4 ms·

I wonder how much of it is simply fake/psychological like wine tasting.

deelowe 3y ago
It's not fake. That said, I'm not sure what all makes a difference. For example, I'm not sure how much altitude affects things. Bean size definitely seems to. Same goes for the process (wet, honey, natural, etc). And, of course, the roast makes a huge difference. There are some roasters out there who offer kits where you can get the same wash, same roast in different origins so you can compare and there is definitely a difference. I've had some that were extremely fruity, almost cherry tasting and others that were much more earthy/tobacco tasting. I like more fruity coffees and I find that these tend be more common in beans from Africa.
- kelipso 3y ago
  Coffee brewed a few degrees of temperature apart tastes fairly different to me. I get annoyed by people who say the difference in taste must be in your imagination. It's like color blind people saying you must be imagining the difference in red and green colors.
  - 0xbadcafebee 3y ago
    It's not your imagination, it's science (although it does depend on the other variables). The temperature of water changes the extraction of dissolved and undissolved solids from the bean into the water, and water changes whether oils, esters, acids, etc are folded or not, which is what we perceive as flavor (aroma combined with the 6 tastes). It's unlikely that only a few degrees would be perceptible by most people, but for supertasters, with the right coffee, it's possible.
  - gottorf 3y ago
    > I get annoyed by people who say the difference in taste must be in your imagination. I have a friend who is a supertaster, and I'm probably whatever is the opposite of that, due to lifelong allergies. We amaze each other sometimes when we eat together.
  - boringuser2 3y ago
    The thing is, it's normal to be annoyed by people who are challenging your reality. Most people who never learn anything that goes beyond surface level truths accessible at a broad social level are. It is the job of intellectuals to not be mad, but rather revel in challenges to their reality. This is the difference between someone who develops a robust worldview and someone who develops a comfortable worldview. I have my doubts that you can switch between these two modalities of learning. FYI I drink elaborately roasted and brewed coffee in many blends constantly. I'm open to the idea that I've been engaging in Kabuki because I f***g love science.
- boringuser2 3y ago
  Are you sure? Sure enough to feel that you can bypass cognitive bias and make an accurate assessment?
  - deelowe 3y ago
    Am I sure I can taste the difference between beans of different origins? Absolutely. I'm confident you can too.

It's not fake. That said, I'm not sure what all makes a difference. For example, I'm not sure how much altitude affects things. Bean size definitely seems to. Same goes for the process (wet, honey, natural, etc). And, of course, the roast makes a huge difference. There are some roasters out there who offer kits where you can get the same wash, same roast in different origins so you can compare and there is definitely a difference. I've had some that were extremely fruity, almost cherry tasting and others that were much more earthy/tobacco tasting. I like more fruity coffees and I find that these tend be more common in beans from Africa.

kelipso 3y ago
Coffee brewed a few degrees of temperature apart tastes fairly different to me. I get annoyed by people who say the difference in taste must be in your imagination. It's like color blind people saying you must be imagining the difference in red and green colors.
- 0xbadcafebee 3y ago
  It's not your imagination, it's science (although it does depend on the other variables). The temperature of water changes the extraction of dissolved and undissolved solids from the bean into the water, and water changes whether oils, esters, acids, etc are folded or not, which is what we perceive as flavor (aroma combined with the 6 tastes). It's unlikely that only a few degrees would be perceptible by most people, but for supertasters, with the right coffee, it's possible.
- gottorf 3y ago
  > I get annoyed by people who say the difference in taste must be in your imagination. I have a friend who is a supertaster, and I'm probably whatever is the opposite of that, due to lifelong allergies. We amaze each other sometimes when we eat together.
- boringuser2 3y ago
  The thing is, it's normal to be annoyed by people who are challenging your reality. Most people who never learn anything that goes beyond surface level truths accessible at a broad social level are. It is the job of intellectuals to not be mad, but rather revel in challenges to their reality. This is the difference between someone who develops a robust worldview and someone who develops a comfortable worldview. I have my doubts that you can switch between these two modalities of learning. FYI I drink elaborately roasted and brewed coffee in many blends constantly. I'm open to the idea that I've been engaging in Kabuki because I f***g love science.
boringuser2 3y ago
Are you sure? Sure enough to feel that you can bypass cognitive bias and make an accurate assessment?
- deelowe 3y ago
  Am I sure I can taste the difference between beans of different origins? Absolutely. I'm confident you can too.