The Brew's The Thing

There's a growing breed of connoisseurs who like it hot, dark, and preferably South American. Coffee is acquiring a new cachet the world over as specialised brews take over from the instant goo most people drink. Punam Mohandas filters the real stuff.

Somebody better think of starting a Coffee Addicts Inc. Black, au lait, with creme, piping hot, deliciously chilled, taken any which way, coffee is indisputably the greatest discovery since fig leaves went out of fashion. Nonetheless, how many of us know where what we're gulping down actually came from, and what its singularities are?

Actually, much like its country of origin, the African coffee is medium and full bodied. Kenya Arabica which ranks with the world's finest, is for those who like coffee with a bite. And, for those who like their coffee rich, consistent and an ideal blend, there's nothing to touch the South American varieties. More coffee is produced in Brazil than in any other country in the world. The best known variety is the Santos, named after Alberto Santos-Dumont, also known as the Coffee King on account of the 50 lakh plants on his estate.

Asian coffees are low in acidity, while the renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain--ideal for those who take their brew black--is thrice as expensive because the crop is small and rare. European coffees are generally blends of the two main strains--Arabica and Robusta--imported the world over. Arabica has a chocolatey, fruity taste, while the Robusta is more woody and earthy.

However, preferences vary from country to country; the Dutch like theirs gently brewed, while the Greeks prefer it thick and syrupy. The French favour a distinctively bitter flavour, and the Italians roast the beans to a point just short of burning. The Turkish way is to place `Ibriks' filled with water and powdered coffee in a heated container that has a layer of sand spread on the bottom; the coffee must be brought to a boil three times before being served.

The Americans prefer their coffee strong and varied. They, in fact, invented the coffee break, which is an integral part of life today. Germans like it flavoured and acidic. The Scandinavians love the monsooned variety with its golden look and mellow taste. The Swiss use it as a centre in their famous chocolates. The Italians want strength and frothiness in their cup, their speciality being espresso. Notorious for drinking pale, watery brews, the British are once again becoming aware of coffee and improving their coffee-brewing techniques. The Arabs like their coffee green and bold, while the Japanese drink all types of coffee including espresso, cappuccino, iced, with whipped milk, and other varieties.

The Great Cup

Two factors are vital to create that great cup of coffee--the right blend, and the right amount. Robusta is less expensive and gives coffee a lot of `body' (body depends on coffee oils, the presence of tiny bubbles of gas, mainly carbon dioxide, and emulsified colloids). However, this advantage is offset by such drawbacks as the higher caffeine content, lack of aroma, and more bitter flavour. The ideal blend, therefore, is composed of Arabica Natural (Brazilian Santos) and Arabica Washed--they are sweeter and more acidic, with a flowery or fruity aroma. Again, too much of Arabica Washed should not be used. First, their acidity is heightened (as in the espresso method) and second, the consistency is hard, so that even after grinding, the particles are still homogeneous.

Roasting may be done at quite high temperatures; the pronounced bitter flavour is not a problem as it is neutralised by the colloids which, in addition to giving body, inhibit the receptors of bitterness in the taste buds. Considering that good percolators/ espresso machines for the home are now available in the market, you should be able to create a good brew yourself. But how do you distinguish a good coffee from the perfect? To obtain the best espresso, for instance, the extraction must take 30 seconds, and the water must be about 90 degrees C and 9 atmospheres of pressure. As with wine tasting, it is the visual inspection that gives you an indication regarding strength and blend. A pale cream on the surface, tending toward whitish yellow, signifies that the coffee has been under-extracted. If the cream is dark brown, almost tinged with black on one side and white on the other, it means it has been over-extracted. The correct process would produce a cream of homogeneous colour, dappled with darker streaks. Also, if the colour is deep hazel with reddish tints and tiny bubbles, it shows that the blend is mainly Arabica. On the other hand, if it tends to be a dark brown with grey streaks and the mesh of the cream is less compact, then the blend is Robusta. The sense of smell also comes into play here. Arabica, as already mentioned, tends towards chocolatey or fruity, while Robusta is woody or earthy. Next comes the matter of taste. Arabica is sweeter than Robusta which has a pronounced bitterness.

Coffee has tremendous adaptability. Not only is it drunk in a variety of ways, it can be used as an interesting complement to certain dishes as well as speciality drinks. Coffee liqueurs are gaining popularity in countries like India, while Irish coffee remains an all-time favourite.

