There are thousands of choices for ground coffee and coffee beans. Our preferences are usually based on aspects like taste, aroma, and strength of the coffee. However, there is another factor that coffee lovers should take into account when choosing their drinks. A pleasant smell plays a huge role in helping our brain identify what we like best.
If you want to learn more about coffee’s aroma and how to enjoy the smell of a freshly-brewed cuppa, here you will find all the details you are looking for.
What Does Good Coffee Smell Like?
It is almost impossible to describe the smell of coffee, as it can range anywhere from light to burnt depending on the variety and the roasting process. Besides, new coffee types with fruity, nutty, or caramelized flavors have been recently released, making coffee lovers spoilt for choice. However, you should focus on understanding the aroma of your coffee.
What Is The Coffee Aroma?
The aroma is the word usually used to describe the typical smell of coffee, and this is an essential factor in determining the quality of coffee beans or ground coffee.
Currently, there are more than 800 aromatics coffee available, but new ones are being discovered regularly thanks to the development of new technologies in the coffee production industry.
More precisely, the aroma is the combination of flavorful compounds released from your coffee through the air. This is why freshly brewed coffee smells stronger and tastes better than an old drink. However, the roasting process is already responsible for losing part of the coffee beans’ aroma, meaning that you only have a short timeframe to drink your coffee if you want to benefit from its unique aroma.
Understanding Coffee Aroma
The beans’ volatile components, vapors, and gases create a coffee aroma. Once the roasting or brewing processes start, these components are released into the air. We automatically inhale them through our nose when we make our daily cuppa, and they come in contact with our nasal membranes.
Coffee aroma is usually referred to as the bouquet or even the nose of this drink, making the fragrance distinguishable. However, our nose is not our only ally when it comes to detecting the aroma of our coffee. When we swallow our drink, we perceive its retronasal aroma. This means that the aromatic compounds drift up to our nasal passage internally, and we can distinguish the taste with our tongue.
Are Coffee Aroma And Acidity Related?
Yes, the aroma of your coffee is strictly related to its flavor and acidity. For example, by smelling a cup of coffee, you can immediately detect how rich its flavor is and even how acidic the drink is.
The best thing about freshly-brewed coffee is that even some subtler flavor notes tend to appear in its aroma. Since our brain reacts in different ways to diverse aromas, each of us can experience a unique taste sensation when sipping a cup of coffee.
Which Coffee Beans Smell The Best?
Many coffee lovers can confirm that the best smelling (and tasting!) coffee is 100% Arabica ground coffee. This is due to its unique composition, including more than 1,000 chemical compounds. They all add different notes, making the ultimate formula. However, this peculiar aroma is also volatile since it doesn’t last very long. Immediately after the roosting process begins, the scent evaporates from the coffee bean as gas.
Research has confirmed that the peak time for freshly ground coffee aroma occurs about 1 or 2 hours after roasting.
Where Do You Buy The Best Coffee Beans?
Local roasters are still the best place to buy your coffee in the Internet and online shopping era. They sell high-quality, fresh-roasted products, which are often eco-friendly. Nevertheless, buying your coffee from local sellers can be expensive, as they don’t have access to mass production processes and perks like your average international brand.
For this reason, if you wish to start exploring the world of coffee and you want to try a few blends without spending a fortune, you can still rely on any supermarket brand. Of course, there’s some middle ground between the two choices. Starbucks and other famous coffee shops sell their own ground coffee. These products are a bit more expensive than the alternatives you can buy from your local supermarkets, but they usually provide an excellent way to taste more particular blends.
Another great and convenient way to try several types of coffee is to use a monthly subscription. These services deliver a few coffee samples directly to your door each month and usually offer the opportunity to buy a bag or two of your favorite.
Does Ground Coffee Absorb Odor?
As all coffee lovers know, coffee beans have a pleasant aroma. However, many don’t know that coffee can absorb other odors to make the environment cleaner and more enjoyable. This is due to the quantity of nitrogen found in coffee. This is a great and eco-friendly solution to neutralize foul odors.
All you have to do is put some used ground coffee in an open container. This can also be left in your fridge to defuse any odor caused by spoiled food.
If you always want to bring the coffee aroma, you can create some makeshift sachets with some used ground coffee. Place them in your car, gym bag, and even dresser drawers to deodorize the air and keep a fresh and clean environment.
How To Make Your Home Smell Like Coffee
If you love coffee, you surely want to have its delicious smells always with you. However, brewing one cuppa after another might not be an ideal solution. To make your home smell like coffee, there are a lot of easier ways, such as:
- Coffee scented candles – these can either be homemade or shop-bought. They will generally release a subtle yet pleasant smell of just-brewed coffee.
- Coffee air fresheners – again, you might want to check the market for homemade products if you are looking for a specific smell.
- Although these only have a very subtle smell, coffee-scented soap will remain on your hands for a few hours.
- Oven-roasted coffee beans – if you manage to get your hands on some green coffee beans, you should try roasting them in your oven. This will give your home a gorgeous smell and contrast other unpleasant aromas from cooking. Green coffee beans shouldn’t be left in the oven for more than 10 minutes. More importantly, you should stay next to your kitchen to make sure you know when it’s time to take them out.
Can You Put Ground Coffee In A Candle?
Coffee scented candles are now a popular product among people who love homemade decorating for their homes. However, you can embark on an easy DIY project and make your own coffee candle. You will need the following:
- An old coffee mug
- Ground coffee – doesn’t need to be high-quality
- Candle wax
- Natural candle wicks
- Sauce pan
- Superglue
- Funnel
- Spoon
Directions
- Wash your coffee mug and leave it to try thoroughly.
- Put a drop of superglue on the top of the wick’s base. Place your mug in the center and let it dry overnight.
- It’s time to melt your wax. Heat your pan on a stovetop over low, medium heat. Melt 12 oz of wax (or more, if your mug is huge).
- With the help of a funnel, pour the melted wax into the mug. Make sure you hold the wick straight up.
- Add a thin layer of ground coffee, then add the rest of the wax. Add one more layer of coffee while the wax is still wet so that they can mix. Make sure the coffee is not too close to the wick. Otherwise, it will burn when lit. You can add any essential oil of your choice, such as tobacco, mint, or vanilla.
- Ensure the wax is completely dry, and trim the wick before burning the candle for the first time.
- Enjoy your coffee candle!
Obsessed With The Smell Of Coffee?
One of the main reasons we all love coffee is its aroma, which immediately wakes us up after a long day and makes us feel cozy and relaxed.
Freshly-brewed coffee has the best smell indeed, with Arabica coffee being the king of aroma. However, each of us experiences a different taste sensation when we sip a cup of coffee, making it worth exploring the world of coffee’s aroma and all its components.
It is time to get your nose ready to learn all the secrets of researching and perceiving the perfect coffee’s aroma!