Coffee expert shares tips on identifying high-quality specialty coffee

Max Vankevich, operations director of The Miners, provides expert guidance on identifying high-quality specialty coffee. He notes that ideal coffee should be consumed between two and eight weeks after roasting and should possess a balanced profile of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness without harshness or sharp acidity.

To distinguish flavor profiles, Vankevich suggests looking at the origin and processing method: washed beans from Ethiopia or Kenya tend to be fruitier, while natural processing from Brazil or Central America often yields chocolate and nutty notes. He also clarifies that drinking cappuccino in the afternoon is a cultural habit rather than a rule of quality, and warns that temperature changes significantly affect taste.