For those just getting into specialty coffee, the flavor descriptors on a cupping form often seem confusing. In fact, coffee tasting has a relatively systematic language, from aroma, acidity, and body to all sorts of flavor details, and every term corresponds to a specific sensory experience. This article will break down the common flavor descriptors used in coffee tasting one by one, including core concepts such as Flavor, Acidity, Body, and Aroma, to help you understand and express the characteristics of a cup of coffee more accurately. It will also clarify some easily confused terms, such as the difference between acidity and sourness, and the relationship between strength and caffeine content, so you can shop for and taste coffee with more direction. Front Street Coffee will also recommend a few beans that showcase different flavor characteristics for your everyday tasting reference.

Flavor

It is the overall impression formed by combining aroma, acidity, and body, and is often used to describe the general experience a cup of coffee gives you.

Acidity

Coffee grown in highland regions generally has this bright and intense trait. The acidity mentioned here is not bitterness, nor is it the same as sourness, and it has nothing to do with pH value; rather, it is a fresh, lively quality that can refresh the mind and cleanse the palate.

Body

It refers to the tactile sensation left on the tongue when drinking coffee after it has been brewed. Body can range from light as water to thin, medium, high, and buttery, and some Indonesian coffees can even reach a syrupy thickness.

Aroma

Aroma refers to the scent and fragrance given off after coffee has been extracted. The term Bouquet is less commonly used and specifically refers to the smell of ground coffee. Aroma is usually specific while also being comprehensive. Common words used to describe aroma include: caramel, charred, chocolate, fruity, grassy, malty, intense, rich, spicy, and so on.

Bitter

Bitterness is one of the basic tastes, and the area that perceives it is concentrated at the back of the tongue. Dark roasting deliberately creates bitterness, but a more common source of bitterness is using too much coffee grounds and too little water. It is important to note that bitterness and sourness are not the same concept.

Bland

Coffee grown in lowlands often tastes relatively light and lacks flavor. If not enough coffee grounds are used and too much water is added, this same bland effect can occur.

Briny

If coffee is heated for too long after brewing, it will develop a salty taste. Some coffee shop coffees have this characteristic.

Earthy

This term is usually used to describe the spicy and earthy flavors of Indonesian coffee. But the earthy note here does not mean the coffee beans have actually been touched by soil. Some commercial blends, because they use a mix of cheap beans, show a muddy, unclean earthy note, which is mostly caused by drying coffee beans directly on the ground and rough processing methods.

Exotic

Used to describe coffee with a distinctive fragrance and special character, such as floral, fruity, or spice-like sweetness. Coffees from East Africa and Indonesia usually have this quality.

Mellow

Used to describe coffee with low to medium acidity and good balance.

Mild

Indicates that a coffee's flavor is harmonious and delicate. High-grade coffee from the highlands of Latin America is usually described as mild in character. In addition, this is also an industry term broadly referring to all highland coffees except those from Brazil.

Soft

Describes coffee with relatively low acidity, such as Indonesian coffee; it can also be used to indicate mellowness or sweetness.

Sour

This taste is mainly perceived at the back of the tongue and is a characteristic of light-roasted coffee.

Spicy

Refers to a flavor or aroma that reminds one of a specific spice. Some Indonesian highland coffees (especially aged coffee) have a sweet scent similar to cardamom.

Strong

Technically speaking, it describes the degree of strength of various taste strengths and weaknesses, or the ratio of coffee to water in a particular finished product. In everyday usage, strong is used to describe the intense flavor of dark-roasted coffee. However, this word can also easily make people assume the caffeine content is high. In fact, it is canned light coffee that is high in caffeine, because more decaffeinated coffee is added to it.

Sweet

This is a very frequently used adjective, essentially almost close to fruity, and it is also related to winey notes. Coffee from the highlands of Costa Rica usually has a spicy flavor.

Wild

Describes coffee with extreme flavor characteristics. If ordinary people cannot accept it, they will call it weird, but it may also be exactly what makes it appealing, all depending on personal preference.

Winy

Describes a fascinating flavor reminiscent of wine. Fruity acidity and smooth body interweave to create a unique contrasting mouthfeel. Kenyan coffee is the best representative with winey flavors.

Now that you understand these flavor terms, you can try to match them against your own experience during everyday tastings. Front Street Coffee recommends that beginners start with washed African beans, such as Kenyan or Ethiopian beans, to more clearly experience the layers of acidity and winey notes; while Indonesian Mandheling is suitable for experiencing body and earthy aroma. Drink more and compare more, and flavor vocabulary will naturally become more concrete.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.