You might say that coffee is an acquired taste, as it will often strike people as bitter upon first encounter. For this reason, people will commonly add milk and sugar to a cup of coffee in a an effort to soften the impact or to sweeten the taste. For people with more of a sweet tooth, even that might not do the trick. The process of adding different flavors to coffee drinks — or even to the bean itself — is nothing new, but the number of coffee flavors available is increasing all the time.
Previously, the most popular flavor to be added to coffee was chocolate (often called mocha) in cafes. Adding chocolate to coffee was a natural progression, especially in European cafes which primarily serve espresso. Hot chocolate is usually on the menu, so making the cafe mocha is just an added ingredient away. Beyond the now-ubiquitous caf? mocha, it is by no means uncommon to see different types of syrups added to coffee drinks. Many syrups, like amaretto or Irish cr?me, mimic the flavors of liqueurs, a more traditional form of coffee flavoring. Others are added as shots to coffee drinks in the way bartenders would make a cocktail.
Of course, if you are looking for coffee flavors without adding anything after brewing, you can find flavored coffee packaged and ready to go. Hazelnut, mocha and other flavors can be added to the coffee in bean or ground form. Clearly, it?s impossible to grow coffee with a flavor present in the bean, so any type of coffee with flavors has to be altered after the harvest. Despite the use of an artificial flavoring process, the flavors themselves need not be artificial.
Among the most popular flavors being found today, almond, pistachio, orange and white chocolate have joined hazelnut and mocha at the top of the list. Whatever flavor or type of sweetener you love, you?ll probably be able to find it at a caf?. Even the syrups being used can be produced organically.
Coffee flavors like chocolate do have an authentic element to them, as chocolate has been produced in powder and syrup form for some time. Production methods need not always spoil the natural intentions.
Coffee drinkers will also see more autumnal flavors like cinnamon and pumpkin popping up in your favorite caf?, to the delight of many.
For coffee drinkers who are experimenting with different flavors and concoctions, you should remember that caffeine is generally the ingredient with the biggest impact in traditional coffee. When you are adding elements like whipped cream, syrups and powders, the fat and sugar content in your drink could rise considerably.
For daily coffee drinkers who see an espresso or black coffee as a staple of life, it is unlikely that a variety of flavors and embellishments on the classic form will be appealing. For others with a notable sweet tooth, the different flavors will add a new wrinkle to the idea of coffee.
Damian Papworth, a coffee purist, has recently been investigating 4 cup coffee makers. He recorded his findings on the One Cup Coffee Makers website.
