Every lover of an aromatic drink sooner or later asks himself the question, what is the strongest coffee? It is very difficult to give an unambiguous answer, or rather, simply impossible. Because there are very strong coffees and very strong espresso blends. There are recipes that can be prepared from different varieties, and the strength of the finished drink will be simply incredible. However, we tried to collect all the information about strong coffee and will be happy to share it with you.
Which varieties are the strongest?
It is important to note that the strength directly depends on the number of coffee beans that were used to prepare a portion of the drink. It is no coincidence that at the amateur level, ordinary people regulate the strength of the drink by adding more to each cup or each pot when brewing. But to be real “coffee lovers”, it is worth understanding not only the number of spoons, but also the types of drink and special mixtures for its preparation.
Arabica coffee tree with ripening fruits
The strength depends primarily on its variety. The most common varieties are beans called robusta and arabica. By the way, there are four types of coffee trees: Robusta, Arabica, Liberica and Excelsa. But coffee, which is called Liberica and Excelsa, is not so common, and this is due to significant features: they are distinguished by their low prevalence, availability only in the growing regions and a very tart taste.
Liberica, which grows in Africa, is very bitter and can be used in the preparation of coffee blends and other drinks only as an additive, but not in its pure form. Excelsa is also not found as a separate species, but this species is very rare due to the difficulty of collecting it.
Coffee trees are tall, and fruit harvesting begins only from a height of fifteen meters and above, which makes the process labor-intensive.
Espresso
Any person has at least once in his life drank (or at least heard about) this type of coffee, espresso. Currently, in any coffee shop you can find at least 2-3 varieties of this drink.
Apart from this, espresso is the most popular drink around the world. It is quite possible that the popularity is due to the relatively uncomplicated cooking method combined with an intense and strong taste. Due to these taste qualities, espresso is used as the main ingredient in various coffee drinks.
By changing the amount of additives such as milk, sugar and coffee, the following drinks are prepared with an espresso base: Latte, Con Pata, Mocha, Macchiato and many others. Similar types can also be prepared with the addition of syrups: nut, caramel, chocolate and others.
What is the difference between Robusta and Arabica
Robusta beans contain about 8% aromatic oils and up to 3% caffeine. Therefore, the taste is stronger, has rough and astringent shades.
Different types of coffee
In turn, “Arabica” coffee beans contain up to 18% aromatic oils, which is more than 2 times higher than their content in the “Rabusta” variety. This explains why Arabica is sweeter. The aroma of this coffee has a slight sourness, and the taste is more refined and less astringent when consumed.
In addition, Arabica has less caffeine - no more than 1.5% of the total weight of coffee beans, which also affects the relative softness of the drink compared to other varieties. By the way, this is the only variety that is completely suitable for consumption in its pure form. And the “robusta” variety, although quite common, is more used as an additive to special mixtures.
The drink usually contains different types of coffee.
There are the following types of “Arabica”: Typica (classic, African Arabica), Bourbon (European Arabica, which began its history in France), Caturra and Maragogipe (Brazilian types of Arabica, which originated in the 20th century), and others. They differ in the color of coffee beans, region of growth, crossing with other varieties and subvarieties. In addition, they differ in chemical composition: caffeine content varies from 1 to 1.6%, and the proportion of aromatic oils ranges from 18 to 19% in raw beans.
However, if you have already decided for yourself that when choosing coffee in a store or cafe you will certainly prefer Arabica, alas, coffee in its pure form, just as a variety, is difficult to find. Besides, you shouldn't do this. Almost any drink that we buy, no matter whether we do it in a coffee shop or in a supermarket, is a coffee mixture with the addition, in one proportion or another, of different varieties. Thanks to the extensive development of the coffee industry and a large number of fans of the drink, everyone can choose their favorite coffee.
Best coffee
At the moment, there are many types of invigorating drink. It undergoes changes from year to year. Old varieties come into competition with new monovarietals, which have a distinctly new blend.
But when choosing high-quality raw materials, which can be considered the best coffee, professionals continue to highlight Arabica beans. Of course, this type will be quite expensive, but you can experience the full bouquet of flavors that is hidden in a small grain. Among Arabica, nine varieties are especially valued, such as:
- Brazilian Santos (taste is slightly sour, slightly bitter with pronounced sweetness).
- Colombian Excelso (has a fairly high strength, there are taste notes of wine).
- Mocha (one of the popular types of Arabica, which has a nutty-chocolate aftertaste, with virtually no sourness) and other representatives.
How does roasting affect strength?
