Odd Taste - Coffee Shops

fx83wab

I drink espresso (no milk) - I've noticed recently in a few coffee shops in Dublin that either the coffee they use, or else the way it is prepared results in a very odd tangy type taste.. so much so that I find it undrinkable. I'm not sure if this is an 'intentional' taste that I'm not used to or I just dislike or if it occurs for some other reason. Once of the places in question is Cocu on Baggot Street for example, where they seem to take great care in prepping and making the coffee, so maybe it's just me? I'm finding it hard to describe the taste, so I'm not sure if the above is clear.. I notice the difference in the smell too.

Has anyone else noticed this or able to give a reason or more accurate description?

Krusty_Clown

It may be down to the type/variety of beans they are using. If the espresso is made from a single estate source versus a blend of beans, it can taste very different. I'm still trying to figure out what my favourite bean varieties are, but currently it seems to be caturra and catuai varieties, which give a sweet mildly acidic taste - very different to an espresso blend.

Slaphead07

yeah, almost certainly the type of bean. I'm not a fan of citrus notes in an espresso either.

lazywhole

thats proper quality coffee from there.they are supplied by a guy that has his own roastery, and the beans have more than likely only roasted in the last week or so
unlike the coffee from jars or any of the multi nationals that have lower quality beans and have being sitting on a shelf for months on end.

keep trying them. the batch changes every week or two.you will find one that you love.

wonderfulname

It's a prominent taste in artisan/boutique/whatever coffee at the minute, I don't like it too much either, it really only suits americanos and pour overs to my taste.

It doesn't define good coffee but it's definitely a trend in good coffee.

donaghs

Yes, I'd suspect its the trend for certain arabica bean types, and more particularly the "light roast" trend (fad?). Lots of people getting excited about "citrus" and "grassy" flavours.

Each to their own. I like to try new things, but still prefer my coffee to have a traditional dark roast coffee flavour. I don't see the "light roast" trend going the distance.

Slaphead07

donaghs wrote: »

Yes, I'd suspect its the trend for certain arabica bean types, and more particularly the "light roast" trend (fad?). Lots of people getting excited about "citrus" and "grassy" flavours.

I don't mind citrus or a light roast at all, I quite like it in fact, but not in an espresso as the OP raised.

ps: there is a certain citric quality in some espressos, usually on the finish, which is actually quite nice but generally it's overdone.

Zagato

I agree, I don't like the fruitier lighter flavours in espresso shots, but happy to try them in filter coffee

Glasgow Megasnake

Coffee is a fruit, speciality coffee treats it as such and aims to bring out the individual characteristics of the beans being used from roasting to brewing. The generally lighter roasting profile allows the natural acidity of the coffee to shine through and can make it quite a departure from dark blends. Can certainly understand it taking a while to get used to given we've been starved of decent coffee in Ireland until fairly recently but I think it's worth sticking with it, dark roasts remove most of the flavour from coffee.

Cocu get their coffee from Roasted Brown as far as I know; they source the coffee through Nordic Approach, roast fairly light in the 'Scandinavian' style and never blend varieties. If you can't get into it with the single origins it's worth looking out for any of 3fe's blends or Square Mile's Red Brick in coffee shops, generally really nice and might be more palatable.

Edit: That said, any prominent acidity should be balanced with sweetness and body so if an espresso just tastes sour it's likely the shop hasn't dialled the coffee in properly and are pulling bad shots.