How to Professionalize Coffee Flavor Descriptions: The Importance of Expressing Coffee Taste in Tasting

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Introduction to Coffee Flavor Descriptions

The Most Well-Known Arabica and Robusta Coffee Flavor Descriptions:

Robusta beans are easier to grow, as the plants don't require high altitudes to thrive. Generally, Robusta beans are purchased at lower prices and are typically used as fillers in commercial coffee blends. They have weak coffee aroma and heavy bitterness. Arabica coffee is of higher quality, with a more balanced taste, subtle wet aroma, and woody notes. The coffee has strong, distinct bitterness and low acidity.

The Coffee Tasting Experience

So-called tasting occurs in two places: our mouth and our nasal cavity. To learn to taste and discuss coffee, it's best to separate these two parts. The first part to discuss is the basic tastes that the tongue can perceive: sour, sweet, bitter, salty, and savory. When reading descriptions of a coffee, we might be drawn to how the flavors are described, such as chocolate, berry, or caramel notes. These flavors typically refer to aromas and don't occur in the mouth, but rather in the nasal cavity.

Tasting Elements

Sweetness:

How much sweetness does this coffee bean have? This is a very desirable characteristic in coffee, and of course, more is better.

Acidity:

How much acidity does this coffee bean have? Is the acidity pleasant? If the acidity has predominantly unpleasant components, it will be described as sour. Pleasant acidity tastes refreshing and juicy.

Mouthfeel:

Does this coffee have a light, delicate, tea-like mouthfeel? Or does it have rich, creamy, and thick characteristics? Again, more isn't always better. Low-quality coffee beans often have thick mouthfeel and low acidity, but are typically unpleasant to drink.

Balance:

This is the most difficult quality to define during tasting. In a sip of coffee, many different flavors may appear, but do these flavors harmonize? Are they like a perfectly composed piece of music? Or is there an element that's too prominent? Is there a characteristic that's too strong?

Flavor:

This category not only describes the various flavors and aromas in a coffee but also considers whether the taster likes the performance of this cup of coffee. Many beginning tasters often feel frustrated in this area. They can clearly tell that each coffee bean they taste is different, but they cannot find enough vocabulary to describe them.

Knowledge Point:

Aroma refers to the experience we obtain through our sense of smell and is divided into dry aroma and wet aroma. Dry aroma is the fragrance of coffee beans immediately after grinding, while wet aroma is the aroma of the extracted coffee liquid.

In Summary:

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Important Notice :

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