In addition to the type of coffee, the strength is affected by the degree of roasting of the coffee beans. Coffee whose beans are deeply roasted has a dark brown color.
During this roasting, essential oils are actively released, resulting in a rich and bright aroma.
There are different classifications of roast levels. For example, according to the European classification, French roasting is considered the strongest, which is used to make espresso (this type of coffee will be discussed below). The coffee beans acquire an even darker shade, the coffee turns out strong, dense (thick), and the taste has a pronounced aroma of burnt caramel.
The highest degree of coffee roasting can be described as follows: the beans are almost black, oily; the taste is bitter and has notes of campfire aroma.
In addition, you can compare natural and instant coffee in terms of strength. Let's pay attention to the methods of producing instant coffee. It can be obtained in three different ways: in powder form, in granule form, and by sublimation. Instant coffee is also obtained from natural coffee beans, but during its preparation most of the taste properties are lost. If cheaper raw materials are used for instant coffee, then odor and taste enhancers are added during the preparation process, which can be not only unhelpful, but even harmful when consumed.
Coffee varies in the degree of roasting of the beans
People prefer instant coffee because it is fast and convenient, but if the strength and quality of coffee is important to you, then you need to use either natural or instant freeze-dried coffee. Coffee in the form of powder and granules loses strength and many other properties, but instant coffee prepared through the process of sublimation retains them.
Freeze-drying is a method of canning by quickly and completely removing moisture. When using this process to prepare a soluble base for coffee, peculiar granules are formed, similar to hexagons, which, when brewed, can most fully convey the taste and strength of natural coffee.
COFFEE ROASTING: TECHNOLOGIES, TYPES AND METHODS OF ROASTING
Let's look at another type that classifies coffee roasting. It depends on the technologies used. We will describe it for a more complete picture characterizing such a stage of raw material processing as coffee roasting. Today, enterprises use the following technological types of processing and roasting:
THERMAL ROASTING. This roasting method uses a specialized mechanism, which is equipped with a huge drum; it can hold up to two tons of raw materials. During continuous rotation, air heated to 200°C enters it. Thanks to this technology, coffee beans are evenly roasted, evaporating any foreign impurities.
DIELECTRIC COFFEE ROASTING. The process itself is similar to the problem statement for microwave ovens: exposure to superfrequency waves helps roast coffee inside. The thermal effect on grains is minimized. As a result, the ground raw materials will have a uniform taste. This is the most practical type of heat treatment of the product.
INFRARED HEAT TREATMENT. This method involves the use of a programmed machine that maintains a set temperature. The result of this treatment is a significant “bloating” of the grains in volume. During the process, complete combustion of foreign impurities occurs.
The strongest coffee drinks
The strongest type of coffee is Ristretto. This coffee is served with less water and therefore a higher concentration of coffee beans, which is why it is stronger, such as Espresso, which many consider to be the strongest type of coffee.
Ristretto is considered the strongest
The next strongest coffee we will highlight is Espresso drink, which is more common. During the preparation process, this coffee acquires a rich and tart taste, but loses caffeine. Yes, that is why it cannot be the strongest, Ristretto has a high caffeine content. But the strength of Espresso is also due to the small amount of water in the drink.
The next type of coffee is Americano. Although this is also the same as Espresso, it is less strong, since hot water is simply added to the finished coffee to reduce the strength.
Doppio is a type that is essentially a double Espresso. It contains a double amount of ground beans, and in terms of strength it is not fundamentally different from Espresso, since the preparation method is absolutely identical.
Turkish coffee contains a lot of caffeine
Turkish coffee is a drink with a high caffeine content. How is caffeine stored during cooking? First of all, this may be due to a mixture with a high content of the “rabusta” variety. In addition, they cook over direct heat, do not bring to a boil, and due to this, the taste, aroma and caffeine are not lost.
Also a particularly common and famous type is Cappuccino. This is an Espresso based drink with added milk. The milk should be hot, almost boiling, and whipped into foam. Coffee is served without sugar, as milk itself gives the drink a natural sweet taste. But this coffee is less strong for obvious reasons - it is diluted with a large number of additives.
Flat white coffee is a double cappuccino. The preparation principle is the same, this drink is also considered an Espresso-based drink. Contains double Espresso and double amount of steamed hot milk. It does not differ in strength from Cappuccino, it differs only in volume.
Flat white is the name of a double cappuccino.
Piccolo - Cappuccino, on the contrary, is smaller in volume. Prepare according to the Espresso principle, with the addition of milk; the volume of the drink is two times less than the usual standard volume of Cappuccino.
