How to Properly Describe Coffee Aroma - Describing Coffee Flavor Doesn't Have to Be Complicated

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Coffee Aroma Description by FrontStreet Coffee

1. Olfaction (Sense of Smell)

Every coffee has a unique bouquet that allows different coffees from various regions or varieties to be distinguished. This includes:

• Dry Aroma/Fragrance: The aroma of coffee dry powder after grinding before brewing
• Cup Aroma/Aroma: The fragrance emitted from the liquid surface after coffee is brewed
• Nose: The aroma detected in the nasal cavity after coffee enters the mouth
• Aftertaste: The lingering taste remaining on the taste buds after coffee is swallowed

Types of dry aroma: Sweet floral, sweet fruit

Types of wet aroma: Fruity, herbal

Nasal aroma after tasting (nose): Caramel, nutty, malt

After-swallowing aftertaste: Carbon (similar to the smell of photocopying documents), chocolate, spice, turpentine/camphor-like

Each flavor requires further description of its intensity (Rich, Full, Rounded, Flat) and corresponding detailed descriptions. Complexity differs from off-flavors. Complexity refers to the integration of positive qualities in coffee, while off-flavors are unpleasant tastes in coffee, such as charcoal, woody (old beans), grassy (new beans), or even rubber and iodine flavors.

2. Gestation (Taste)

Taste evaluation is for the flavors of water-soluble substances in coffee. This includes organic substances (such as carbohydrates/sugars, vegetable oils, fruit acids, etc.; flavors range from slightly sweet to extremely acidic). Organic compounds include alkaloids (like caffeine and esters) and inorganic substances that cause bitterness. Inorganic substances include mineral salts that cause saltiness, while potentially causing flavors ranging from sweet to astringent, soapy to metallic.

The basic taste perceptions include: sour, sweet, bitter, salty. During coffee cupping, when tasting light to medium-roasted coffee, bitterness functions as a supplementary or enhancing description for the other three tastes. However, when evaluating dark-roasted coffee, bitterness becomes the primary taste description. Bitterness is one of the unpleasant sensations, but sometimes it can enhance food sensory experiences. Foods with bitterness that are considered delicious include dark chocolate, beer, and grapefruit. The absence of bitterness actually reduces the appreciation of food.

Although appropriate bitterness can create balance in dark-roasted coffee, it's worth noting that when bitterness creates a lingering sensation at the back of the tongue—meaning bitterness doesn't disappear with swallowing—this type of bitterness usually causes extreme sensory displeasure, thus serving as an indicator for judging the appropriateness of bitterness.

The value of acidity is polarized between the mass market and specialty coffee enthusiasts. Acidity is inherently one of the existing tastes in coffee. If properly handled, it can increase the layers of flavor and enhance tasting value. Coffees famous for their acidity include Antigua coffee (sharp as a razor) and Mocha-style coffees, such as Yirgacheffe with lemon aroma and acidity.

3. Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel basically refers to the tactile sensation on the palate. Generally, sensory organs are located on the tongue, stomach, soft palate, and hard palate as free-ending nerves. However, after drinking coffee, these nerve endings detect the viscosity and oils in the coffee, and the combined sensation creates the "body" of a cup of coffee. Viscosity is basically related to the amount of solid substances extracted from the coffee during brewing.

These substances include unfiltered fibrous materials from the coffee. Oiliness refers to the lipids in coffee (liquid oils, solid fats, or waxes). These substances exist in the form of oils in raw coffee beans or as fats at room temperature; during roasting, they convert to liquid and are finally extracted during brewing. Different brewing methods affect coffee's expression. Taking mouthfeel as an example, if manual pour-over extraction is done with a metal filter, the mouthfeel will be heavier/thicker than paper filter methods, due to the increased proportion of suspended particles and oils in the coffee.

Knowledge Point

Light roasting is characterized by acidity and flavor. If roasting is not handled properly, it can result in astringency and irritation, while the body and aftertaste of the coffee feel relatively low.

FrontStreet Coffee's Philosophy

In short, FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation, hoping to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three discounted coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!

Important Notice :

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