Flavored coffee refers to your regular coffee, but it’s made with natural or synthetic flavors. Contrary to popular belief, this method has been around for decades. In fact, this method is as old as coffee beans. As time passed, new flavors became popular with people all over the world. Let’s find out more.

The history

In the 1990s, the popularity of flavored coffee increased. Over time, people became addicted to flavors, especially the natural ones.

How is flavored coffee made?

The best method is to roast the green beans to get the natural aroma and flavor. Huge tanks are usually used for grilling. They are heated to high temperatures that can reach 356 degrees Fahrenheit. This process is completed in 15 minutes. Afterwards, the beans are left to cool. Also, during this process, a specific flavor is included in the tank.

Manufacturers choose different methods and flavors, but mostly use oils and spices. The mixing method is commonly used for this purpose. A flavored syrup is added to the coffee beans which forms a layer around each bean. After this step, they are packaged or placed on a rotating cylinder for further processing.

3 Basic Aromatization Techniques

It is possible to make flavored coffee using spices, nuts, natural herbs and food extracts. Synthetic flavors can also be used. Following is the description of three simple aromatization methods.

1) Real Food Flavors

The easiest flavoring method is to use real raw nuts, herbs, and spices. Some common flavors are listed below:

  • almonds

  • cinnamon sticks

  • Cocoa beans

  • hazelnuts

  • nutmeg seed

  • pecan nuts

  • star anise

  • vanilla bean

  • whole cloves

  • whole peppers

Appearance:- Color and taste may be off due to flavoring agent.

Taste:- The flavoring flavor will not be strong and the notes may be subtle. Then the taste will be natural.

Smell:- The scent or smell is not strong.

2) Real Food Extracts

These extracts are sourced from real herbs, nuts, and spices. They are highly concentrated and have an intense flavor. Professional chemists usually use water-based or vegetable-based solvents for this purpose.

Look:- These coffee beans have a rich oil sheen based on roasting. In general, it shares the appearance of roasted beans.

Taste:- The flavor is fairly subtle and is more pronounced when you drink the coffee with milk, cream and a little sugar.

smell:- The aroma is clean, powerful and prominent, and there is no chemical smell.

3) Chemical flavors

These flavors are created in laboratories by professional chemists. They are generally made from non-food chemicals such as dimethyl, acetylthiazole, and dimethylpyrazine. They are often mixed with an organic compound such as propylene glycol.

Look:- These coffee grounds have a thick oily residue that can be seen in coffee cups and in the pot.

Taste:- The coffee tastes sweeter than natural coffee beans.

smell:- The coffee has a sweet and overwhelming aroma.

So, this was a brief introduction to how flavored coffee is made. I hope this helps.