How does the cultivation of coffee affect its taste?

The final taste of the brew in your cup is influenced by a great many factors. These range from the climatic conditions of the plantation from which the coffee comes, to the processing and roasting of the beans, to the quality of the brewing water used.

Of course, the way the coffee is prepared is just as important, as it can make all the difference. After all, an espresso prepared in a coffee machine will be very different from one made in a flask machine, and coffee brewed in a transfer machine tastes different from a thick espresso.

However, today is not about that at all.

Because while we can influence factors such as the method of processing, roasting or brewing coffee, some of these factors we cannot control in any way. So if you want to get to know a particular coffee better, you need to look at it a little, a little closer and ... go to the plantation where it grows for an extended period of time ? Today we will tell you about coffee terroir, that is, the influence of mother nature on the taste and character of coffee.

Terrior, or ... ?

The word terroir freely translated means land, soil, region. It comes from the French language. It is used to describe not only the character of coffee, but also of cheese or wine.

Several factors contribute to the terroir of coffee, the most important being the mineral composition of the soil, the sunshine and temperature prevailing on the plantation, the amount of rainfall and the altitude at which the plantation is located.

In a nutshell, therefore, it can be said that a coffee's terrior is a region-specific combination of unique geographical conditions, influencing its final taste.

The coffee plant is a very demanding plant and equally sensitive to all the growing conditions listed. Therefore, EVERY one of these factors is very important and contributes to how the coffee will ultimately taste. Let us briefly discuss each of them.

Soil

The land on which coffee trees grow is an extremely important topic when we are engaged in serious deliberations about the taste of the black brew ? Why? Well, because this is where the trees get their nourishment and vital ingredients.

One of the best soils for growing coffee is volcanic soil - it is extremely rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc, and its texture allows it to hold moisture adequately.

Crop height

It would seem to be a minor factor but no, nothing could be further from the truth. How high the coffee tree grows affects the subsequent caffeine content of the cup. This is because caffeine is a natural defence mechanism produced by the plant - its bitter taste deters uninvited guests, i.e. pests. The higher the coffee plant grows, the lower the risk of pests = the lower the amount of caffeine produced by the plant.

It also has more far-reaching consequences - in taste. Coffee from plantations located on higher altitudes will be characterised by a citrus, delicately fruity or floral flavour, and beans with a lower crops will create a more intense bouquet, with perceptible notes of nuts or chocolate.

Sunshine and temperature

Sun exposure, rainfall intensity and air temperature are equally important pieces of the overall puzzle. This is because they influence the rate at which the coffee tree matures. And this translates into the sensory profile of the coffee - the longer the tree grows, the more complex the profile.

Growing coffee is quite a challenge! Above all, because it is mainly factors beyond our control that make coffee have such huge and varied flavour compositions. This is why it is very often the case that coffee from the same plantation, but produced in different years, tastes slightly different. And all this is due to mother nature ?

Remember that The terroir is extremely important and has a significant impact on the taste of the coffee, but this is only one of several elements that determine what kind of brew will finally settle in your cup.