When Machine Tastes Coffee

When Machine Tastes Coffee: Instrumental Approach To Predict the Sensory Profile of Espresso Coffee

Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society

A robust and reproducible model was developed to predict the sensory profile of espresso coffee from instrumental headspace data. The model is derived from 11 different espresso coffees and validated using 8 additional espressos. The input of the model consists of (i) sensory profiles from a trained panel and (ii) on-line proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) data. The experimental PTR-MS conditions were designed to simulate those for the sensory evaluation. Sixteen characteristic ion traces in the headspace were quantified by PTR-MS, requiring only 2 min of headspace measurement per espresso. The correlation is based on a knowledge-based standardization and normalization of both datasets that selectively extracts differences in the quality of samples, while reducing the impact of variations on the overall intensity of coffees. This work represents a significant progress in terms of correlation of sensory with instrumental results exemplified on coffee.

The perception elicited from drinking a freshly prepared espresso coffee represents a complex scientific phenomenon.1,2 This multisensory experience involves all our senses such as olfaction, taste, texture, trigeminal, and visual sensation. Furthermore emotions and cognitive processes constructed during drinking experiences, such as interactions between senses3 and product familiarity,4 modulate perception. Among the various sensory modalities, the aroma (smell) and taste, often referred to as flavor, are of paramount importance to the quality of coffee. The flavor compounds in a roast and ground (R&G) coffee depend on many factors, two of which are of particular importance. First, the green coffee variety and quality with its specific composition on precursors sets the stage for the later flavor development during roasting. Second, the roasting process which unlocks the flavor potential of the green coffee beans and creates the coffee flavor so much appreciated by coffee aficionados all over the world. Changes in these two factors affect most of the flavor compounds.

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CoffeeGeek holding Fundraiser for Coffee Kids, Jan. 21-Feb. 22

Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com, one of the most thorough chroniclers of the coffee world on the Web, is doing a month-long fundraiser for Coffee Kids, Jan. 21- Feb. 22.

Check out www.coffeegeek.com.

CoffeeGeek.com is auctioning off several coffee grinders donated by Baratza; donating 25% of their ad revenue for February; donating their Amazon affiliate revenue until the end of Feb; and matching any direct donations made to Coffee Kids through CoffeeGeek.

Check out www.coffeegeek.com and tell them thanks for their help!

French Press Tip

You will want to grind or have your coffee ground to a very coarse consistency for this method. If your grind is too fine, you will over extract your coffee and a bitter flavor may result. It will also be difficult or impossible for you to push the plunger down in your pot if the grind is too fine.

Now here is an application for your French press that you probably don't know about. Heat a cup of milk [non-fat works best] in a sauce pan on your stove or in a microwave. It should be heated just until it is too hot to put your finger in it. Don't overheat or you will scald the milk. Next, pour the milk into your clean, empty French press. Insert the plunger, and pump the plunger up and down like a butter churn for several minutes. The milk will expand and increase in volume by three or four times, creating beautiful frothed milk for cappuccinos and lattes.

Source: coffeeuniverse.com

Diedrich Coffee CEO Steve Coffey Resigns

Russ Phillips Appointed as New CEO

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Diedrich Coffee, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDRX) today announced that Stephen V. Coffey has tendered his resignation from his position as Chief Executive Officer. J. Russell Phillips has been appointed by the Board of Directors to assume the Chief Executive Officer position.

"On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank Steve Coffey for his strong leadership and guidance over the last two years. I believe he has successfully changed the direction of the Company and put it on track to achieve profitability," said Paul Heeschen, Diedrich Coffee's Chairman. "Steve was the driving force of both the strategy and execution in the shift of the Company's focus from our unprofitable retail coffeehouse operations to that of being a wholesale roaster of branded specialty coffees. Steve has successfully completed the work that the Board had asked of him, transforming the Company and positioning it for growth."

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Tully's Coffee Withdraws IPO

Tully's Coffee Cancels Initial Public Offering Due to Continued Market Volatility
February 07, 2008: 02:22 PM EST

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Tully's Coffee Corp. said Thursday it will not proceed with its planned initial public offering due to continued volatility in the market.

The Seattle-based company, which postponed the IPO in August, planned to raise about $34.5 million from an offering of 3.5 million shares, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company expected the offering to price between $10 and $12 per share.

