As the seasons change, so do the foods and flavors we enjoy. Spring is approaching, which means the sun is shining more throughout the day and temperatures are rising. Around this time, we might find ourselves craving bright and fruity flavors that are light and refreshing. Thankfully, citrus stays in season through April, so it’s the perfect time to enjoy lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits.
We don’t just have to eat the fruits; we can drink them too! At first, it may seem like an odd combination, but citrus and coffee complement each other especially well. The bright acidity of coffee can be like the energizing taste of a fresh orange. It doesn’t necessarily have to come from added flavor, either. Some coffee varieties have a naturally zesty taste reminiscent of fruits in the citrus family.
Find out more about how this odd couple may just be the perfect match and how coffee and citrus can perk up your palette.
Natural Citrus Flavors in Coffee
Citrus flavors can occur naturally in coffee and are a section of the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel. What we call coffee beans are actually seeds of the coffee plant’s fruit. As the coffee plant grows, it takes on the natural characteristics of its environment. The kind of soil it’s planted in, the climate of the region where it grows, and the growing methods used all affect the coffee’s flavor. The location and conditions in which plants are grown are just as important in coffee as it is in wine.
Coffee beans are the seeds of a fruit, so they have a naturally fruity flavor. Depending on how these seeds are processed and roasted, they can take on other flavors. Fermenting and roasting these seeds create chemical compounds that are similar or identical to the chemical compounds in other fruits or foods.
That’s right, coffee graders aren’t just making things up when they claim to taste notes of nuts, fruits, or even vegetables in their coffee. If someone finds an orangey taste in their coffee, it could be because they’re identifying a citrus flavor compound that also exists in oranges.
Lastly, the way coffee is roasted and brewed also affects what flavors we identify in a cup of joe. Darker roasts of coffee tend to have nutty and chocolatey notes. Lighter roasts, on the other hand, preserve more of the bean’s natural fruity taste and acidity. Light roasts tend to have more bright notes of citrus.
Mixing Citrus And Coffee
Specialty coffee shops and roasters often offer lightly roasted coffee blends that have naturally fruity notes. Coffee naturally tends to have a lot of acidity, so it makes sense that baristas and coffee enthusiasts are consistently looking for new ways to highlight these flavors.
In warmer weather, it’s more common to find innovative coffee drinks with citrus flavors. After all, spring and summer get us all thinking about vacations and island climates.
A vanilla and lime-infused cold foam might replicate the taste of a Key lime pie. A specialty drink with orange-flavored syrup or orange bitters may elevate the flavors that already exist in the coffee. These tangy, tropical drinks are perfect in the sunshine.
Citrus and Cold Brew
Citrus is especially tasty in cold brew. Why not make a spring or summer drink even more refreshing? Cold brew’s strong taste tends to have a biting but rich flavor. The acidity of citrus fruits brightens this taste and brings out tart, sweet, and distinctive flavors.
Citrus juices in coffee can make the coffee smoother. This transforms your taste buds’ entire experience with a cup of cold coffee.
While orange and cold brew have proven to be a winning combination, a blend of iced coffee and lemonade is also gaining popularity.
The pairing of lemonade and coffee flavors is comparable to a shandy, the boldness of the coffee lightened by the sweetness of the lemonade. When sipping on this curious combination, the lemon taste is strong at first but settles into a rich, caramel-like flavor that’s a little sweet and fruity, mostly due to the coffee. The drink isn’t that much different than an Arnold Palmer, which combines black tea and lemonade.
Citrusy cold coffee drinks have become so popular that some brands are capitalizing on this trend with ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings. Canned coffee drinks with citrus juices like blood orange and lemonade are on the market. High-profile coffee producers like Stumptown have even introduced sparkling varieties with citrus and ginger flavors.
Citrus and Espresso
Combining espresso and citrus is nothing new. It most likely originated in the 19th century in Italy with the Espresso Romano, a single or double shot of espresso served with a lemon slice. Usually, the person who prepares the drink rubs the lemon along the rim of the cup before the drinker squeezes the lemon into the coffee.
The Espresso Romano has a unique taste, the tartness of the lemon adding a refreshing twist to the strong, rich flavor of espresso.
While espresso and orange juice might be staples at the breakfast table, you don’t see a lot of people combining the two. But the sour, tangy taste of orange juice and the bitter, rich taste of espresso create a complex flavor profile unique to drinks that combine these ingredients.
Once again, this combination goes especially well in iced drinks. For those in search of a Tradecraft-approved recipe to try at home, our Blood Orange Espresso Tonic is the perfect pick-me-up. This citrusy, sparkling tonic offers a refreshing reprieve in the middle of a warm day.
It may be a more acquired taste, but for more adventurous coffee drinkers, citrus coffee beverages may just become a staple. Especially in warmer seasons, drinks that combine orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit flavors with a lighter coffee roast create a bright, invigorating beverage.
Not so sure about mixing fruit juice in your coffee? Start small with coffee blends that have natural notes of citrus. Read the labels on your coffee bags and see which ones identify these tropical twists. You may just find that your preference in coffee blends changes with the seasons.
