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Tasting Terminology



Glossary:


AA
Acidity
Acrid
Affogato
After Dinner Roast
Aftertaste
Aged Coffee
Air Roaster
Alkaline
Altura
Altura Coatepec
American Roast
Americano
Antestia
Arabian Mocha
Arabica
Aroma
Artisan Coffee
Arusha
Ashy
Aspiration
Astringent
Baggy
Baked
Balance
Bani
Bar
Bar System
Barista
Batch Roaster
Bean Probe
Bean Temperature
Beneficio
Bird Friendly
Biscotti
Bits
Bitter
Black and White
Black Beans
Black Eye
Black Russian
Blade Grinder
Blend
Blotchy
Blue Mountain
Boat Shaped
Body
Boiler
Bouquet
Bourbon
Bourbon Santos
Brazil
Bready
Breve
Brewing
Bright
Briny
Bugisu
Bullhead
Burr Grinder
Cafe
Cafe au Lait
Cafe Bonbon
Cafe Noisette
Caffe
Caffeine
Cappuccino
Caramelly
Carbony
Caturra
CBB Damaged
Chaff
Chiapas
Chicory
Chipinge
Chocolatey
Cinnamon Roast
Citrus
City Roast
Clean
Coatepec
Coffea Canephora
Coffee Berry Borer
Coffee Cherry
Coffee Fest
Coffee Future
Coffee Kids
Coffee Leaf Rust
Colombia
Complexity
Costa Rica
Crema
Crushed
Crust
Cultivar
Current Crop
Cyclone Separator
Dark Roast
Decaffeinated
Demitasse
Diseased
Dominican Republic
Doppio
Dose
Doser
Doser Grinder
Double
Drip Coffee
Drip Tray
Drought Affected
Drum Roaster
Dry
Dry Process
Earthy
El Salvador
Elephant Beans
Espresso
Espresso con Panna
Espresso Granita
Espresso Machine
Espresso Pod
Espresso Romano
Estate
Ethiopia
Ethiopia Harar
Ethiopia Sidamo
Ethiopia Yirgachefe
Excelso
Faded
Fair Trade
Fazenda
Ferment
Filter Basket
First Crack
Flat
Flavored Coffee
Floaters
Floral
Foxy
French Press
French Roast
Freshness
Frothing
Fruity
Gelato
Gicleur
Gourmet Coffee
Grade
Grande
Grassy
Green Coffee
Grind
Grounds for Health
Group
Guatemala
Guatemala Antigua
Guatemala Coban
Guatemala Huehuetenango
Half Caf
Hard Bean
Harmless
Harsh
Harvest Machine
Harvesting
Hawaii
Herbal
Hidey
Honduras
Hulling
Iced Latte
Iced Mocha
ICO
India
India Monsoon
Indonesia
Instant taste
Irish Coffee
Italian Roast
Jamaica
Java
Kenya
Knock Box
KVW
Latte
Latte Art
Macchiato
Malty
Medicinal
Medium Roast
Mellow
Methyl Chloride
Mexico
Mocha Java
Mocha Latte
Moldy
Monsooned
Mottled
Musty
Neutral
New Crop
Nicaragua
No Fun
Nose
Nutty
Oniony
Organic
Outer Skin
Over Fermented
Pales
Papery
Papua New Guinea
Parchment
Parchment Coffee
Past Crop
Peaberry
Peasy
Peru
Piston Espresso Machine
Porta-Filter
Primary tastes
Processed Coffee
Pulled Long
Pulled Short
Pulp
Pulper Nipped
Pulping
Pyrolysis
Quad
Quaker
Quakery
Ragged
Rancid
Red Eye
Ripe Coffee
Roast Master
Robusta
Rubbery
Rwanda
SCAA
Scorched
Second Crack
Semi Dry Process
Shell
Shot
Silver Skin
Single Origin
Skinny
Smooth
Solo
Sorting
Sour
Spicey
Spot Price
Steam Wand
Steaming Pitcher
Stinker
Strictly Hard Bean
Strictly Soft Bean
Sulawesi
Sumatra
Supremo
Swiss Water Process
Taint
Tall
Tamper
Tamping
Tanzania
Tobacco
Turkish Coffee
Uganda
Under Dried
Utz Certified
Valve Bag
Varietal
Vente
Vienna Roast
Vietnam
Water Purification
Water Softening
Wet
Wet Mill
Wet Process
Whole Bean
Winey
With Legs
Withered
Woody
Yemen
Zimbabwe


Coffee Glossary Categories:


Drinks & Recipes

Brewing

Classification & Grading

Bean Defects

Plant Varieties

Producing Countries

Cupping & Tasting

Farming & Processing

Organizations & Certifications

Roasting

Coffees by Origin
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Coffee Terms - Cupping and Tasting

Spicey TasteCupping Term WineyNuts




Acidity

AcidityAcidity, used as a coffee term, refers to bright, tangy, fruity, or wine-like flavor characteristics found in many high grown Arabica coffees. Coffee with high acidity is described as acidy, which has nothing to do with amount of acid, or pH. Coffee actually has a relatively neutral pH of between 5 and 6. When green coffee is stored for more than a year it will have a perceptible loss of flavor and acidity. Also, acidity is reduced as coffee is roasted darker.  


