Every successful café has both delicious and photogenic coffee and drinks. What other way to take your barista game to the next level than to make your coffee creations even more photogenic? To help you do so, we have put together some of the best tips for making an instagrammable coffee!
Garnishing
Different senses work in harmony to form an impression which will influence the overall perception of coffee. The garnish can be perched on the cup or glass, served on the coffee saucer, or placed on surface of the coffee. Picking a suitable garnish is one of the simplest ways to improve the aesthetics of your coffee. It’s just like wearing the right shirt and tie to an interview!
Besides looking good, some garnishes are used to impart flavor into the coffee as well. When selecting the right garnish for your coffee beverage, it is important to consider its tasting notes and aroma.
You want to pick a garnish that highlights the character of your coffee. For example, a coffee with caramel and chocolate tasting notes like JJ Royal’s Toraja Arabica Single Origin would pair excellently with a caramel biscuit or cocoa powder, as these will enhance its look and flavor!
(Photo Credits: Cindy Fernandez)
You should also consider how the coffee is served – hot or cold; with or without milk; with or without sugar. A garnish that is slightly salty, like shortbread, will make a good pairing with a sweetened coffee. A garnish that is slightly sweet, like milk chocolate, would pair well with unsweetened coffee. Fruits may also be used as garnishes, for example an orange wheel, can be used to enhance the aroma of a coffee with citrusy tasting notes like our Bali Arabica beans! It’s time for you to think like a Hollywood designer!
Sauce Drizzle
The next technique is borrowed from our cousins in the boba business and
it is especially useful for iced or iced blended drinks. The idea is to drizzle sauce
or syrup within the glass used for the drink, to create beautiful patterns just like abstract art!
(Photo credits: Aliona Gumeniuk)
For this, you will need a sauce bottle with a spout, a ladle, or a spoon. This technique works best with viscous sauces that will stick onto the side of the cup.
Steps:
1. With an empty glass held almost horizontal, distribute the sauce inside it. You can do this using the syrup bottle, while rotating the cup slowly.
2. Alternatively, you can lower a ladle or spoonful of syrup into the glass, and gently distribute it along the interior.
3. Then, proceed to fill the cup with your coffee.
(Photo credits: Buse Doga Ay)
Don’t worry too much about the initial pattern you make, almost every pattern turns out beautifully with this technique!
Rimming
This technique is traditionally used in the bartending industry and is most commonly found in margaritas. The rim of the glass is decorated beautifully as seen in these splendid cocktails:
(Photo Credits: Tijana Drndarski)
The classic technique of rimming the glass is done by wetting the rim with citrus juice, inverting the glass, and dipping it into a saucer of sugar or salt!
(Photo Credits: The BlackRabbit)
A sugar or salt rim is extremely viable for our cold brew recipes, with some being citrus-infused. These rims can also balance out bitterness or acidity in coffee too!
This technique is not limited to citrus, sugar, and salt. You can achieve an equally beautiful rim with cookie crumbs and whipping cream too! All you need do is conjure your inner barista in the spirit of Halloween!
(Photo Credits: Cameron Venti)We have also compiled some possible alternatives for you.
Instead of citrus juice, you can use these edible adhesives:
• Jam or Purée
• Whipped Cream
• Peanut Butter
• Chocolate, Caramel or Strawberry Syrup
Instead of sugar and salt, you can try these out:
• Crushed cookies
• Chocolate rice
• Rainbow sprinkles
• Crushed nuts
• Instant coffee powder – Try our Luxurious Lattes!
Steps:
1. Using a spoon or ladle, spread the edible adhesive of your choice around the rim of your favorite cup.
2. Lay out the sugar or salt alternative of your choice on a saucer
3. With your cup tilted almost horizontally, dip the adhesive into the glitter and go round the cup!
4. Fill up the cup with your coffee
(Photo Credits: American Heritage Chocolate)
Do always keep in mind the tasting notes of your beverage when selecting a suitable garnish, sauce, and rim. If you are new to tasting and pairing coffee, our JJ Royal’s Toraja Arabica Single Origin beans are a good choice to start with! They are highly versatile with notes of caramel and dark chocolate, with subtle notes of citrus. These are some of the friendliest tasting notes and can be paired with a vast range of cookies, confectioneries, and sauces.
The possibilities are endless, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with! Don’t forget to share your creations with us and tag us on Instagram @jjroyalcoffeesg!