QUESTION: What words best describe coffee? Especially as it relates to coffee tasting? I can tell the difference between a lot of coffees, but I don’t really have the vocabulary to describe what I’m tasting. It’s kind of frustrating when you’re trying to describe a coffee to someone else. – Alex T
CLEARLY COFFEE REPLIES: Great question. When it comes to describing coffee, a rich and diverse vocabulary is at your disposal. Coffee tasting, also known as cupping when professionals do it to test coffee batches, encompasses a variety of terms that can help you articulate the nuances of each brew. Here’s a mini-glossary of words to get you started on your coffee-tasting journey.
- Acidity: Brightness or tanginess in coffee; can be described as crisp, sparkling, or winey.
- Aroma: The smell of brewed coffee; might include floral, fruity, or earthy scents.
- Balance: The harmony of flavors, acidity, body, and mouthfeel in a coffee.
- Body: The weight or heaviness of coffee on the palate; can range from light to full.
- Chocolatey: Notes reminiscent of cocoa or chocolate in the coffee’s flavor profile.
- Citrus: Flavors akin to lemon, orange, or grapefruit; often found in acidic coffees.
- Complexity: The depth and variety of flavors in a coffee, creating a layered experience.
- Earthiness: A taste profile that evokes soil, minerals, or mushrooms.
- Floral: Delicate, fragrant notes reminiscent of flowers, such as jasmine or rose.
- Fruity: Flavors reminiscent of berries, stone fruits, or tropical fruits.
- Mouthfeel: The texture and consistency of brewed coffee; can range from silky to creamy.
- Nutty: Tastes similar to almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts.
- Spiciness: Flavors that evoke spices like cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg.
- Sweetness: A natural, pleasant sweetness in coffee; can be described as honey-like, caramel, or syrupy.
- Winey: A taste profile similar to red wine, with a fruity and acidic character.
These are just a few of the many terms you can use to describe your coffee-tasting experience. As you explore different beans and brews, don’t be afraid to get creative with your descriptions! The world of coffee is vast, and developing your personal tasting vocabulary will only enhance your appreciation of this beloved beverage.
If you want to go deeper, look up some of the different coffee flavor wheels, such as the one by the Specialty Coffee Association.
Flavor wheels are a fantastic tool for coffee enthusiasts looking to delve deeper into the sensory experience of coffee tasting. A coffee flavor wheel is a circular diagram that visually represents the diverse range of flavors and aromas found in coffee.
Organized like a color wheel, it consists of different layers or tiers, with the inner circle containing broader categories such as fruity, floral, or earthy, while the outer layers display more specific descriptors like raspberry, lavender, or peat.
As you taste a coffee, you can refer to the flavor wheel to help identify and articulate the nuances in your brew. Not only does it provide a common language for coffee lovers, but it also encourages a more mindful and immersive tasting experience.
Next time you’re savoring a cup of coffee, look a flavor wheel, close your eyes, take a sip of your coffee and see which specific flavors you are tasting in your cup. Even if you can’t identify specifics yet like raspberry vs. peach, you’ll probably at least start to distinguish the outer layers of the circle like “fruity” and recognize those broader categories.
