How to Describe Coffee Bean Aroma Without Running Out of Words for Specialty Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee - Coffee Flavor Description

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The Taste of Coffee

When beginners are tasting coffee acidity, there's no need to focus too much on the specific names of acidity. Instead, they should learn to distinguish between: uncomfortable acidity, irritating acidity, strong acidity, dead acidity, and refreshing acidity.

Acidity is one of the terms used to describe coffee flavor. If coffee has higher acidity, its aftertaste will be crisp, refreshing, and pleasant. If coffee has low acidity, it will produce a dull aftertaste.

Because acidity is often misunderstood, it can be described using words like bright and lively. Among these, coffee acidity can be divided into two types: one is "bright, lively, moderately acidic fruit acid," and the other is "sharp acidity, over-fermented fruit acid." The former belongs to high-quality acidity, while the latter is inferior acidity.

The Aroma of Coffee

The so-called aroma is the smell that emanates after coffee preparation is complete. Describing coffee aroma includes caramel, fruity, floral, rich, spicy, and other notes. Unpleasant aromas are caused by defects in raw coffee, improper roasting, or improper final brewing, while normal aromas are the sensations we can perceive, whether wet or dry aroma.

1. Fruity Categories:

Lemon, orange, plum, peach, asparagus, grape, plum

2. Floral Categories:

Rose, wild ginger, jasmine, violet, mint leaves

3. Sugary Substances:

Honey, brown sugar, caramel, sweet potato

4. Spice Categories:

Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cocoa

5. Woody Categories:

Pine, cypress, cedar, sandalwood, forest floor

6. Special Aromas:

Alcoholic fermentation, musk, cream, leather

The Overall Flavor of Coffee

Flavor is the taste of coffee in the mouth. For example, coffee might have a slight taste of chocolate or caramel. When describing coffee flavor, you can start with the coffee's acidity, then the aroma. For example, you might describe coffee as follows: "Coffee has a crisp, bright taste with subtle citrus flavors and rich chocolate notes."

Flavor description contains subjective factors. Although everyone's sensitivity to taste varies, generally, there won't be too much difference.

In Brief

FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall that enjoys sharing knowledge about coffee with everyone. We share without reservation only to let more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, there are 3 low-discount coffee activities because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price. This is also FrontStreet Coffee's principle for the past 6 years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473