In recent years, there has been a significant trend towards de-caffeinated coffee. Individuals have different levels of tolerance towards caffeine, which is why some people can drink it and fall asleep immediately, while others find it difficult to sleep after just one cup. Decaffeination removes the caffeine from the coffee beans without adversely affecting the flavour which develops when the beans are roasted. However, connoisseurs find that decaffeinated coffee tends to be inferior in taste, aroma and appearance.

For the uninitiated, the two species of economic significance are Coffea Arabica, and Coffea Canephora commonly known as Robusta. They constitute the bulk of world production, with two other cultivated species--Coffea Liberica and Coffea Excelsa--playing a minor role. Arabica accounts for three-quarters of the world production. Although the roasted beans are similar, there are other marked differences. As the name suggests, Robusta is more resistant to parasites and diseases, while Arabica is grown at altitudes of 900 to 2,000 m. Arabica is more expensive to produce and is priced higher. The ideal habitat for coffee plants is in the area which forms a band between the two Tropics, i.e. Central South America, Central Africa; and the zone comprising India, the Indonesian Islands, and Papua New Guinea. Connoisseurs will debate the issue over endless cups of the stuff, but the best coffees in the world are generally rated as follows:

Brazil: The world's leading coffee producer, its 2 to 3 crore bags annually account for a third of world production. Coffee accounts for 10 per cent of the gross national product and 20 per cent of the total value of Brazil's exports, besides granting employment to 50 lakh people. The plants flower after every rainfall, so several weeks of drought during the expected rainy season in Brazil can cause coffee prices to shoot up worldwide. As well as being great producers, the Brazilians are great consumers. The coffee is mainly of the Arabica species, the most common varieties being Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo, Catuai, and Maragogype. The best are the Santos and the washed Bahia, both from the hills of Mogiana, and they form the ideal basis for the blends that go into espresso coffee.

Guatemala: It is known internationally simply for the excellent quality of its coffee. The coffee is of the same type that Brazil produces, and average annual production is only 25 lakh bags. Even though the larger haciendas (estates or plantations with a dwelling house) have their own machines and equipment, the hand-picking method is used, which results in a high quality, very mild coffee, not bitter, of average acidity, and with a strong aroma which varies from chocolatey to flowery. Again, this is ideal for espresso coffee blends.

Kenya: This is also described as the Switzerland of Africa, and is famous for its coffee, of which it produces 15 lakh bags annually. The best Kenyan coffee is the double A, indicating the size of the bean. It makes a very mild coffee, not bitter, with high acidity and a strong aroma, described as flowery, fruity, or even like that of toasted bread! It is used in percolated coffee blends; only a small percentage should be added to espresso blends, because of the pronounced acidity. Since each consignment is sold in an auction to authorised exporters, and the producers then paid in accordance with the auction price, Kenyan coffee appears in the international market at distinctly high prices.

Colombia: The second-largest producer with over 1.2 crore bags a year, Colombian coffee is becoming increasingly popular, fuelled by an aggressive international campaign targeted at celebrity events. The finest is Medellin.

South American and African countries produce comparatively smaller amounts. Outside these regions, there is Hawaii's best-known Kona,while Indonesia is the home of Java. India is also an exporter, with the Mysore variety being well known.

The World's Best Coffee Bars
The growing popularity and specialisation of coffee are best reflected in the profusion of coffee houses or coffee bars where customers can choose from the very best in the world. The first such establishment in Paris--and still in existence--is the Procope, opened by a Sicilian called Procopio dei Coltelli. Naples has its Gambrinus, Florence its Giube Rosse and Gilli, and Budapest the Hungarian Cafe. Incidentally, the Hungarians are among Europe's biggest coffee drinkers. The most famous coffee establishment in Rome was the Greco--visited by Louis I of Bavaria, and former presidents John F. Kennedy and Francois Mitterand--and the comparatively younger Pedrocchi, opened in 1831 by Antonio Pedrocchi, and today regarded as the `Temple of Coffee'. Outside, stone lions watch over the sidewalk tables, while the interiors comprise a marble bar and 10 interconnecting rooms, each done up differently. Of late, the Pedrocchi has decided to instal a separate bar to serve customers in a hurry, reserving the luxury of the old rooms for those with a more leisurely attitude to their coffee!

