Can't Taste Coffee Flavors? What is Retronasal Olfaction? Are Hand-Brewed Coffee Flavors Smelled or Tasted?

"Why can't I taste the flavors in coffee?" This is the most common question FrontStreet Coffee has heard about flavor tasting. Of course, FrontStreet Coffee has also shared many methods on how to taste coffee flavors.

Are Coffee Flavors Tasted or Smelled?

But this article explores whether coffee flavors are tasted or smelled. From common expressions, coffee flavors are tasted. From a scientific research perspective, coffee contains over 850 aromatic compounds, most of which are volatile substances. This means that the taste buds on our tongues cannot detect the flavors of these substances.

Only a small amount of aromatic compounds are water-soluble, such as the citrus acidity we often taste, which comes from substances like malic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid. (This is why citrus is the easiest coffee flavor to distinguish.)

There are also substances that are both water-soluble and volatile, such as acetic acid and caramel. These substances can be detected by both the tongue and the nose. Drinking and using the tongue to perceive flavors can only detect the degree of sourness, sweetness, and bitterness in coffee.

The Role of Olfaction in Coffee Tasting

The nose can perceive more aromatic compounds in coffee (whether you can distinguish them depends on the individual). Floral, fruity, caramel, chocolate, creamy, woody, burnt, and medicinal aromas can all be detected through the nose. This is also why many friends are attracted to coffee by its aroma.

But this is not the complete function of the nose in perceiving coffee flavors. Generally, when we directly smell coffee with our nose, it's called "orthonasal olfaction." It can directly perceive the dry fragrance of ground coffee beans and the wet aroma after brewing. The other is "retronasal olfaction"!

The nasal cavity and mouth are connected. When we drink coffee, after catalysis by saliva, the substances in the coffee liquid vaporize and travel back into the nasal cavity through the nasopharyngeal passage. This allows us to perceive more flavors, such as floral, berry, caramel, and chocolate aromas detected after drinking. This is also often mistaken as flavors distinguished by the tongue when drinking, but they actually come from the nose.

For some friends who can only taste the sourness, sweetness, and bitterness of coffee but cannot "taste" the flavors of coffee, it's likely because they only use their tongue to directly perceive the taste of coffee. So if you want to "taste" coffee flavors, you might want to try FrontStreet Coffee's approach.

How to Properly Taste Coffee Flavors

Before drinking coffee, try smelling the wet aroma first. Then take a sip, use your tongue to feel the taste and texture of the coffee, close your mouth, and exhale through your nose. This will release the coffee's aroma through the nasal cavity, allowing you to perceive coffee flavors through retronasal olfaction.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473