The different roasting methods of coffee beans allows the coffee to have a distinctive aroma and taste. One such variant of coffee is bold coffee which is often misunderstood in general.
There are several different flavours of coffee which gives a rise to a number of specialty coffee beverages.
These flavours are usually induced from the beans of the coffee which are roasted before they are grounded or turned into specialty coffee pods.
What is bold coffee? Bold coffee refers to the flavours and aromas present in the coffee beans itself, and is a term used to indicate a coffee which has a high percentage of caffeine in it or simply high strength, due to the ratio of coffee to water used in the brewing process.
In this article we are going to talk about bold coffee and how it is different from your regular coffee.
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What is Bold Coffee?
When we hear the term bold coffee, we are often inclined to think of a rich and strong coffee drink.
However, in reality, the term actually refers to the method of roasting the coffee beans which results in an intense flavour.
Coffee professionals also use the term bold to indicate a coffee which has a high percentage of caffeine in it or simply high strength, due to the ratio of coffee to water used in the brewing process.
Bold coffee types are usually associated with dark roasted beans of coffee which has carbony, smoky or roasty flavours.
Thus type of coffee indicates that the drink has defined and intense upper notes and a dominating base. These types of coffee usually are a clean type of coffee with high acidity.
This means that the coffee is bright in colour and leaves a rich and clear sensation on your tongue. Bold coffee usually goes well with little or no milk or cream.
However, some people like to add large amounts of milk or cream to their cup of coffee beverage in order to balance the flavours a little bit.
What Does Bold Coffee Taste Like?
Bold coffees are usually bright in colour and have a strong aroma of roasted coffee beans. You can also get a woody, carbony or smoky smell from it.
This type of coffee is usually right in your face and tastes strong with the first sip. However, don’t expect to get too overwhelmed as the flavours fade after a few sips.
You can expect to taste a very strong and aromatic coffee which leaves a rich after taste in your mouth and tongue.
If one likes to use a lot of coffee for their beverage, then the taste can be somewhat bitter and you might want to use a sweetener in that case.
However, there can be a number of different coffee preparations made with bold coffee.
These can include espressos, lattes, and flat whites to name a few.
If you want to add strength to a bold coffee, you might want to consider using a French Press and using Indonesian or Guatemalan coffee.
However, if you are simply looking for a rich flavour, you can go for the lighter Ethiopian coffee using a pour over method.
Bold Vs Regular Coffee
Regular coffee usually has a strength depending on the ratio of coffee to water concentration. Regular coffee does not have any type of roast in particular.
However, a few of them are expected to have darker roasts of beans. These kinds of coffee have higher ratios of coffee to water. Regular coffee gives you the aromatic smell which is both mild and enticing.
They taste strong and can leave you with a creamy aftertaste which is what most people like.
They can usually be had any time of the day and do not feel too heavy or acidic on the stomach.
Regular coffee is prepared according to the strength the user wants and is usually had with milk.
Bold coffee on the other hand has a distinct and smoky aroma due to the flavour of the coffee beans used.
The flavour of bold coffee may differ on the method of brewing, as it can be made light or strong according to the drinker’s choice.
The inherited flavours of bold coffee makes you smell strong wooden and smoky flavours.
It leaves a rich aftertaste once you drink it, most of these types of coffee beverages are acidic and should not be had on an empty stomach.
They are usually recommended to be had in the mornings or evening with some kind of snack.
Bold coffee also has different types of preparation methods which makes the coffee strong or light.
Is Bold Coffee Stronger
A lot of people think bold coffee is stronger than regular coffee and hence avoid drinking it. This is absolutely a myth and it totally depends on how the user wants it.
The person who is preparing the beverage can make the coffee according to the type the drinker wants.
The strength of bold coffee depends on two factors; the type of coffee beans used and the method of preparation.
Type of coffee beans used
If dark and fiery roasted beans are used, the coffee is darker in colour and much stronger.
This is because the fine roasted beans impart a strong aroma to the coffee and the concentration of caffeine is much higher also, leaving you a lingering aftertaste.
If medium roasted beans are used, the coffee is much lighter in colour and does not have a strong taste to it.
Specialty coffee roasters love medium roasts because they are more approachable than light roasts to the average coffee drinker. They’re less acidic and intense, but still can showcase a coffee’s natural flavour profile.
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The flavour is light and smooth and goes down well.
You won’t have any bitter smell with this type of coffee and the caffeine concentration is also lower.
Thus, this type of coffee is not so strong and can be even termed as a light version of bold coffee.
Method of preparation
Methods of preparation like French Press, Plunger Press and AeroPress tend to give off stronger flavours of coffee and the smell is richer and creamier than your regular coffee.
An espresso machine makes the strongest version of this type of coffee beverage. The type of coffee beans you are using also plays an important part in deciding the strength of your coffee.
Guatemalan and Brazilian coffee beans contain more caffeine than their Ethiopian and Asian counterparts.
Thus, there are ways in which you can make your beverage stronger or lighter, according to your taste.
Most people when they hear the term “bold”, tend to think of a stronger version of regular coffee which is a misnomer.
How To Make Bold Coffee?
The following steps outline the process on how to make bold coffee.
Step 1.
If you want to have your coffee beverage strong, you can go for light and fine roasted beans.
To be mild, you can go for dark roasted beans, and if you want to have a strong flavour, you can adjust the ratio of coffee to water that you use.
You can use Robusta beans for a bolder taste and Arabica if you want your coffee to be bright.
It is recommended that you buy your beans freshly roasted as they have more flavour in them.
Step 2.
Next comes the grinding part. If you grind your beans too much, you will get a bitter cup of coffee. Typically a medium ground coffee works just the best for the average drinker.
You can also play with the water to coffee ratio to ensure you get that perfect flavour that you want.
You should be using 2 tbsp of coffee grounds for every 180 ml of water you are using. Also try using hot water as it helps to extract the flavours faster from the grounded coffee.
It is recommended that you pour in the water about 30 seconds to 1 minute after it boils.
This is so that you can relish every single flavour from your coffee.
Step 3.
Brew for at least 5 minutes, but not more than 10 minutes at the most, depending on what brewing method you have chosen.
Once your coffee is brewed and you start getting those much anticipated flavours, you can pour your drink into a cup.
We recommend you drink it right away and not store it.
Bold Coffee F.A.Q’s
A: When a coffee maker has a setting for bold coffee, this usually means that the amount of water that passes through the coffee grind and filter is slowed down so the water has a longer time to steep in the coffee grind which will produce stronger coffee.
A: The biggest problem with the word bold is that it can be very broad.
For example, someone looking for a delicious cup of medium to lighter-roasted black coffee exploding with flavour, and one looking for a darker-roasted cup that will work well with milk, may both say they want a bold coffee.
A: Bold coffee has intense smoky or roasty flavours, with a higher brew strength.
A: Depending on how ground coffee is measured, we find only a minimal variance in caffeine content with dark and light roasts.
Conclusion: What is bold coffee
Bold coffee is often misunderstood by people as a strong form of coffee.
While in reality, it refers to the flavours and aromas present in the coffee beans itself.
Coffee is beneficial for us and drinking it regularly has a host of health benefits. It is also packed with antioxidants which strengthen our immune system and also protect us from a lot of diseases.
A research found out that drinking coffee regularly has several health benefits.
Including, improved immunity, lesser risk of diabetes, cancer and kidney problems among others.
Thus, coffee is both beneficial for your health and also acts as a great beverage option for you.
We hope this article helps you to gain an insight into bold coffee and how you can prepare it for yourself.
If you enjoyed this article, read more like this by checking out our Specialty Coffee Beginners Guides.
