The Science of Delicious Coffee: How Acids, Sugars, and Alkaloids Shape Every Sip
In brewed coffee, over 800 flavor and aromatic compounds have been identified. For coffee enthusiasts, the most exciting part is figuring out how these compounds form and how they influence the flavor and mouthfeel of coffee. There are plenty of books that dive deep into the chemistry of coffee, but for those who aren’t chemists, reading them can be a snooze—even with all the caffeine you consume! So today, we’ll focus only on a few of the main compounds. Acids and Sugars: The Key to Coffee Flavor As both roasters and coffee lovers, we’re particularly interested in two types of compounds: carbohydrates (sugars) and organic acids. The interplay between these compounds largely defines the coffee experience. To understand this, just think of the difference between cheap white wine and a decent wine. Cheap wines have low sugar content and only one or two prominent acids, which makes them taste sharp, thin, and harsh. Good wines, on the other hand, have rich acid profiles—some with...