How to Drink Colombian Coffee: A Guide to Coffee Tasting Terminology and Instruction

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Colombia straddles the equator, extending from 12° north latitude to 4° south latitude. The vast geographical span means that different regions of Colombia do not experience rainfall during fixed periods. The monsoon climate near the equator creates a unique rainfall distribution, with most regions experiencing two rainy seasons throughout the year. This contributes to Colombia's coffee's greatest characteristic: fresh supply available year-round.

Therefore, no matter when you visit Colombia throughout the year, there's always a vibrant coffee plantation waiting for you. In Colombia, you can often witness this remarkable phenomenon: when coffee is just beginning to flower in the south, harvesting starts in the central region, while coffee in the north is slowly maturing.

Colombia boasts magnificent mountains, beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, spring-like seasons year-round, and fresh, refreshing air. The mild climate and humid air create diverse weather conditions that make harvesting season occur throughout the year, with different varieties of coffee maturing at different times. They cultivate uniquely high-quality Arabica coffee beans. Coffee made from these beans offers rich flavor and endless aftertaste, truly making it a coffee specialty. Today, many people equate "Colombian coffee" with "high quality" and "good taste."

Fragrance

The first step in tasting is to evaluate the aroma of coffee beans. After grinding, you can inhale the gases released by the freshly crushed coffee cells.

The characteristics of the aroma indicate the essential taste nature of the coffee beans: sweet odors suggest acidic taste; pungent odors suggest stimulating taste. The intensity of the aroma indicates the freshness of the coffee, that is, the time between roasting and grinding. Aroma consists of the most volatile aromatic compounds.

When brewing coffee, forcefully inhale the gases released by the coffee grounds due to the high temperature of hot water, allowing the nasal septum to experience the full range of aromas: from fruity and grassy to nutty notes. At this time, you can smell the flavors emitted by the coffee, trying to remember these aromas and associations.

Overall, the various aroma characteristics of coffee are related to its origin. Correspondingly, the intensity of the aroma is related to the freshness of the coffee. Freshness is measured by the length of time from roasting to brewing. Freshness is also affected by the type of packaging that protects the coffee from moisture and oxidation.

Taste

Carefully savoring the taste of freshly brewed coffee is the third step in coffee tasting. Use a special coffee spoon, typically a round soup spoon with a capacity of 8-10cc. It's best if it's silver-plated, as it can dissipate heat quickly. Take 6-8cc of coffee liquid to your lips and forcefully sip it. Quickly inhale the coffee, allowing it to distribute evenly across the surface of your tongue. All sensory nerve endings will simultaneously respond to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes.

Since temperature affects the degree of stimulation, paying attention to the reactions of different sensitive areas on the tongue can help capture different characteristics. For example, because temperature reduces sensitivity to the sweetness of sugar, acidic coffee will initially produce a tingling sensation on the tip of the tongue rather than sweetness. Hold the coffee in your mouth for 3-5 seconds, focusing on the type and intensity of flavors. In this way, primary and secondary taste characteristics can be evaluated.

Nose

The fourth step occurs simultaneously with the third step. Draw the coffee in through the surface of your tongue. Due to changes in vapor pressure, some organic compounds in the water change from liquid to gas state. The forceful sipping action allows these gases to enter the nasal cavity, enabling the taster to analyze the coffee's aroma.

Evaluating both taste and aroma simultaneously allows the taster to experience the unique flavor characteristics of the coffee. Standard roasted coffee typically carries flavors of caramelized products, while dark roasted coffee usually carries flavors of products created through dry distillation.

Aftertaste

The fifth step is to hold the coffee liquid in your mouth for several seconds, then swallow a small portion. Quickly suck your throat to send the vapor remaining on your soft palate into your nasal cavity, allowing you to discover the aromas of the heavier molecules left on the palate.

The aromas of various compounds perceived during the aftertaste phase can be sweet, similar to chocolate; or like campfire smoke or cigar smoke; sometimes, there might be pungent spice-like notes, such as clove; sometimes resinous, similar to pine resin; and sometimes, all these aromas are present.

Body

The final stage of tasting is to evaluate the mouthfeel of the coffee liquid. Gently slide your tongue across the upper palate to feel the texture of the coffee. The sensation of oiliness and smoothness can measure the fat content in the coffee liquid, while the feeling of "heaviness," thickness, and viscosity measures the fiber and protein content. Both constitute the body of the coffee.

Basically, coffee tasting relies on these six steps. If you want to become a qualified coffee taster, this knowledge is far from sufficient. Only through more practice and more tasting can you truly experience the wonderful aspects that coffee brings to life!

Knowledge Bonus

The coffee bitterness we desire should be smooth and deep, bringing balanced and bright acidity while increasing the complexity of the coffee, just like the sweetness and acidity in coffee. When pairing bitterness with coffee's natural flavors, describing the bitterness in coffee becomes simplest.

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