Coffee Syrup : Rhode Island's Official Drink

Coffee syrup is a beverage additive typically found in Rhode Island. Made of three ingredients (water and sugar strained through coffee grounds), this syrup is used in other local cuisine such as coffee milk and coffee cabinets.

Originally produced in the 1930s in corner drug stores, coffee syrup was targeted towards children, while their parents drank hot coffee. Due to the popularity of this product, coffee syrup was bottled and sold by merchants. In 1993 coffee syrup was competing against Del's Lemonade (another local drink) and won the title of official drink of Rhode Island.

Two major factors that determine the quality of the coffee syrups are sweetness or sugar content and flavor concentration. 

The sweetening of these coffee syrups usually come from one of four sources. They are fruit juice, pure cane sugar, beet and corn sugars. The syrups made with fruit juices and cane sugars will be sweeter and therefore more concentrated. The beet and corn sugar syrups is also have a good taste, but more syrup is required to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Coffee syrup is a quick and delicious treat that can be used to satisfy one's coffee cravings. It can used to spice up ice cream, cakes, puddings, hot chocolate, and well almost any kind of dessert or hot beverage.

One of the drawbacks to flavored coffee syrup is the calorie count. Flavored syrup is fattening. Considering that black coffee has only about 4 calories per cup, adding syrup does add to the waistline. That's why many coffee syrups producer companies offer sugar-free coffee syrup in order to decrease its calories.

Gourmet Coffee, Actually

Coffee is quite a popular drink all over the world and it is grown in many different regions of the world. Some people advertise their product as Gourmet Coffee. Actually  ‘Gourmet’ could be defined as a fine food or drink that has been adjudged by experts as excellent.

The method of cultivating coffee beans is similar all over the world. These beans are picked, dried and sorted in similar fashion everywhere. Only difference could be the climate and altitude of the place where the beans are grown or the fertilizer and pesticides used for growing the crop. Most important factor for producing coffee of good quality is the roasting process.

If the roasting is not done properly, either coffee produced would be weak or it would taste burnt. There are varieties of coffee which are not easily available, like coffee grown in Jamaican Blue Mountain which is quite well known for its rich taste and great smell. When they are properly roasted, the coffee produced might be the best tasting coffee in the world.

While roasting coffee beans, some roasters add flavorings like caramel or chocolate syrup. The coffee produced using such a roasting process is known as Gourmet Flavored Coffee.

Some types of coffee beans are known as gourmet coffee beans. These beans produce gourmet coffee with rich flavor. These gourmet coffee beans are cultivated in volcanic regions and on the mount slopes of a volcano. Coffee produced by using these beans is very smooth and full of flavor because of volcanic soil and high altitude. These beans are grown in tropical rainforest amongst exotic plants and animals.

When we buy coffee from a store, we are not sure about its quality and freshness. It could be lying on the stores shelf for a long time thereby losing flavor. Those people, who are accustomed to drink such coffee, might not be aware of the taste and flavor of gourmet coffee.

Gourmet coffee beans are freshly roasted and carefully packed so that no harsh element is stored inside the pack. To preserve the freshness of coffee, they are packed in one-way valve foil coffee bags which prevents air to come in contact with the beans.

Gourmet coffee is similar to wine. The taste and flavor of coffee would depend on the region where the beans were grown. By taking a sip of coffee, a connoisseur of coffee would be able tell the region where the bean for the coffee was grown. [source : Gourmet Coffee]

Different Types of Coffee

Regardless of coffee’s origins, all beans go through a similar process in preparation for brewing. trees reach maturity between three and four years when their clusters of fruit turn deep red. Farmers pluck the ripe cherries by hand and transport the full baskets by mule or truck to the processing plant. Since the coffee bean is the seed inside the sweet cherries, the fruit is forced through a manual machine to extract the seeds. While the pulp is salvaged for use as fertilizer, the seeds – or coffee beans – are soaked in cool water to stimulate a fermentation process. Next the beans are spread over mats to dry in the open sun. Rotten or disfigured beans are removed so only the highest quality coffee beans remain. Next the thick, parchment-like hull is removed to reveal a coffeebean. 

There are several species of coffee trees but most commercial growers use primarily the Arabica and Robusta species. trees are believed to produce the highest quality . However, Robusta trees are more economically viable due to their heartiness. Coffees are rarely designated as Robusta or Arabica . The soil and environmental conditions play such a significant role in flavoring the beans, that all coffee beans are labeled according to their geographic origins. Kilimanjaro coffee comes from the Tanzanian foothills near Mount Kilimanjaro, for example, while Java coffee derives from the Indonesian islands. 

Coffee roasting process

For many years, consumers purchased green coffee beans and roasted them at home. Today nearly all beans are roasted by the manufacturers who possess the appropriate equipment. Roasting the beans enhances the coffee’s flavor and releases pungent oils. Although there exist no strict conventions for classifying different types of roasts, there are some well-known roasts that have maintained a certain consistency between manufacturers. American roast produces a medium bodied coffee. This roast is used almost exclusively in average American store brands and in restaurants across the country. Brazilian roast is a slightly darker roast than the American roast. Despite its name, the roast has no connection to Brazil. An increasingly popular roast is the French roast. French roasted beans are the color of dark chocolate. The roast produces a deep, hearty brew and a touch of the bean oil should be visible on the coffee’s surface. The darkest roast is Espresso. Beans are roasted until they are nearly burnt which gives the roast its distinct, sharp flavor. 

Coffee grinder

All coffee is best bought as whole roasted beans. The minute the beans have been ground their flavor diminishes. Whole beans can be frozen for several months, but ground beans will last in an airtight container no longer than a few weeks. Coffee is brewed by two methods: decoction or infusion. Decoction refers to boiling the beans until the flavor is released. This method was popular before coffee machines but is now only reserved for traditional Turkish coffees. The most popular means of brewing coffee is by infusion. Infusion includes steeping coffee grounds in hot water or filtering the grounds with hot water through paper or cloth. The ideal cup of coffee depends upon one’s preference, but the standard ratio is two tablespoons of coffee grounds to three-quarters a cup of water. Brewed coffee must be served immediately as oxidation will ruin the flavor.

Many coffee drinks have become popular with Americans in recent years. Espresso, made by brewing espresso roasted beans under high pressure, is a strong, black coffee served in small cups. Machiatto is espresso with a touch of steamed milk. Cappuccino is even thirds of espresso, steamed milk, and a ‘cap’ of milk foam. Café latte is one-third espresso and two-thirds steamed milk. The favorite French drink, Café au Lait is made with strong coffee (never espresso) and generous portions of hot milk. Flavored coffee -- such as hazelnut, maple walnut and raspberry -- is produced by adding flavored oils to the beans during roasting. Depending on the manufacturer, the flavors can be natural or artificial. 

Coffee connoisseurs rate coffees based on their aroma, acidity (liveliness), body and flavor. High quality coffees have strong, fragrant aromas. High acidity levels in beans is preferable, but their body can range from light (Mexican coffees) to heavy (Sumatra coffees). Connoisseurs describe the flavor using adjectives such as earthy, mellow or grassy. Although your average coffee consumer in America could not distinguish an earthy flavor from a mellow one, the busy neighborhood Starbucks is evidence enough that Americans love all varieties of coffee regardless.

[source : Coffees]