Have you ever looked at a bag of coffee and thought:
“Notes of caramel, citrus, and dark chocolate”…
But it’s just… coffee?
No chocolate was added.
No fruit syrup went in.
So how does it taste like that?
The short answer:
Those flavours were already there.
Coffee already contains flavour
Coffee is a seed. And like any seed, it carries natural sugars, acids, and complex compounds inside it.
When coffee grows, it absorbs:
- nutrients from the soil
- minerals from the water
- warmth from the sun
- and subtle influences from its altitude and climate
All of that becomes part of its flavour.
That’s why coffee from Ethiopia can taste floral and citrusy, while coffee from Brazil might lean towards chocolate and nuts.
It’s not magic.
It’s agriculture.
The variety matters
Just like apples, coffee has varieties.
A Granny Smith doesn’t taste like a Pink Lady.
In the same way, a Bourbon variety won’t taste like a Caturra.
Different varieties produce different natural sugars and acids - and those shape the flavour long before roasting begins.
Processing changes everything
Once the cherries are picked, the fruit is removed from the seed. But how that happens makes a huge difference.
Washed process?
Often cleaner, brighter, more structured.
Natural process?
Often fruitier, rounder, sometimes sweeter.
The way the fruit interacts with the seed before drying leaves a fingerprint on the final cup.
And then there’s roasting
Roasting doesn’t add flavour.
It transforms what’s already inside.
Heat breaks down sugars.
Acids soften.
New aromatic compounds develop.
Too light, and it can taste sharp.
Too dark, and everything becomes smoky and bitter.
The goal isn’t to impose flavour - it’s to reveal it.
What tasting notes really mean
When we say a coffee has notes of chocolate or citrus, we’re not saying it contains those things.
We’re saying:
“This reminds us of…”
Tasting notes are comparisons. They’re anchors for your brain.
You’re not expected to taste everything listed.
And you’re definitely not “bad at coffee” if you don’t.
If it tastes good to you, that’s enough.
The beautiful part
Every cup of coffee contains:
- where it was grown
- how it was processed
- how it was roasted
- and how you brewed it
Flavour isn’t added at the end.
It’s shaped all the way through.
And once you know that, every cup feels a little more intentional.
At Flat Cap, roasting is about listening and not overpowering.
Because the best flavours are already there.
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