No less common is the Latte type. However, it contains more milk, and the strength of the drink is significantly lost because of this. Suitable for those who do not like strong drinks. Other weak ones may include: moccacino, ice, Viennese coffee.
We are often mistaken
Strength is bitterness
Historically, most consumers have become accustomed to the fact that coffee is a bitter drink and the stronger the bitterness, the stronger it is. There is logic in this, and quite often it is so, but not always.
If you are brewing tart varieties or dark roasted beans, then you will be absolutely right. Here, the bitterer the drink, the stronger it is. But, if you make coffee from medium-roasted aromatic varieties, there will be almost no bitterness in them, although the drink turns out to be quite rich and strong.
“My coffee is not coffee, it lacks strength” - you can often hear from people who are trying varieties with low bitterness in taste for the first time.
Therefore, alas, not everything is so simple, and the bitter taste of coffee cannot be called strength.
Strength is the caffeine content
The same logic applies here as in alcoholic drinks, but it does not apply to coffee.
Yes, strong coffee contains more caffeine and most often the stronger the drink, the more invigorating it is. But let's imagine that you are making espresso from Decaf beans. The espresso will turn out, as always, strong and rich, although there will be no caffeine in it at all.
Who shouldn't drink
Caffeine, which is part of the drink, is an invigorating and tonic substance. There can be a lot of discussion about how it is perceived by the human body, but it is important to remember that even the healthiest product is useful in moderation.
Caffeine strains the cardiovascular system
It is harmful, for example, to drink on an empty stomach for those people who suffer from gastritis or stomach ulcers. Those who suffer from hypertension (regardless of the functional class of the disease) may increase their blood pressure when drinking coffee. With this disease, there is an increased load on the blood vessels and heart, and caffeine will only increase this load.
Even if there are indirect contraindications, the drink can be consumed, but in moderation. You can also choose a variety or coffee drink with less caffeine to reduce or prevent possible negative effects.
Black insomnia
The creators of Black Insomnia justified such a telling name with a truly “off-scale” caffeine content.
Its amount in one cup reaches 702 mg, which exceeds the daily norm - 400 mg - almost 1.8 times!
At the same time, the grains of this deadly strong product do not give off a “burnt” smell; it itself is exclusively natural, with a soft nutty taste and a pleasant aroma.
Black Insomnia was first released in 2021 in Cape Town. A year later, the revolutionary product conquered the United States.
Where can you try the strongest coffee?
Here you can order very strong coffee
. There are not many coffee shops where you can try Ristretto or Espresso from the strongest coffee varieties. Most non-core establishments or coffee-to-go outlets offer a narrow range of drinks: mainly Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino and Latte. Sometimes the menu includes Moccaccino and Frappe. However, true connoisseurs need places that have a truly rich coffee menu.
In Moscow, if you are a drink connoisseur or a gourmet who is always looking for variety and aesthetics, you should definitely visit several coffee shops. “Double B Coffee House”, which is located in Ostankino, is known for being opened by a company that purchases, roasts and sells beans in Russia. In addition to the classics, the menu includes original signature drinks, as well as a cozy atmosphere and the opportunity to purchase a quality drink for home consumption.
Prices for drinks range from 150 to 500 rubles and above; a cup of Ristretto will cost about 200 rubles.
For real gourmets, the Les coffee shop is open in the Museum of Moscow. A special feature is the roasting of coffee beans right before preparation, as well as the opportunity to fully enjoy the taste of a particular variety, since mixtures are not used in preparing drinks in this cafe - only beans of each variety separately. You can order Ristretto from Arabica beans of the Typica variety - this drink will truly be the strongest.
On the site you can read educational information about coffee: the amount of caffeine in one cup; What other products besides coffee contain caffeine? about the barista profession and much more
Coffee lover's dying wish
Don’t be alarmed, but until recently, when asked what the strongest coffee in the world is, the most sophisticated gourmets would name Death Wish Coffee, which means Dying Wish.
What is this extreme product?
On the packaging there is an ominous outline of a skull and crossbones. Inside it is an original mixture of Indian and Peruvian coffee varieties of organic origin with a complete absence of “synthetics”.
The caffeine content in a cup of Death Wish Coffee reaches 660 mg.
Those who dare to try the unique energy drink note its intense aroma and very “vigorous” taste. But regarding the action, opinions differ. For some, it “charges” them with energy for the whole day without any consequences. For others, an unprecedented rise after a couple of hours was replaced by weakness, similar to that which occurs after a 36-hour lack of sleep.
This option for energy “refueling” would have remained unsurpassed if not for...
