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Tasting Terms and
Definitions
While tasting the coffee, you should try to discern whether the
flavor, body, acidity and aroma of the coffee is pleasant, or unpleasant.
Here are the criteria that most tasters use to judge coffee:
- Acidity
Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation
of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and
on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike
its role as related to the flavor of wine. It provides a sharp, bright,
vibrant quality. With out sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste
flat. Acidity should not be confused with sour, which is an unpleasant,
negative flavor characteristic.
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- Aroma
Aroma is a sensation which is difficult to separate from flavor. Without
our sense of smell, our only taste sensations would be: sweet, sour, salty,
and bitter. The aroma contributes to the flavors we discern on our palates.
Subtle nuances, such as "floral" or "winy" characteristics, are derived
from the aroma of the brewed coffee.
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- Body
Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the viscosity,
heaviness, thickness, or richness that is perceived on the tongue. A good
example of body would be that of the feeling of whole milk in your mouth,
as compared to water. Your perception of the body of a coffee is related
to the oils and solids extracted during brewing. Typically, Indonesian
coffees will possess greater body than South and Central American coffees.
If you are unsure of the level of body when comparing several coffees,
try adding an equal amount of milk to each. Coffees with a heavier body
will maintain more of their flavor when diluted.
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- Flavor
Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth. Acidity,
aroma, and body are all components of flavor. It is the balance and homogenization
of these senses that create your overall perception of flavor. The following
are typical flavor characteristics:
- General flavor characteristics
- Richness—refers to body and fullness
- Complexity— the perception of multiple flavors
- Balance— the satisfying presence of all the basic taste characteristics
where no one over-powers another
- Typical specific desirable flavor characteristics
- Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy— (typical of Central American
coffees)
- Caramelly —candy like or syrupy
- Chocolaty— an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla
- Delicate— a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue (typical
of washed New Guinea arabica)
- Earthy— a soily characteristic (typical of Sumatran coffees)
- Fragrant— an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy
- Fruity— an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus
- Mellow— a round, smooth taste, typically lacking acid
- Nutty— an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts
- Spicy— a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices
- Sweet— free of harshness
- Wildness— a gamy flavor which is not usually considered favorable but
is typical of Ethiopian coffees
- Winy— an aftertaste reminiscent of well matured wine (typical of Kenyan
and Yemeni coffees)
- Typical specific undesirable flavor characteristics
- Bitter— perceived on the back of the tongue, usually a result
of over roasting
Bland— neutral in flavor
Carbony— burnt charcoal overtones
Dead— see "flat"
Dirty— a mustiness reminiscent of eating dirt
Earthy— see "dirty"
Flat— lack of acidity, aroma, and aftertaste
Grassy— an aroma and flavor reminiscent of freshly cut lawn
Harsh— a caustic, clawing, raspy characteristic
Muddy— thick and dull
Musty— a slight stuffy or moldy smell (not always a negative characteristic
when in aged coffees)
Rioy— a starchy texture similar to water which pasta has been cooked
in.
Rough— a sensation on the tongue reminiscent of eating salt
Rubbery— an aroma and flavor reminiscent of burnt rubber (typically
found only in dry processed robustas)
Soft— see "bland"
Sour— tart flavors reminiscent of unripe fruit
Thin— lacking acidity, typically a result of under brewing
Turpeny— turpentine-like in flavor
Watery— a lack of body or viscosity in the mouth
Wild— gamy characteristics
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