Venice, where it all began, has the Caffee Florian, opened in 1720 by Floriano Francesconi. Initially called the Caffe della Venezia Trionfonte, it quickly assumed the name of its owner. Still in existence, it faces St Marks Square under the arcade of Procuratie Nuove. With tables of wood and marble, and walls decorated with frescoes and gold inlay, the interior is divided into a number of small rooms with different ethnic motifs. Goethe, Dickens, Proust and Casanova all visited here. You can still see the Fondaco dei Tedeschi near the Rialto Bridge where, in olden days, the coffee would be unloaded, stored, and also roasted before being sold to other European countries.

Unlike Paris' bustling, cheerful, sometimes noisy, coffee dens, the best of Vienna's establishments are refined and elegant. For the Viennese, it is a home away from home; the Cafe Griensteidl near the Hofburg was a regular rendezvous for poets and playwrights and the oldest Viennese daily, the Weiner Zeitung, was actually founded in a coffee house. While the Schwarzenberg and Sperl rank among the oldest, the Landtmann (1873) has an enviable location, with the Burgtheater, the University, the Rathaus, the Parliament and the Concordia Press Club in close proximity. And in the very heart of the city, is the famous, nearly 150-year-old Hotel Sacher, established in 1876 by Eduard Sacher, in place of what used to be the venerable Kaerntnertor Theatre, from which the street gets it name--Kaerntnerstrasse.

Coffee has such a worldwide demand that it is an important commodity in international trade. Indian coffee is rated among the best-quality mild coffees in the international market and is exported to USA, UK, Russia, Europe, Sweden, Norway, Yugoslavia, Belgium, Australia, Japan and the Gulf countries. India produces an average of nearly 2 lakh tonnes of coffee a year, valued at over Rs 460 crore, mainly grown in south India. Karnataka is the largest producer. Blood-red berries that are just ripe make the best coffee.

The climate of the Western Ghats (where it is largely grown) gives Indian coffee the delicate flavour that connoisseurs love. Indian coffee is typically mild and not too acidic--and yet it possesses an exotic full-bodied taste and a fine aroma. The flavour is full bodied, slightly acidic and straightforward.

India is a member of the International Coffee Organisation and a signatory to the International Coffee Agreement. The Coffee Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, looks after the growth and development of the Indian coffee industry and is responsible for quality control. Today, post-liberalisation, the buyer can interact directly with the coffee grower with free negotiation on price, quality and quantities required.

The Liqueuring Department of the Coffee Board (the cup-tasting unit) selects the best coffee for export on the basis of the `cup test'. Then, premium points are awarded to the growers of quality coffee. Cured coffee is also evaluated by a screening panel prior to export. Indian Robusta coffee is considered the finest by the trade. This variety is considered the best coffee for espresso coffee blends.

Indian coffee has two principal varieties: Arabica and Robusta. These are again classified into washed and unwashed beans based on the method of processing. They are, in turn, classified into various grades depending on the size of the beans. Some popular speciality coffees are monsooned coffee, Mysore Nuggets Extra Bold, and Robusta Kaapi Royale.

The nearly Rs 1,000 crore coffee market in India has both organised and unorganised players; and has small companies to transnationals like Nestle and Hindustan Lever. The varieties marketed include pure instant coffee, mix instant coffee, pure filter coffee and mix filter coffee. Specific brands have been created for specific niches.

Various companies produce different varieties both for the domestic and international market. The Bangalore-based Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd, exports coffee beans supplied from its own plantations in the Western Ghats along with collection centres and curing facilities from prime coffee centres in Karnataka. The Coffee Day filter coffee brand which it produces has over nine blends, which are blended at their own modern laboratories by cup-tasters. It is marketed through Coffee Point outlets. The Coffee Day Cyber Cafe in Bangalore is this city's first Internet Cafe where customers can relish the joys of local and international coffee flavours.

Coffee enjoys a worldwide popularity. It has proved to be a brew that can adapt itself to the varied tastes, whims and fancies of any drinker. Today, there is hardly a drink to match the taste of a steaming, rich cup of coffee during conference breaks, movie intervals, brainstorming sessions, late-night pre-examination time study sessions....And who can deny the inexplicable taste of the wake-up cup?

Served ice cold or steaming hot, drunk black or with milk and/or whipped cream, with sugar (or sweetener) or without, this brew is an all-time winner.

