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Coffee Tips

Why Does Coffee Taste Like Chocolate?

If you’re a regular coffee drinker, you’ve probably noticed that sometimes your coffee tastes like chocolate. But where do these chocolate notes in it come from? This article will discuss everything you need to know regarding why your coffee tastes like chocolate and the types of coffee with more chocolate flavors. Let’s get started.

 

two cup of coffee beans and chocolate bars with cocoa beans

 

The type of beans used to make your coffee and regions where these beans are grown can be the cause of the chocolate taste in it. For example, coffee beans that are grown in regions such as Central America and South America have cacao or chocolate flavors in them. This contributes to the chocolate flavor in your coffee. Additionally, the chocolate flavor in your coffee can result from medium-dark roasted coffee beans. This is because the time frame used on medium-dark coffee beans is enough to caramelize the sugars and bring out the chocolate flavors. Let’s dig in.

 

Why Does Coffee Taste Like Chocolate?

Origin of the Coffee Beans

As mentioned earlier, the geographical region where your coffee is grown contributes to the chocolatey flavor notes in your coffee. Coffee beans grown in regions with lower altitudes such as those of Central and South America have chocolate flavor notes. This includes countries such as Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for coffee beans with no chocolate flavors, you can try those from Eastern African countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya. The coffee beans have more sour and fruity flavors instead of chocolate flavors.

 

Coffee Beans Roast Level

The level of roasting of your coffee beans influences the flavor of your coffee. The different types of roasts – light roast, medium roast, and dark roast have different flavors. Usually, coffee beans are soft and green as they come off the plants. They then have to undergo the roasting process which involves roasting the coffee beans under hot temperature until they achieve the brown color and hard texture you’ll find them with as you buy them at the store.

Lightly roasted coffee beans are those roasted for less time, medium roasted coffee beans are roasted for medium time, while dark roasted coffee beans are roasted for a long time. You’ll find that coffee with chocolate flavors is mostly from medium-dark roasted coffee beans. This is because the time used on light roasts isn’t enough to allow the sugars in the coffee beans to caramelize enough and result in the chocolate and cacao flavor notes. On the other hand, the time used on dark roasts is more than enough to burn the chocolate and cacao flavors of the coffee beans and mask them with other flavors other than those they had while growing.

 

Different Flavors in Coffee

Generally, most types of coffee taste like coffee. However, they may have some underlying flavor notes that include fruity, nutty, floral, tobacco, herbal, citrusy, or chocolate. These different flavor notes are a result of the geographical region where coffee beans are grown and the roasting levels. Below is an SCAA color wheel that covers most coffee notes. Flavors that are next to each other are closely related and more likely to be in one cup of coffee. For example, chocolate and nutty flavors are close to each other. So, you’ll find that if your cup of coffee has chocolate flavors, it may also have nutty flavors such as those of almond and hazelnut.

 

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Coffee with Chocolate Flavors

If you love the chocolate flavor notes in your coffee and you can’t get enough of them, you can try the Caffe Mocha. A Caffe Mocha is pretty much hot chocolate that’s been added to espresso. You can order a Caffe Mocha from most coffee shops and you can as well make one at your home. Caffe Mocha is a specialty drink that’s much sweeter than regular black coffee and with less coffee flavor. It’s ideal for coffee and chocolate lovers. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make Caffe Mocha

Ingredients

  • Chocolate syrup or chocolate powder
  • Steamed milk
  • Espresso
  • Toppings – chocolate shavings and whipped cream

Procedure

  1. Add two tablespoons of chocolate powder into a coffee mug
  2. Pour in a 1/4 cup of espresso
  3. Stir the mixture until fully combined
  4. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of steamed milk and stir
  5. Add toppings of your choice. You can add some chocolate shavings, whipped cream, or sprinkle cocoa powder or cinnamon
  6. Enjoy your Caffe Mocha

 

Coffee and Chocolate

Coffee and chocolate are quite similar to each other. For example, both coffee and chocolate are harvested from seeds and contain high antioxidant amounts. Additionally, coffee improves your moods, memory, and energy, while chocolate protects you against neuroinflammation and promotes learning. Both the coffee and chocolate-making process involve fermentation, drying seeds, and roasting. Last but not least, both beverages are suitable as desserts and are bitter when consumed in their pure forms.

 

Conclusion

The chocolate notes in your coffee are very normal. The notes are a result of the roast levels of the coffee beans or the geographical regions where the coffee beans are from. If you love these notes, buy coffee beans that are either medium-dark roast or coffee beans from low-altitude areas such as Central American countries and South American countries. If you don’t love these notes, you can try light roast coffee beans or beans from East African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia. Additionally, order a Caffe Mocha for the coffee and chocolate in the same cup experience.

 

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