Andy that the background info about regions is interesting and you need to be guided rather than ruled by the roasting and cupping info (and even be prepared to disagree with it). But Im glad Den posted it - it is good reading.

Some of it is correct from my point of view at least, such as Ethiopian Harrar having blueberry notes and benefiting from the roast being stopped at, or just before 2C.

Id love to see a cupping showdown among the more experienced and knowledgeable roasters here. Id pay good money for that.