The term “blueberry coffee” can refer to either coffee beans that have been roasted with blueberries or a coffee beverage that has been mixed with blueberry syrup. The flavor of coffees in the first category is typically subtle, whereas the flavor of coffees in the second category is typically vibrant and sweet. Specially roasted beans are only available seasonally in some markets, which means they are only manufactured and sold for a limited time each year, usually during the summer. Flavored syrups, on the other hand, are typically available throughout the year.
No matter how it’s made, blueberry coffee is coffee at its core. Flavorings added to the beans or the brew add a hint of fruit flavor, but they’re not meant to be overpowering. Blueberry coffee should taste like coffee, but it should be a little sweeter and fruitier than regular coffee.
The most complex, both to make and to taste, is roasted blueberry coffee. Roasting coffee is usually a time-consuming process. After the beans have been harvested and picked over, they are usually heated, cooled, and toast for several stages. For maximum freshness and transference, flavors like blueberries are usually added near the end of the roasting process.
The most common roasting companions are dried blueberries. Fresh berries can be used, but they are mostly water, which evaporates and dissipates when heated. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, does not typically roast well and often tastes more burned than anything else.
Blueberry essential oil is also added to coffee beans during the roasting process. When beans are heated, they usually expel their own oils. These can be combined with blueberry oils to create a sweet flavor on the surface. However, because the blueberry does not usually penetrate the bean, the flavor of these beans once ground is subtle.
Roasted blueberry coffee smells more like blueberries than it tastes like them most of the time. This is true of most roast-flavored coffees, as essences applied to the tops of beans have little chance of penetrating past the roasted surface. The taste of the resulting coffee is always influenced, but rarely in a significant way. In order to impact more surface area, manufacturers often add blueberry oils or flavorings to ground coffee to achieve a stronger flavor.
Those who want a stronger blueberry flavor in their coffee often look for flavored syrups. Syrups are sugar reductions, often made from fruit concentrate, that are intended to be mixed into ready-to-drink coffee drinks. By adjusting the amount of syrup used, baristas can control the level of flavor.
The color of blueberry syrup is usually blue or purple. This tint is often hidden by black coffee, but very milky drinks often take on the syrup’s color, which can be disconcerting. To avoid this, commercial manufacturers sometimes make clear blueberry syrups. A clear syrup, on the other hand, is usually made entirely of fruit essences and synthetic flavors, rather than true berry extracts. Blueberry-flavored coffee made with these syrups is frequently high in both sugar and preservatives.