Why Indian coffee tastes so bad?

[Fatboy123]

Hello everyone and thanks for your time. I work and live in kuwait now and the ONLY fresh coffee bean imported into this country is the Naibari coffee from south india, being roasted daily in roasters all over the city for thier Turkish Coffee consumbtion.


My only option for south american or african coffee is from american coffee chains. I'm currently using Starbucks coffee (ground at the store) but they have all been packed more than six month ago by the time they get here.


The other day I was passing my local roaster as he just finished roasting a fresh batch and i tried it to see what freshly roasted indian coffee would be like, surely coffee bean is coffee bean with just subtle difference in tones from different regions I thought.


Well it just tasted HORRIBLE, and I tried all roasts, from light to medium to dark and half and half and all the other combos, am I doing something wrong? Why does indian coffee taste so drastically different than south american coffee?


I'm using the aeropress and the exact same brewing method as the coffee I buy in starbucks. Thanks for any advise.


P.S. The indian coffee mixed with cardamon tastes great when making turkish coffee by the way.

 

[ensoluna]

most of Indian coffee is Robusta which is much inferior coffee than Arabica that comes mostly from Africa and Central & South Amercia.
So, first check the coffee whether it is Robusta or Arabica.
Robusta and Aeropress will make absolutely horrible combination!!!!

 

[Fatboy123]

Thanks ensolua, that could very well be it, there can't be any other reason why my coffee is turning out so horrible, I did once ask the shop if its arabica or robusto and they had no idea what I was talking about. The indian coffee I saw before they ground it was full and long oval shape, I remember reading somewhere that robusto beans were short and fat, is there some other way of telling arabica and robosta beans apart? Just by looking?

 

[ensoluna]

I am sure that some experts can tell the difference, but I can not. Well,... I work in Guatemala green coffee industry, so I only deal with Arabica beans, never even seen Robusta parchment beans in my life time.
however, there are some differences as you can see in the photos that I got from internet.
But I highly doubt that you can tell the difference.

 

[ensoluna]

by looking at the photos between Arabica and Robusta, the Robusta is smaller and rounder, but there are so many different varietals in Arabica that you can not really say that all Arabica beans are bigger and longer..etc.
below is the Arabica bean shape photo.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

See if your roaster has any Monsooned Malabar, or if he could acquire some.
Also arabica coffee from Baba Budangiri region is good coffee. I understand it is referred to as Giri Mt.

 

[EpiProd]

Yep, it's more of an acquired taste. I've actually met people that prefer Robusta > Arabica, but those are few and far inbetween.

 

[Fatboy123]

Thanks gentelman, I passed by them again, and everyone here is clueless wheather they're Arabica or not let alone if it's moonsooned.

And I really can't disdinguashe between the two so I guess I'll just stick with the six month + roasted coffee in packs :decaf:

Thanks again for all your answers.

 

[beefheart]

I bought some indian beans from the mysore area and I thought they were great!

 

[SKesler]

Ensoluna,

I don't think it's fair to say Robusta coffee is inferior. It just has a lot of different notes that Arabica. Personally when it comes down to a specific coffee or coffee blend the way it's roasted and what it's blended with determine a lot of the coffee's qualities. You are right, coffee in the east tend to be Robusta beans which are inherently more bitter than Arabica beans but by no means inferior, some of my absolute favorite blends are Robusta Heavy!

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Ensoluna,

I don't think it's fair to say Robusta coffee is inferior.

It may not be fair, but it's the opinion of a majority of those in the specialty coffee business. I'm not saying there isn't good tasting robusta, I'm just saying that the best robusta will never cup score at the level of the best arabicas. That equates to being inferior, albeit there are many arabicas bought and sold that will never taste as good as a good robusta. To me the argument is like hamburger vs. steak. I've had great hamburgers and really piss poor steaks, but still when I walk into a restaurant, I'll order steak if I'm hoping to be impressed.

Cheers,
Peaberry

 

[ensoluna]

Ensoluna,

I don't think it's fair to say Robusta coffee is inferior. some of my absolute favorite blends are Robusta Heavy!

just curious... what kind of Robusta heavy blends are your favorite? I certainly do not mind giving it a shot.
thanks
Alex from Ensoluna S.A.

PS: it seems like.. you are a person with a lot of hats, student, web-designer, food/bev professional, Internet sales. Must be very talented and busy.
for me, I only do one thing. I sell green beans to several different green coffee importers around the world. Perhaps, I am missing something here.
BTW, Since I work in Guatemala, mostly with micro lots and specialty coffees which are 85 points and up, and I have never had any opportunities to work with Robusta beans nor had any chance to cup them with customers. Looking forward hearing your reply on the Robusta heavy blends... thanks.

 

[ensoluna]

It may not be fair, but it's the opinion of a majority of those in the specialty coffee business. I'm not saying there isn't good tasting robusta, I'm just saying that the best robusta will never cup score at the level of the best arabicas. That equates to being inferior, albeit there are many arabicas bought and sold that will never taste as good as a good robusta. To me the argument is like hamburger vs. steak. I've had great hamburgers and really piss poor steaks, but still when I walk into a restaurant, I'll order steak if I'm hoping to be impressed.
Cheers, Peaberry

An excellent comparison, Mr.Peaberry. However, personally, I rather prefer good hamburger over so-so steak. Great steaks are hard to find and darn expensive.
BTW, I am going to Buenos Aires, Argentina in December, so I am saving my steak craving until then.
Argentina used to be #1 country among all latin countries, but now, due to their currency devaluation, everything is even cheaper than Guatemala.
In 1999, the currency exchange was $1 to 1 peso. now.... it is $1 to almost 15 pesos.

I have not been there for over six years, so I am really looking forward going there. Great coffee culture. Greater Steak and the best wines!!!!

 

[SKesler]

Woah, woah, woah people! I think you're taking my comments as hostile, they are anything but!

Ensoluna,

Blends may have been the wrong word, but my current favorite all Robusta coffee is Farmer's Blend Coffee 100% Whole Robusta. Just one of my favorites that I'm using as an example of a good Robusta coffee.

In regards to my hats, I am a man of many tastes and interests. And More than one of those interests rolls into the other. It is my sincere hope you didn't take offense to what I said. I wasn't trying to discredit you or your experience!

Peaberry,

Very interesting point - One I mostly agree with! When it came down to my earlier comment I was more or less targeting the statement that it's inferior. It can win or lose as many contests but I feel personally that ultimately it comes down to the end-user. Also, Arabica counts for over 70% of all commercially grown coffee on the planet. It's just a less temperamental plant and you're right more people enjoy Arabica.

I was just adding a little fuel to the conversational fire, didn't mean to make it flare! Haha!

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

LOL...sorry for the hostility SK!! I know that the consumer market has room for all good quality, and that the craziness of the 3rd wavers makes it seem as though anything less than the absolute, jaw dropping best coffee deserves the scorn and ridicule of those in the know. Sorry I came off as being a member of the latter group!

Cheers,

Peaberry