Coffee Tasting Terminology As with wine tasting, there is a world of pleasure and interest in tasting coffee, which is called “cupping”. Cupping terminology can seem foreign to the beginner, but is understood by frequent and professional tasters. Fortunately, there are several online glossaries that can explain a taster’s comments even when the word doesn’t appear in a standard dictionary. Here are some cupping terms. Acidity: In fine coffees, acidity results in a pleasant sharpness. Not to be associated with the genuinely sour taste of inferior coffees. Acidity as a tasting term is not referring to the actual content of acid in the coffee, but rather a desirable and pleasant tart taste. It can be related to the desirable dryness of a fine red wine. Aftertaste: The sensation of brewed coffee vapors released after swallowing. Characteristics will range from carbony to chocolaty, spicy to turpeny (see Turpeny). Aroma: The sensation of the gases released from brewed coffee; may be described as ranging from fruity to herby and others. Bitter: Perceived by the back of the tongue and characterized by solutions of quinine, caffeine and other alkaloids; usually caused by over-roasting. Bland: perceived by the sides of the tongue and ranging in taste from “soft” to neutral. Found often in washed Arabica coffees such as Guatemalan low grown. Body: Associated with mouthfeel and texture, this should be a strong, full, pleasant characteristic. (see Mouthfeel) Bouquet: The total aromatic profile, resulting from compounds in the fragrance, aroma and aftertaste. Caramelly: A common aromatic sensation, reminiscent of candy or syrup. Carbony: A common aromatic sensation in dark-roasted coffees, reminiscent of a burnt substance. Chocolaty: A common aromatic sensation in a brew’s aftertaste, reminiscent of unsweetened chocolate or vanilla. Complexity: Describes flavor that shifts among pleasurable possibilities; a harmonious multiplicity of sensation. Dead: see Flat Delicate: Related to mellow, characterized by a fragile, subtle flavor, perceived by the tip of the tongue. Dirty: An unclean smell or taste that can be specific, such as sourness or mustiness, or a more generalized taint that reminds one of eating dirt. Earthy: This is the same as Dirty, however, some coffees select an Earthy taste that is actually considered a hint of wildness. When the earthy taste becomes distinctly sour, harsh and musty this is considered a defect and is most directly linked with improper handling and processing. Flat: Used when describing bouquet to denote a lack of strong perceptions in fragrance, aroma and aftertaste. Also called Dead. Flavor: The experience of aromatics once the coffee is in the mouth. Fragrance: The aromatic sensations inhaled by sniffing, can be described as ranging from sweetly floral to sweetly spicy. Fruity: An aromatic sensation reminiscent of citrus fruit or berries. Full: An intensity description of bouquet indicating gases and vapors are present at a moderately pronounced strength and hardy flavor. Grassy: Used to describe an odor and/or taste in some coffees that is reminiscent of a freshly mown lawn, with an accompanying astringency like that of green grass. Harsh: A hard, raspy, often caustic flavor sometimes described as “Rioy”. Lifeless: see Thin Mellow: A rounded, smooth taste characteristically lacking in acidity. Mild: Refers to a coffee that lacks any overriding characteristics, either pleasant of unpleasant. Mouthfeel: The tactile sensation the coffee produces on your palate. Muddy: A dull, indistinct and thickish flavor that be caused by the grounds being agitated while brewing. Musty: A flavor that often occurs due to poor storage or lack of sufficient drying, aging or overheating. In aged coffees mustiness is not necessarily undesirable. Nutty: An aromatic sensation that is released when roasted and brewed reminiscent of roasted nuts. Neutral: A flavor characteristic that is desirable in some good blends, but also considered a secondary coffee taste characterized by the absence of a predominant taste sensation on any part of the tongue but causing a distinct parching sensation on the sides of the tongue. Rich: Used when describing bouquet to denote intense perceptions of fragrance, aroma and aftertaste. Rioy: Highly pronounced medicinal character, a result of continued enzyme activity when coffee beans remain in the fruit and the fruit dries on the shrub. Usually associated with natural processed coffees grown in Brazil and typified by coffees grown in the Rio district. Also may have a grainy or starchy texture. Rough: Characterized by a parched sensation on the tongue related to sharp, salty taste sensations. Rubbery: Caused when fruit is allowed to partially dry while still on the tree, this a fault that gives beans the character of burnt rubber. It is found mostly in dry-processed robustas, not arabicas. Sharp: A primary coffee taste sensation created as acids in the coffee combine with salts to increase the overall saltiness. Characteristic found most often in unwashed robusta coffee. Sharp coffee ranges from rough to astringent. Soft: The absence of the parched sensation on the tongue, related to bland. Sour: Related to over-acidity. A sharp, biting flavor often from under ripe beans. Spicy: An aromatic sensation created by a slightly volatile set of hydrocarbon compounds in coffees aftertaste that produces sensations reminiscent of either cinnamon or clove. Taint: A chemical change in the bean brought about by any number in internal or external changes which results in a change in the coffee’s flavor. Thin: Related to underbrewing resulting in a coffee lacking in any acidity. Also referred to a Lifeless. Turpeny: An aromatic sensation created by a slightly volatile set of hydrocarbon compounds and nitrites found in coffees aftertaste that produces either resinous sensations similar to turpentine or medicinal sensations similar to camphor. Watery: Caused by the wrong water-to-coffee ration, which results in the low level of oils in the coffee. Wild: A gamey flavor, which can be desirable, but, usually marked by unpleasant sourness, the result of internal chemical changes in the green coffee beans or external contamination. (see Earthy) Winey: Reminiscent of a well-matured red wine, characterized by a full-bodied, smooth coffee.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 16:54:18 +0000
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