Yallah’s Milk & Co Coffee owner and head barista of Kylie Stylianou said coffee drinkers are now more educated on the array of roasts available and the variety of ways it can be delivered.

“Australians have a really big coffee culture and people tend to know more about it therefore they ask more about it and experiment with coffee a lot more now – so the different types of coffee you can get and the different ways of brewing,” she said.

Ms Stylianou is hosting a free sensory masterclass – similar to a wine tasting event but for coffee – next Wednesday February 28 to further indulge people’s love for the beverage.

Read More: Young chef serves first business Burnt to Thirroul

Expert Matt Brown from Seven Miles Coffee Roasters will take participants through the four vital factors contributing to the coffee drinking experience, that is: aroma, taste, texture and cupping.

“It basically teaches people to taste, how to objectively sense flavour,” he said.

Participants will take part in exercises on “tongue mapping”, smell memory and how flavours can differ depending on how fatty they are.

“It makes you think and be a little bit more mindful about what you’re drinking every day,” Mr Brown said. “It can help consumers articulate a little bit better what they’re actually looking for rather than ‘it’s a little bit bitter’ or ‘it’s sour’.”

He’s been in the coffee business for 15 years and more recently has seen a trend for more sweeter coffees and more acidic flavours, known as “lighter roast profiles”.

“People seem to be drinking less milk … in their espresso base so you don’t need as much of that bitterness to carry through a small quantity of milk,” Mr Brown said.

Read More: Wollongong performer onto her 45th musical theatre role

Ms Stylianou said simply selecting a roast to your liking won’t guarantee a delicious cup, how a barista (professional or not) handles the bean can make or break the taste.

“It’s definitely a combination of getting the grind size right, the milk texture and the temperature right, the cleanliness of the machine and the right beans,” she said.

The controversial beverage has often appeared in the media from time to time with numerous studies spruiking or refuting health claims.

In November last year, a review of 218 scientific studies gave weight to the idea one cup of coffee a day (or even three) may have health benefits.

“Coffee consumption seems generally safe within usual levels of intake, with summary estimates indicating largest risk reduction for various health outcomes at three to four cups a day, and more likely to benefit health than harm,” wrote the authors of the review, published in the BMJ.

The researchers also found coffee consumption was more often associated with a lower risk of death for a range of health outcomes such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and several cancers.

Sensory Coffee Masterclass, Milk & Co at the Yallah Woolshed, Wednesday February 28 at 6pm. FREE – RSVP at www.eventbrite.com.au 

Read More: Wollongong's best coffee – as voted by you