Why Does Coffee Smell So Good?

Raw Coffee

As Julie Andrews once said, let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start).

Did you know that raw coffee beans are green and have a scent that resembles fruity vegetables or grass? This is quite different from the fresh-roasted aroma we all know and love. So, how does coffee turn that brown colour and start to smell awesome? It’s all down to the fascinating process of coffee roasting!

The sciency bit

It’s a chemical reaction during the roasting process that causes the beans to smell and taste so great. This reaction is known as the Maillard reaction. Its name comes from the chemist who first described the reaction, Louis-Camille Maillard, in 1912.

The Maillard reaction is the term given for when starch breaks down into simple sugars, which consequently turns the coffee brown and changes its flavour. This colour change is known as caramelisation. Caramelisation transforms the beans in many ways, including their colour, smell and taste.

Meet Caffeol, your nose’s best friend!

During the Maillard reaction, the beans start to develop Caffeol. Caffeol is an oil that continues to evolve as the coffee gets hotter (to around 200 degrees, to be exact) and is responsible for THAT coffee smell. Pretty cool, right!?

Why does the smell make you feel so good?

Believe it or not, it is actually scientifically proven to stimulate your brain and make you feel more awake. At the same time, it offers brain-boosting benefits and provides a sense of comfort. This is why we all feel so calm and collected in this crazy treehouse!

Grinding Coffee

To prepare your freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing, you need to grind them. This not only readies them for your chosen brewing method but also releases their full aroma. But why is this?

Well, the coffee in bean form has all of the goodness and smells trapped within it. When you grind those coffee beans, all the trapped aromatics are released into the air at once, giving you a blast of amazing aromas from the tiny pieces of coffee you have just created. That’s why freshly ground coffee smells so much more than whole beans.

Freshness is key

Having freshly ground coffee will also make your brew taste better, as 80% of taste comes from smell, that hit of the fresh grounds will make your cup even more epic!

But it isn’t just the smell that escapes when you grind coffee; oh no. Unfortunately, the freshness starts to leave, too. If you want to keep your coffee fresh for as long as possible, order whole beans and grind as much as you need each time you brew.

If you can’t grind your coffee, then a little and often approach is the future.