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| Tasting and Evaluating Coffee |
| 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: |
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| 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. Without 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
coffee will possess greater body than South and Central
American coffee. If you are unsure of the level of body when
comparing several coffee, try adding an equal amount of milk
to each. Coffee 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. |
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| 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 overpowers another |
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| 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 gamey 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) |
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| We would like to thank Coffee Universe for much of this information. |
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| Schoolhouse Coffee has truly
exceptional taste, aroma and flavor
because every roast is personally
customized by our master roasters
in small individual batches. Our
uncompromising commitment to
excellence makes our gourmet
coffee the finest coffee anywhere
at any price. |
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