http://www.tostino.com/ Coffee / Tea Tips: A Basic Primer: Every coffee has its own unique flavor, somewhere on a scale from sweet to acidic. Acidity is not bitterness, but a liveliness or tartness. As a rule, Arabica beans produce a better cup of coffee than more common, less expensive, robusta beans. Most specialty shops sell only Arabica beans. These beans produce coffee with a stronger, richer taste, and surprisingly, contain less caffeine than the robusta beans. Cappuccino and espresso are usually made from Arabica beans. Some examples are: Sweet coffee, like Hawaiian Kona Medium strength, acidic coffee like Guatemala Antigua or Costa Rican Medium strength, sweet coffee like Colombian Strong, acidic like Viennese Strong, sweet like Kenya AA or Sumatra Mendheling Very strong, acidic like French Roast Coffee Countries: Coffees, much like wines, can be classified by their growing regions. Their regions determine the coffee's flavor based on climate, growing conditions and harvesting. American: Features a medium body and clean, straightforward flavor. This category includes Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Colombia. These coffees are often used for coffee blending. African: Characterized by their distinct wine-like acidity and are medium to full-bodied. In this category are Kenya, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Indonesian: The heaviest body with much richer, lower-toned acidity. This group includes Java, Sumatra and Celebes. Hawaiian: Kona, which is located on the southwest coast of the largest island, produces Hawaii's very traditional and famous coffee. It is medium-bodied, fairly acidic, with subtle tones. Known for its rich and flavorful taste, it is very aromatic. Colombian: High grade characterized by a rich, full flavor, justifiably as the world's most sought after coffee. ` Costa Rican: Tangy aroma with a full flavor, heavy body and lively acidity. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe: The palace coffee of the Ethiopian kings: nutty, full flavor with a special after taste that lingers. Guatemalan Hard Bean: Rich with a crisp, sweet aroma and distinctive acidity. Honduran High Grown: A mellow light brew with medium body. Java Estate Jampit: The unique aroma enhances the rich flavor, spicy, mellow, good body, and good acidity. Kenya AA: Delightful aroma with a rich body and pointed acidity. Kona Blend: A compliment of Latin coffees adding to the full bodied and intense flavor of the Kona bean Metropolitan Blend: That "Seattle" taste, sophisticated darker roast, predominantly Indonesian. Mexican Altura: Delicate body with mild flavors and good acidity. Mocha Java Supreme: A blend of Java and Yemen, excellent flavor with winy characteristics. Sumatra French Roast: One of the finest coffees darkened to produce an intense flavor. Sumatra Mandehling: The finest Indonesian coffee, smooth flavor, mellow, medium body and low acidity. Yemen Mocha: Distinctive, medium to full body, not overwhelmingly acidic, rich flavor with overtones. tentative ranking: from tasting notes that follow: 1. ethiopian yirgacheffe, yemen mocha, metropolitan blend all different, but each very appealing buy more of each 2. kenya aa, java estate jampit, kona blend close to top, but not quite there perhaps try again, to compare with class 1. 3. guatemalan hard bean, columbian, sumatra mandehling a good cup of coffee, or, tastes like a cup of coffee should (but not exceptional) 4. mocha java supreme, sumatra french roast not much there 5. rincon french roast, rincon blend the coffees that prompted us to go through this comments, from various tastings: prepared: 1/2 cup beans, ground at coarsest grinder setting brew in french press, 198 deg F water, for 2 minutes metropolitan blend: aromatic, intense flavor, complex, overtones intermediate roast: < french, >standard for other samples here perhaps slight acidity excellent, >= java jampit sumatra mandehling: not highly aromatic but good aroma not acidic, smooth, light body good flavor, but not complex, not strong "a good cup of coffee" == standard but not exceptional taste degrades as it cools kona blend: highly (?) aromatic intense flavor but not complex smooth or slight acidity very appealing, earthy tastes good cold/as it cools kenya aa: aromatic (moderate to high) intense flavor earthy, complex, could be "winey" smooth very appealing good as it cools java estate jampit: aromatic, strongly flavorful ila - sharp, an edge, acidic? john - perhaps slightly tasted as if heavy roast, although not french sweet? very good sumatra french roast: not highly aromatic neutral == not strongly flavorful softer, less edge than java french roast flavor == heavy roast is primary flavor mocha java supreme: medium aromatic smooth not as complex as java but more than french roast slight hard roast flavor (> java) nice but not as great as java columbian: ~= kenay aa, but less intense, less body yirgacheffe: nose (aroma) weak, flavor strong (odd!) not acid - mellow, smooth good body winey, earthy, chocolaty(?) good aftertaste cools well very very good memorable, ranks with best previously tasted look forward strongly to new turn to brew and taste it yemen mocha: good nose, intense flavor not acid, sharp flavor but smooth winey?, earthy similar to yirgacheffe but not chocolaty very good to very very good may be a bit < yirgacheffe check - may not cool well guatemalan hard bean: good aroma/nose some acidity but not strongly so strong flavor, earthy ~= columbian ~= kenya, but more so, in that it tastes "like what a cup of coffee should" not as complex or winey as yirga, kona, yemen, java good aftertaste cools well very good to very very good kenya aa (repeat record): not acid, very smooth, nose++, aroma strong medium body not complex sweet?, winey? nice but not exceptional flavor cools very well (better as it cools?) mocha java supreme (repeat record): not acid, not smooth, medium intense aroma, strong flavor both aroma and flavor < pleasing than yirga, etc. light body earthy, winey ok but less than very good heavy handed in middle rank, with columbian, etc.