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Coffee novice Alexa Soar learns that coffee is worth drinking

Fancy grabbing a cup of coffee? Normally, I'd say yes, but then I'd instinctively plump for some form of iced chocolate drink topped off with whipped cream and hundreds and thousands. Truth be told, I have never even had a cup of coffee - something I had hitherto regarded as hot, bitter and unnecessary.

However, it only took two hours and two cups at a roastery in Jebel Ali before I changed my mind. I have since realised that not only has my preference for sweet drinks been disastrous for my teeth, I have also been missing out on something pretty great.

"Roastmaster" Rosco was the reason for this life change. As the overseer of the entire roasting and blending process for Coffee Planet's Dubai roastery, he exudes a passion for the black stuff that is infectious. To do his job, he sources arabica beans directly from growers across the world and turns them into the coffee that you find at petrol stations, cafes, airports and offices across the UAE.

Rosco first explained the process that coffee goes through between the bush and the beaker. While it can be roasted into a wide range of flavours, not all tastes appeal to drinkers. Some can be sharp and aromatic while others are more bland and suit milk and sugar. There are even subtle differences in taste between the same kinds of beans grown just a few miles apart.

"The beans harvested from the same farm can vary yearly, depending on what kind of season the area has experienced, meaning it is necessary to sample each and every harvest," says Rosco.

The first cup he gave me - a plain brew - didn't appeal and was a little "bright", as Rosco explained, due to the fact it had only just been roasted - ideally the beans should be left to rest for a couple of days. But then I tried his latte, and my mind was permanently changed.

When I asked if the difference between "good" and "bad" coffee was all just a matter of taste, Rosco explained, “Even a novice drinker can tell the difference between high and low quality coffee, especially if sampled straight after each other."

For me, a rich coffee flavour blended with creamy milk to produce an almost chocolatey taste is how coffee should be. I have since tried instant and cappuccino, but it has become clear that it is the body that matters.

Coffee doesn't have as long a shelf life as we are often made out to believe and much of the coffee we drink is actually out of date. But with affordable grinders and cafetieres for fresh, home-made coffee, there really is no need to simply stick to the instant stuff or your Starbucks staple.

So, long gone are my preconceptions of coffee as nasty; now it is cool, tasty, sociable and healthy with a story behind each cup that is definitely worth knowing. It is comparable to when you learn the context and meaning behind a favourite painting and your appreciation grows beyond just the visual. I now not only enjoy the taste of coffee, and have found the right brew for me, I also respect coffee as more than just a caffeine fix.

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