Consumer preferences for black coffee are spread over a wide range of brew strengths and extraction yields

Abstract

Brewing is the final and key step in the production of the coffee beverage. Extraction related metrics such as the total dissolved solids (TDS), percentage extraction yield (PE) of solutes, and brew temperature (BT) are widely believed to govern the flavor and corresponding consumer acceptance of the resulting brew, as summarized in the industry standard “Coffee Brewing Control Chart.” In this study, we investigated how the three factors of TDS, PE, and BT affected consumer acceptance of a medium roast, single‐origin coffee and whether consumer preference segmentation would be observed based on these variables. A cohort of 118 mostly college‐age, self‐reported consumers of black coffee tasted coffees that varied in BT, TDS, and PE. For each coffee, consumers rated overall acceptance on the 9‐point hedonic scale; the adequacy of serving temperature, flavor intensity, acidity, and mouthfeel using 5‐point just‐about‐right (JAR) scales; and described the flavor using a check‐all‐that‐apply list of 17 attributes. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments whose preferences varied most strongly with TDS. Response surface methodology relating liking to TDS and PE produced dome‐ and saddle‐shaped surfaces for the two segments, respectively. External preference mapping and penalty analysis indicated that overall flavor intensity as well as acidity heavily influenced the preferences of the two clusters. The Coffee Brewing Control Chart's “ideal” coffee should therefore be reconsidered to reflect consumer preference segmentation.Practical ApplicationThis research informs the way coffee brewers manipulate brew strength and extraction of drip brew coffee for optimal consumer acceptance; and justifies a reform of the standard “Coffee Brewing Control Chart” in its representation of an “ideal” coffee as we uncovered two consumer preference segments with different positive and negative sensory drivers of liking.

Consumer Perception of Milk and Plant-Based Alternatives Added to Coffee

“…The second dimension was driven by the nutty and smoky attributes on the positive side of the dimension, and bitter, pungent, and fruity on the negative side. The PBAs also contributed to flavours that have been commonly associated with these products and that are not well-liked by consumers in coffee, such as grassy, vegetative, burnt, chemical, and earthy [44][45][46][47]. The participants were segmented into two different consumer groups (dairy consumers and plant consumers) based on if they regularly add dairy products or PBAs to their coffee.…”

Chemical Analysis, Toxicity Study, and Free-Radical Scavenging and Iron-Binding Assays Involving Coffee (Coffea arabica) Extracts

“…In addition, roasting is another key step in the preparation process of many of the most popular brewed coffee beverages. The roasting step can deliver a pleasant aroma while minimizing the bitterness of the final coffee beverage [ 46 ]. In this study, we have emphasized that all data reported were based on the use of a single-type of wet-washed Arabica coffee beans to prepare coffee beverages with and without roasting.…”

Acids in coffee: A review of sensory measurements and meta-analysis of chemical composition

“…Recent work by Batali et al has shown that titratable acidity correlates with perceived sourness in brewed coffee, but pH only varies meaningfully between coffees at different roast levels (Batali et al 2021). In contrast, titratable acidity correlates with liking of acidity (Batali et al 2021), and acidity liking is a major driver of difference between consumer cluster preferences of brewed coffee with some consumers reacting very positively and others negatively (Cotter et al 2021).…”