Matching the Fruit to the Coffee
Usually when I’m designing these beers, I already have a coffee in mind, which helps me to lay out the fruit profile. It helps to experience the coffee in different ways to get the full range of the varietal. Obviously, an espresso and a cold brew of the same coffee will have very different characteristics—but this will help you get a better idea of what fruits are possible with each coffee varietal.
It’s always helpful to talk directly to the coffee roaster about the coffee and get their take on the tasting notes.
The coffees that tend to be more berry- and sweet fruit–forward pair naturally with softer fruits, such as blueberry, boysenberry, or even sweeter citrus such as Valencia orange. I find that really vibrant, citrus-forward coffees pair well with more intense fruits—usually raspberry or passion fruit.