Hard Facts

There are over 1,200 chemical components present in coffee. Its main component, caffeine, is chemically an alkaloid (1,3,7- trimethylxanthine), an odourless, bitter, white powder, soluble in water. Caffeine increases awareness, improves concentration, speeds up reflexes, and has a significant positive influence on mood swings, according to a recent study.

The dangerous level is about 10 g (nearly equal to a 100 cups of espresso). Therefore, the ideal intake for an adult should not be more than 300 to 400 mg daily. In the espresso method, since the coffee is in contact with water for a brief period of 30 seconds only, all the caffeine is not dissolved--particularly if the espresso is extra strong--and that is why this is the preferred mode of drinking the brew in Europe. One cup of espresso uses 6 to 7 g of coffee, as opposed to the 10 to 15 g required for other methods. Arabica contains 1.1 to 1.7 per cent of caffeine, while in Robusta the proportion is much higher--2 to 4.5 per cent.

Women are generally faster than men in metabolising the caffeine in the circulatory system except during pregnancy when the metabolic rate slows down to such an extent that coffee drinking may be unhealthy at this time. It is also not advisable for anyone suffering from gastritis, gastro-duodenal ulcers, or cardiac disorders. To know what our individual intake should be, we have first to find out whether we metabolise caffeine slowly or quickly. Early this century, decaffeinated coffee was introduced for people who cannot tolerate caffeine. However, this coffee does not keep well for any length of time and so loses its quality.

How to Brew the Best Cup of Coffee

Steaming, hot filter coffee. With an exhilarating aroma, creamy-golden-brown froth, fulsome flavour and lingering after-taste. Nothing like it to refresh and stimulate. And so easy to achieve if you brew it right.

What You Need
Ingredients
Freshly roasted and ground coffee. Use within a week of opening pack. Never use coffee powder a second time.
General Tips
Rinse coffee-making device and other utensils thoroughly in hot water before use, and dry.
Fill coffee-making device to capacity--never less than three-fourths of the device. Add freshly boiled water to coffee--not vice versa, this spoils the taste. Use one part milk to three parts of coffee. Never use over-boiled milk--this ruins the flavour.
Add milk and sugar separately.
Maintain uniform timing for every brew.
Serve immediately after brewing. If not, keep at serving temperature by placing the coffee pot/device in a pan containing hot water or on a lightly heated asbestos pad.

The Actual Process
(there are various kinds of processes)

Pot Method
Equipment: Earthen pot or jug.
(Ratio of milk to water is 1: 2)
Warm earthen pot or jug over fire.
Add three teaspoons of freshly roasted and ground coffee for every cup (for three or more cups to be brewed together, add three extra teaspoons).
Add 100 ml of freshly boiled water to coffee powder (not continuously boiling).
Stir with wooden spoon.
Close pot with lid.
Heat for five to seven minutes till coffee-grounds settle.
Pour coffee through fine-meshed sieve or cloth into serving jug.
Add 50 ml of milk and 6 to 7 g of sugar.

Filter Method
Equipment: Glass, stainless steel or tinned brass coffee filter.
(Ratio of coffee powder to water is 1:15)
Use your choice of filter--glass, stainless steel or tinned brass. (Glass is best for preserving flavour and aroma.)
Add three teaspoons of freshly roasted and ground coffee for every cup.
Fix upper part of filter to lower part.
Remove plunger from vessel.
Add 10 g coffee powder and spread it uniformly.
Immerse plunger pressing down on powder lightly.
Pour 150 ml of freshly boiled water over plunger.
Keep for five to seven minutes.
Pour out coffee from lower part of filter into cups.
Serve with 50 ml of milk and 6 to 7 g of sugar to taste.

Percolator Method
Equipment: Coffee percolator.
Heat percolator till 150 ml of water boils.
Measure coffee according to cups required into baskets (8 to 10 g of coffee per cup).
Insert basket into percolator slowly.
Remove basket.
Serve with milk and 6 to 7 g of sugar to taste.

Vacuum Method
Equipment: Coffee pot-cum-filter (available with Coffee Board).
Heat lower container till water in it boils.
Reduce flame.
Place filter in upper container, add coffee powder and insert into lower container.
Ensure water rises into upper container, stir, remove from flame after one to three minutes.
When brew filters into lower container, remove upper container.
Serve with milk and about 6 to 7 g of sugar to taste.