I have been trying to create a metaphor for describing coffee qualities comparing it to balancing a stereo equalizer. The acidity creates a sharp treble tone that can give the coffee a crisp citrus taste or a mellow wine tone. The midrange is made up by the body of the coffee, or its coffeeness, it could be bold or smooth. Then comes the Bass tone. That is the unifying undertone that resonates in your tastebuds giving the coffee a satisfying power.
The question remains, how do I turn the nobs to create a balanced coffee? My favorite drink, the double Americano, is espresso with water. If you know espresso, it is sharp and powerful with loud treble and mid tones. Adding water brings out the bass tones. After adding water to a regular coffee weak on base tones, my theory is that water turns down the mids, and allows the bass tones that are already there to reverberate. Adding water turns down the mids, too much water will leave only the trebles, and in a coffee with too little body it will just seem watery. Adding more grounds to the brew increases the body, so there are more mids to start with. I think that the bass tones have to do with the darkness of the roast, but since I don't roast the beans, I cannot test that theory. I don't think we even have distinguished lights and darks at bay city coffee and tea, a lot of our coffee seem to lack the bass tones I like.
But watch out! Too much bass tone, is like those coffees (Tim Horton's) that have been sitting on the burner all day, they are as unsatisfying as hearing booty bass from outside a car, just a metallic rattling as the car is over wrought with bass vibrations.
[Listening to: Ammunition - Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown (03:46)]
