What flavor of coffee are you? Express yourself – Drink flavored coffee!

Flavored coffees are almost as old as the original drink. History shows that a few hundred years ago in the Middle East, people mixed coffee with nuts and spices to obtain pleasant, personal and special flavors. In modern times, this trend of unique flavor alternatives continues.

The truth is that today’s consumers want to try and experience more flavors than nature can provide and welcome the introduction of flavoring agents into coffee.

Flavored syrups have been used to add a touch of “that special flavor” to brewed coffee. Advances in food science and technology now allow for the introduction of complex flavors directly into the beans as part of a post-roasting process. When beans are brewed with those flavors, the resulting beverage features the extracted flavors and provides a great taste experience.

How does the type of bean used to make flavored coffee affect the taste of the finished beverage?

• For one thing, let’s remember that coffee beans contain more than 800 different compounds that contribute to their flavor and aroma.
• For example, to name just a few: organic acids, aromatic oils, sugars, carbohydrates, mineral salts, and methylxanthines, which is a class of chemicals that includes caffeine.
• In addition, the flavor and aroma of the bean depend on the origin of the coffee, where it was grown and how it is roasted.
• Professional flavoring chemists compose flavoring oils that are combinations of natural and synthetic flavoring chemicals.
• Natural oils, on the other hand, are extracted from sources like vanilla, cocoa, nuts, and berries.
• Cinnamon, chicory, and cloves are used in a variety of coffee flavors with delicious, aromatic results that are simply unforgettable.
• Some food flavors may require 9 or 10 ingredients in their composition to achieve the desired flavor but it is not uncommon for up to 80 (that’s right!) different compounds to achieve a special and subtle flavor.
• As most flavored coffee lovers know, the ideal coffee used for flavoring should be smooth and well-balanced so that no characteristic of the coffee’s flavor profile “stands out.”

Why do consumers like flavored coffees?

• There are many answers to this question. Some consumers want to create an image of themselves through the flavor they choose.
• Flavored coffee drinkers see themselves as trailblazers, unique individuals, and adventurers.
• They like to try flavors and do things that are not “normal”.
• There are many studies on the meanings of personal taste preferences.
• For example, the vast majority of coffee drinkers who try the fad flavors tend to go back to the classics. Of course, what is a classic flavor for someone may be totally different for someone else.

How many flavors of coffee are there?

This is where the fun begins and it seems almost endless.. Classic hazelnut, vanilla, amaretto, chocolates, desserts and spices, fruits and creams, liqueurs, nuts and crisps… the list goes on and on!

• Chocolate Coffee, for example, is a great example of a favorite flavor. Everyone loves chocolate, right? Well, just about everyone loves one of the many chocolate-flavored varieties available.
• For those consumers who want the right taste of coffee at the same time as the taste of chocolate, mixing the two drinks into one offers a delicious specialty blend with a perceptible aroma that delights the nose.
• Dessert and spice flavored coffees are often favorites as an after-dinner coffee and dessert drink that completes a meal without the added calories.
• Fruit and cream flavored coffees are a fresh, natural and refreshing drink.
• It is truly amazing that the mix available includes selections of bananas, cherries, berries, oranges, peaches, custards, and custards. And, if that’s not enough choice, there are many combinations of these available in regular or decaf versions.
• People have enjoyed drinking coffee accompanied by liqueurs or distilled spirits since the early days of coffee’s popularity in European coffee shops. So it’s no surprise that many rich classic flavors of flavored coffees now include names like Amaretto Royale, Butter Rum, Egg Nog, Irish Cream, or White Russian.

What are you waiting for? Go ahead and enjoy a great cup of macadamia or nut flavored coffee, either regular or decaf!