This “black liquid” seems simple enough, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a wealth of knowledge within: from the processing of coffee green beans, to the degree of bean roasting, these factors can certainly affect the flavours of the coffee beans when consumed by customers.
Roasting coffee bean is therefore seen as an art form itself. When different types of beans pair up, it can present different flavour characteristics. Beans will undergo a subtle change during roasting as the temperature rises over a period of time, and it’s up to the coffee roaster’s experience, precision and imagination to master this art.
The espresso provided in Tong Chong Street Market is mainly based on beans roasted in a light and medium way, which enhances the sweetness of the beans, allowing first time coffee drinkers to fully appreciate the pleasure of drinking fine coffee. However, it’s not easy to imagine the flavour just by looking at the information on the bag, but if you manage to master the following, you can easily hone in on the flavour that’s perfect for you:
1. Sundried beans: the most traditional, bright, mellow, and sweet.
2. Washed beans: due to fermentation, it has a clear acidic and fruity flavour.
3. Honey processed coffee: also sundried, therefore the taste is equally flavourful, but with a balanced acidity and sweetness.
4. Wet hulling: A unique treatment method from Sumatra, Indonesia, has low acidity, strong concentration and special wood flavour.
5. Roasting: The lighter the acidity, the more prominent it will be. The deeper the bitterness, the more bitter it becomes.
In recent years, coffee shops all over the world enjoy mixing different beverages with espresso to create special coffee drinks, in hopes to attract more fans. They include adding water (made into an Australian Long Black or American Americano), or adding tonic water to create the popular Espresso Tonic, which helps neutralises the acidity and bitterness and making the coffee flavour more balanced.
You can sample this world-famous Espresso Tonic at Black Sugar Coffee and Elixir X Teemtone in the market.