Hi Emma, Can you explain why the amount of caffeine in a beverage varies so much between retailers, among types of beverage, and even cup to cup? Everyone seems to ask for the strongest coffee we have, but I don’t know what to recommend. Should I worry about over-caffeinating anyone? Thanks! Drowsy in Delaware * …
By Emma Sage Scientifically speaking, drinking a cup of coffee is what is called a multimodal sensory experience. This means that it’s the interaction of our five senses, and all the external factors influencing them (called “multisensory interactions”), which underlie our perception of flavor (Auvray and Spence 2008). There is also research (and lots of anecdotal …
Hemileia vastatrix, or Coffee Leaf Rust (Roya in Spanish), is a leaf fungus that causes significant damage to coffee plants and therefore the supply and quality of crop for several harvest cycles after infestation. Today, it is creating a state of emergency in many parts of Central America. Most experts conclude that a warmer-than -normal …
By Emma Sage, Coffee Science Manager, SCA (with special thanks to Randy Pope and Ted Lingle for their contributions) Throughout modern coffee history, one consistently recognized method has prevailed that determines a properly brewed cup of coffee. Of course, this is the brewing control chart. This tool takes something as subjective as the desired taste …
By Emma Sage, Coffee Science Manager, Specialty Coffee Association of America Water (H2O) is comprised of one oxygen and two hydrogen molecules, and the bonds between and among them lead it to be a unique and fascinating biological molecule. As we know, depending on the coffee beverage (espresso versus drip-based) water can contribute 94-98% of …
By Emma Sage, Coffee Science Manager, Specialty Coffee Association of America This spring, I had the opportunity to visit China’s Yunnan Province to tour the region’s coffee farms. Yunnan Province is located in South-Central China and borders Vietnam, Burma, and Laos. It is a tropical region famous for its indigenous populations, green mountains, and (remaining) …
Dear Emma, I have heard many in the coffee industry refer to coffee as dehydrating, is this true? How much water should I drink to offset my coffee drinking?! Thanks, Parched in Portland
By Marino Petracco, Senior Research Scientist, illycaffè We humans are social animals. Actually, our ability to participate in teamwork is one of the main factors that allow humans to command the planet. A primordial example of joining forces to achieve greater purpose might be had by visualizing prehistoric hunters gathering to surround and capture a mammoth, …
By Emma Sage, SCAA Coffee Science Manager It is clear that many Central American countries are experiencing a devastating outbreak of coffee leaf rust, which is affecting current yields and will likely affect subsequent harvests. The SCAA is committed to utilizing association resources to address this problem with a variety of actions. Part of that …
By Emma Sage, Coffee Science Manager, Specialty Coffee Association of America In an era where wild coffee is in actual imminent danger, the industry is increasingly interested in keeping up with the many scientific advances in coffee. In order to follow the current news, research, and events related to the genetics of Coffea arabica, it …