The Art of Coffee Blending

Coffee blending is a popular art form that consists of combining different coffees that come from a variety of areas. There are several reasons that you would blend coffee, one of which is the most obvious: a cup of coffee that is outstanding and top quality.

This quality, though, can be achieved by brewing a cup of coffee made from 100% Arabica beans - unblended. So obviously this is not the only reason to blend coffee.

One reason for blending coffee is to create a signature blend. That is, to produce a coffee blend that has a flavor, aroma and body that is consistent, developed for and sold exclusively by a specific chain store, company or café.

Customers who purchase that coffee, regardless of which store they are in, which city or state, they can be assured that their coffee blend will always be the same taste and quality. The goal is to create branding for a company so that customers will learn to associate that particular coffee with that particular company. Starbucks is one example of branding a signature coffee blend.

Consistency is another reason for blending coffee. These blends use many bean varieties on the chance that one or more bean varieties used could become unavailable.

When so many varieties of beans are used, if one type becomes unavailable, it is replaced and consumers notice little difference.

Creating a low cost coffee is another reason for blending. Using high end, top quality beans and blending them with lower cost beans creates a coffee that has many of the characteristics of the high end coffee but does not sport the high end price tag.

If you drink decaffeinated coffee, blending can be a great advantage for taste. If you blend with only one or two caffeinated coffees, you'll still have a low caffeine content, but a much better flavor and aroma.

You can learn the art of coffee blending and learn how to blend coffee in your home. The basics are simple, although it does take some practice.

Before you begin your coffee blending project, it is important that you know the characteristics and flavors of the individual coffees. It also helps to have a goal in mind for your ideal cup of coffee that you are unable to achieve through a single degree of roasting or attain with a single origin coffee.

Your aim should be to exceed the quality and taste of the coffee you have. If you already have a great cup of coffee, blending coffee would be pointless. Once you have established, though, that you will benefit from coffee blending, you should begin with about five different coffees for your blend.

Embarking on a project that involves blending more than five coffees is not advised for many reasons, one of which is that is it frowned upon by experts in the coffee industry. Too many coffees undermines your objective for attaining the perfect cup.

Once you know how to blend, you should also know when not to blend. It is important to remember that blended coffee is usually not a higher form of coffee.

The pure forms of single origin and estate coffees are much revered. Blending coffee is the easy way to get from crop to cup because if something isn't right, it can be altered or changed by adding a different coffee.

A pure cup, though, does not have the addition of other coffees upon which to fall. So, if you already have a coffee that is pure and exceptional, seriously consider if you want to alter its individual aroma, taste and aftertaste by introducing inferior coffees to the mix.

There is also the question of blending coffee before roasting or after. If your blend is established and you know that it works, coffee blending is easier when you do it green and roast all of the beans together.

However, if you are in the experimental stages, still trying to find just the right combination, you would do better to pre roast each of your coffees separately and then experiment with the variations. This method will save you from having to create a new roast each time you make a change.

The Melange type of coffee blending tends to roast each coffee individually. This is also often the case with certain coffees, including Robusta in espresso blends.

Some coffees do roast differently, though, because of their density or extreme size variations. Some types of coffees, such as Arabicas, require a slightly higher temperature for roasting than with many other types of coffees.

Learning how to blend coffee can be a fun and delicious project. It is an art that requires time and patience. Read on the subject and taste coffees for yourself, making notes on the favorable traits that each coffee exhibits. If you love coffee, blending coffee can help you find your way to the perfect cup.