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7-Eleven Launches Coffee Marketing Campaign

With taglines like "Our coffee's fresher than your average Joe" and "Guaranteed fresh or we'll brew it new," 7-Eleven, Inc. plans to educate coffee drinkers about the its commitment to quality, according to Convenience Store Decisions.

The campaign includes radio advertising, billboards, messages on the side of buses and even posters at Long Island Rail Road stations. Signs inside and outside the more than 5,500 U.S. 7-Eleven stores will let customers know they can ask a 7-Eleven employee to brew a fresh pot on the spot. Local promotions will be a part of the marketing mix.

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Rural Tourism Helps Costa Rica’s Doka Maintain Coffee Traditions

Written by Claire

At $16 a person, The Real Coffee Tour is not the principle bread winner for the Vargas family, which has run the Doka Estate coffee plantation through generations and almost 80 years. But for owner Don Rodrigo Vargas, it is one of his greatest sources of delight.

Educating people about the process of making coffee from the initial planting process to the cup has become a vocation for Mr. Vargas, who helped to implement the Coffee Tour 11 years ago. Today, the Estate, which is located in San Luis de Sabanilla de Alajuela, in route to the Poas volcano, might see upwards of 100 visitors a day.

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Pura Vida Coffee wins support of the House

By Melissa Allison
Seattle Times business reporter

Jeff Angell, president of Pura Vida Coffee, seen at the Fremont store. He says the company also sells much of its coffee to hundreds of cafes on college and university campuses and they're "very discriminating consumers."

Forget earmarks and political donations. Pura Vida Coffee, of Seattle, won the right to sell coffee at the U.S. House of Representatives through an old-fashioned taste test.

Last November, about 40 House staffers chose Pura Vida over Fair Trade-certified coffees from Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Bluebird Artisanal Coffee Roasters.

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Ernesto Illy, Chairman of Coffee Company, Is Dead at 82

NYTimes.com
Wednesday February 6, 9:38 pm ET
By DENNIS HEVESI

Ernesto Illy, who as chairman of Illycaffè, maker of an expensive brand of coffee, was renowned as a scientific perfectionist of coffee and especially as an evangelist of espresso, died Sunday in Trieste, Italy. He was 82.

His death was confirmed by Jessica Aptman, a spokeswoman for the company, who said the family did not want to disclose the cause of death.

“Our coffee is twice as expensive as the run-of-the-mill stuff, at least,” Mr. Illy told The New York Times in 2001. “Our goal is perfect beans, zero defects, and we think we get close to that.”

“Fine espresso paints the tongue,” he said of his favorite drink, which he made a product of precision.

Mr. Illy was praised for his leadership role in the industry.

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Kona farmers complain to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

T.J. Whalen
Vice President, Marketing
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
33 Coffee Lane
Waterbury, VT 05676

Dear T. J. Whalen:

Thank you for your letter of January 3, 2008, in response to my letters of September 2 and December 14, 2007. Your taking time to respond is appreciated.

I also want to re-state the appreciation of Kona coffee growers for the important role of GMCR in popularizing and broadening awareness of geographically identified specialty coffees. We applaud GMCR’s early support for Ethiopia’s efforts to protect the geographical identity of Ethiopian coffees.

The GMRC position on the marketing of “10% Kona Coffee Blends”, however, is disappointing. The use of the Kona name on packages which are 90% non-Kona coffee is inherently deceptive. Last year the Hawaii Legislature recognized this is so by making a factual finding that Hawaii’s “existing labeling requirements cause consumer fraud and confusion and degrade the ‘Kona coffee’ name.” (See SCR102/HD1.) Consistent with that finding, Kona coffee growers are working with our legislators to amend HRS Sec. 486-120.6 to bring an end to this fraud and to put a stop to the resulting damage to the Kona coffee name.

GMCR has a reputation for good corporate citizenship. Given that reputation, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association respectfully requests that the company re-examine this issue in light of basic consumer protection and fair marketing principles. If GMCR’s “87”-rated blend appeals to customers on the basis of its taste, then it will sell without the deceptive use of the Kona name.

This integrity and reputation of our heritage crop is important to Kona coffee growers. We appreciate your continued consideration of the issue.

With aloha,

Bruce Corker
Kona Coffee Farmers Association

Robert's Note:

Please see my complaint to Wawa Food Markets about their deceptive mis-use of the Kona name in selling coffee. Adulteration of Kona coffee by Wawa. Wawa's response to my complaint was a puny form letter email. We all await Green Mountain's response to the Kona Coffee Farmers Association.