Jori Korhonen, Coffee Training Expert at Paulig Barista Institute, prefers to enjoy his cup of coffee in excellent company and beautiful natural light. This top expert never interferes with his grandmother when she is making coffee. “I would never have the heart to tell her that coffee should be made in some other way. The most important thing is that I get to spend these rare moments with her.”
Paulig Barista Institute’s Coffee Training Expert Jori Korhonen is a top coffee expert who is always looking for deviances and rarities when drinking coffee – something special and new. A new twist in a flavour gets Korhonen excited. In his work, he carefully analyses the taste and different tones of coffee. He also spends his spare time always trying new coffee varieties that are often ordered from abroad.
Korhonen’s favourite everyday coffee is very well known to all Finns.
“Juhla Mokka has been my favourite coffee for many years. I’m a big fan of light roast coffees, and Juhla Mokka coffee has the best qualities produced by the light roast: refreshing acidity and berry notes.”
Sustainability is an important part of the coffee moment
Korhonen tasted coffee for the first time in his life at his grandparents’ house when he was eight years old. He added plenty of sugar and milk but he wasn’t too impressed by the flavour. He discovered the delicate world of coffee much later when he was studying. As a student, Korhonen worked in several cafés. Combining work and studying was heavy – and when he was tired, he got in the habit of drinking coffee.
Now, Korhonen always enjoys his cup of coffee black and without sugar.
“I started working at Paulig Barista Institute a couple of years ago, in January 2017, and my job is to educate the employees of Paulig’s key customers about the world of coffee. Every year, I get to meet thousands of people who are interested in coffee, which is what makes every day of my work so different and interesting. One of my duties is to ensure that our customers know how to make the best possible cup of coffee.”
Korhonen has noticed that many other factors than just the flavour affect a good coffee experience: people around you, not being in a hurry and the environment.
“I rarely stop to have a cup of coffee while I’m working, even though a relaxing coffee break with co-workers does wonders. All of us must have noticed that coffee tastes different depending on the situation.”
Sustainability also has a significant effect on how a coffee moment feels.
“When everything has been made well and nothing in the background gnaws at your mind, coffee, for instance, can taste a lot better. Mind and consciousness are definitely present when tasting something.”
Precious coffee moments with Grandma
In his free time, Korhonen enjoys coffee the most when he’s having a cup of coffee with his grandmother.
“The encounters with my 91-year-old grandmother are always valuable as such and I would never have the heart to tell her that coffee should be made in some other way. Coffee always tastes great with my grandmother because I get to spend those rare moments with her,” says Korhonen.
However, Korhonen’s most memorable Juhla Mokka coffee moments have to do with his work.
“With my co-workers, we have tried a couple of times to make the perfect cup of Juhla Mokka coffee by measuring everything down to the gram and optimising the water used for making the coffee. When tasting the results of these experiments, we are reminded of how good Juhla Mokka coffee truly is.”
Why is coffee so important to Finns?
“After the Second World War, Finns were running low on luxury items, and even coffee was rationed. I believe this is one reason why coffee is so important for Finns. Coffee is part of good everyday life, but it has also been used to celebrate both the big and the small things in life.”
Read also: Finnish coffee culture is one-of-a-kind
8.1.2020