In this way the quality of the coffee shells is tasted and checked.
It is no secret to anyone that coffee husks They have long conquered the world of specialty. This is because it is a product widely used as a base for other drinks, all thanks to its different properties. Without overlooking the different forms of preparation and varieties.
More and more experts and amateurs continue to experiment with processing techniques. Its purpose will be to offer it to its clientele, if it has a coffee shop, or simply to surprise its closest circle with a product as wonderful as the husks.
However, there are certain questions ranging from how to know if the shells are of quality, or what their optimal point is. Well, fortunately today we will help you discover it with a short class in which we will give you the key points to learn how to taste coffee husks. This way you can determine the flavor profiles, and even how you can include them in your drinks.
What are coffee peels?
It is that dry layer that covers the coffee fruit, the same one that was discarded in the past, today it is one of the ingredients of numerous drinks, including infusion. If you are one of those who always opts for decaffeinated or caffeine-free drinks, cascarillas are the best option.
Regarding the infusion of coffee husks, is characterized by having a more intense flavor than grains.
Specialists from the coffee growing union consider that the use of this product is a positive point for the Planet. The reason is that everything derived from coffee is used to the maximum, since this reduces waste and provides endless properties.
How can we determine its quality?
Now that you know what husks are, it's time to get into the matter. That is why we will give you some tricks to determine their quality, like an expert in the area.
Check the condition of the shell
This is one of the points that you must take into account. For those who don't know, coffee husks are divided into two factors: pulp and husk.
When we talk about pulp, we are referring to a coffee that has been subjected to a pulping machine. Either for those grains processed in wash or honey. They are made up of somewhat larger pieces, similar to a whole piece of dried fruit.
Regarding husk, we frequently see it in coffee that was processed naturally. Regarding its size, it is known for being very small pieces.
In most cases, visual inspection is one of the most important points. But unfortunately, there is nothing concrete regarding standardization for shell processes. Because, on many occasions, we can get some with remains of branches, mold, leaves, insects such as larvae, to name a few.
What characteristics does a good sample have?
According to several specialists, the samples are in optimal conditions when the external part, whether husk or pulp, has no residue. These must be completely dry on contact. They must have a humidity between 5% and 8%.
Another aspect to consider is based on color. Since, this indicates the level of maturity of the coffee cherry. For example, more ripe cherries will provide a deep flavor, with quite pronounced sugar levels. For the pulp, it is recommended that it have an intense red hue, approaching black. While the shell should have a more mahogany color.
What happens to the parchment?
There are many opinions regarding parchment in coffee peels. The reason is that, during the threshing process to which natural grains are subjected, the parchment and husk usually end up mixing. In fact, the parchment may stick to the hull or may be shaken, depending on the thresher.
At first glance, we can see that it is a complicated procedure, and much more complicated when the time comes to separate them. But thanks to processors, we could forget about this, since they are in charge of doing a meticulous job.
The parchment plays a very important role, because It is responsible for adding bitterness to the drink. There are those who like him for that. There are those who decide to eliminate the parchment before giving it or using it.
Preparation is the key
Once you've explored your coffee husks, check their texture and smell. The time has come to finally try it. To do this, we proceed to make two preparations.
The first of them consists of using a tea bag, in a container with a ratio of 4%: 12 g of peels to 300 ml of boiling water. This being a standard proportion. Finally, we leave it to infuse for about 4 minutes and proceed to remove the bag.
The second option requires a french press, with a ratio of 10%: 30 g of peels in 300 ml of boiling water at a temperature of 96°C (205°F). We let it infuse for 4 minutes. Remember to press firmly and proceed to serve in a ceramic cup.
You know what's going through your head. Why are two preparations made? The reason is that with these different strengths, coffee husks can be used in different ways.
Let's talk about flavor profiles
The peels that come from natural coffees are characterized by having a mild, less acidic and sweet flavor. Numerous samples of cascarillas contain molasses, vanilla, cedar, and red berries. While the pulp, which is derived from washed grains or honey, can be easily identified by its bright acidity, and is quite strong. At the same time, we can perceive notes of watermelon, grape and clementine. Without overlooking that it has less sweetness.
As you will see, at this point we will focus on evaluating based on flavor, aroma, sweetness, acidity and residual in the mouth. For that we start with 4% of the cup. After the infusion, it will provide aromatic compounds. Now try to put your nose to the cup and inhale deeply. Remember to do it very carefully to avoid burning yourself. This procedure you must repeat it about 4 or 5 times, something that will allow you to determine if you smell vanilla, red berries or molasses.
Allow at least a minute to pass for the cup to cool, before taking the first sip of aeration. The first thing you'll notice is how it covers the inside of your mouth. A very important fact that you should consider is that those coffee cherries harvested at their maximum maturity are famous for containing pectin. Which makes them full and chewy.
When you take the first sip your mind will have thousands of opinions. But the trick is to achieve a balance of acidity and sweetness, as well as being able to identify those flavors without a fairly bitter residual. Excessive bitterness, lack of depth and astringency are characteristic factors of coffee peels.
We advise you to repeat the sips every minute, for the next five. As the drink cools, notes continue to appear.
Knowing how to taste coffee peels is a technique that requires a lot of practice. It may sound impossible, but with all the tricks we have given you, we are sure that it will not take long for you to master this.
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