From La Tienda del Café , we have a surprise for you today! We want to share with you a segment from the famous book ¡Al grano! A guide to buying, preparing, and tasting the best coffee, written by Belgian Kim Ossenblok, one of the world's leading coffee specialists .
The book contains several sections, such as: types of coffee drinkers , the influence of cultivation, roasting and water on the flavour of coffee, coffee varieties, coffee producing countries, coffee classification, coffee aromas, textures, how to grind and brew coffee, different brewing methods, hot and cold coffees, the latte formula for decorating coffees, and barista techniques for making at home.
Today we're going to tell you about the types of coffee drinkers, according to Ossenblok.
Types of coffee consumers
Ossenblok says that after meeting thousands of professionals in the coffee industry, he realized there are three types of consumers: the addict, the social, and the enthusiast.
The addicted consumer
This is someone who needs their caffeine fix to get through the day, or even through the night. The word "addict" isn't a coincidence; in fact, caffeine is addictive, just like alcohol and sugar. Caffeine is one of the "legalized drugs" of our culture. From coffee alone, about 2.3 kilos of caffeine are consumed per second (an estimated calculation, taking into account that in 2014, global consumption was 149.3 million 60-kilo bags of green coffee, and considering an average caffeine content of 1% per kilogram of roasted coffee and a 20% decrease in the transition from green to roasted coffee). And if you don't think it's addictive, try going a few days without drinking coffee, and see if you can handle the headaches, the nerves, and the bad mood.
The social consumer
This is the type of person who has a cup of coffee to accompany a conversation with family, friends, and colleagues. You've probably heard the expression "let's have a coffee," and you also know that they don't even drink coffee when they're "going to have coffee." Coffee is a beverage that connects people and makes them feel good, warms the body in cold weather, and boosts self-esteem. Coffee time is sacred for many office workers, a moment of pause and relaxation. Some coffee shops are very tailored to this type of consumer, making them feel at home. This consumer usually drinks coffee in larger cups, most often with milk, cappuccino , and is accompanied by cakes, pastries, and sweet pastries.
The amateur consumer
You won't be surprised if I include myself in this group, and you probably will too. We're looking for something more. Beyond caffeine and good company, we value the aromas and flavors of this beverage. We love discovering the new aromas and flavors characteristic of each coffee origin. We travel the world visiting coffee shops and trying new preparation methods, and we have a corner at home for our coffee machine and grinder. This is the fastest-growing group. They're the most demanding when it comes to buying coffee and don't mind paying more. If a coffee costs €1.20 in a bar, this consumer doesn't mind paying €4 for a specialty coffee , freshly roasted and prepared with a single-serve filter.
Without a doubt, Ossenblok correctly identified the characteristics of each type of coffee drinker and perfectly described their behavior and interests regarding this ancient beverage.
Finally, after learning about the types of coffee drinkers , which one do you consider yourself? You can leave us a comment to find out your opinion and also tell us if you'd like us to discuss a specific topic or go in-depth into a topic we've already covered in your favorite session on The Coffee Shop .