Before you learn about brewing the perfect cup of coffee, it helps to know what goes into any cup of coffee. The process of running hot water through coffee removes various materials from the grind. Those materials are:
Soluble Materials: Compounds that dissolve in water.
Non-soluble Materials: Compounds that do not dissolve in water.
Volatiles: Soluble materials that evaporate easily.
Non-volatiles: Soluble materials that do not evaporate, but stay in solution.
When people enjoy a cup of coffee, they are experiencing a combination of the compounds described above. The terms used to describe the coffee drinking experience are:
Aroma: The soluble volatile materials (gases) that evaporate, creating the coffee’s aroma.
Taste: The soluble, non-volatile materials (liquids) that are responsible for flavor.
Body: The non-soluble, non-volatile materials (solids) that determine the way coffee feels in your mouth.