Acrid

AcridA harsh sour taste. An acrid coffee can be described as tart, sharp, or acerbic.  


Aftertaste

The taste of brewed coffee vapors released after swallowing. Also called "finish", aftertastes can be chocolatey, burnt, spicy, tobaccoy, tangy, etc.  


Alkaline

AlkalineThe taste term "alkaline" describes a dry taste sensation mostly at the back of the tongue. While somewhat bitter, an alkaline taste is not necessarily disagreeable and is characteristic of many dark roasts and some Indonesian coffees.  


Aroma

AromaCoffee aroma is the fragrance of brewed coffee and is closely related to coffee flavor. Without our sense of smell, flavor would be limited to the tongue senses of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Many nuances of a coffee are reflected in the smell, or "the nose". Subtle floral notes, for example, are experienced most clearly in the aroma, particularly at the moment when the crust is broken during the traditional cupping process. Typical coffee aromas include floral, winey, chocolatey, spicy, tobaccoy, earthy, and fruity. Coffee aroma is also experienced after drinking the coffee when vapors drift upward into the nasal passage. This "retro nasal" aroma is responsible for much of a coffees aftertaste. A coffee's aroma is highest shortly after roasting and then declines rapidly. Coffee freshness, including aroma, can be maintained for months if placed in proper storage immediately after roasting.  


Ashy

AshyCoffee odor similar to that of an ashtray or fireplace. An "Ashy" aroma indicates a dark roast, and is not necessarily a negative attribute. Ashy coffees generally have a carbony flavor.  


Aspiration

AspirationDrawing coffee brew into the mouth by vigorous suction to spray it evenly across the tongue releasing vapors. Aspiration helps cuppers attain a better sensory evaluation of a coffees nuances.  


Astringent

A dry, sour, salty, and generally disagreeable sensation detected mostly at the sides of the tongue.  


Baggy

BaggyA taste characteristic of coffee stored too long in burlap (jute) bags, causing the coffee beans to acquire a straw-like coffee bag flavor. Also used to describe light roasted coffee with mildewy qualities.  


Baked

BakedFlat, dull, and uninteresting coffee. A baked flavor may be caused by roasting too slowly. Coffee roasted in a drum roaster for much more than about 17 minutes will likely be burnt or have a baked flavor.  


Balance

BalanceA balanced coffee may be complex, but does not have any overwhelming flavor or aroma characteristics. For example, Yemen Mocha is typically bold and flavorful, but is also well balanced. In contrast, Kenya AA, generally has a dominating wine-like fruity flavor. A well balanced coffee has flavors that can be sensed evenly across the tongue. Blending several different coffees together, if done correctly, can create a flavorful and balanced coffee. Balance, however, is not necessarily a positive taste attribute, since some people prefer coffees with particularly strong flavor distinctions.  


Bitter

BitterA harsh, generally unpleasant taste detected mostly in the back of the tongue. Bitterness is characteristic of over-extracted, defective, or extra dark roasted coffees.   


Body

BodyThe physical mouth feel and texture of a coffee. Full bodied coffees have a strong, creamy, and pleasant, mouth feel. A coffees body (light, medium, or full) is its thickness due to the amount of dissolved and suspended solids and oils extracted from the coffee grounds, and may range from thin and watery to thick and creamy.  


Bouquet

BouquetThe aroma of freshly ground coffee.  


Bready

BreadyA bread-like, or grain-like, aroma. Insufficiently roasted, sour tasting, coffee will often have a bready aroma. Bready coffees may also be described as "green" or "beany".  


Bright

BrightCoffees with a pleasant, almost tangy, flavor. Bright coffees may also be described as having a wine like acidity.   


Briny

BrinyA salty taste often caused by continuously heating coffee after brewing is complete. Brewed coffee that sits on a burner overnight is likely to taste briny.  


Caramelly

CaramellyA flavor and aroma characteristic of candy or syrup in which sugars have oxidized and become caramelized. Coffee beans contain sugars which caramelize during roasting and, if not burned, may be detected as caramelly notes in the cup.  


Carbony

CarbonyThe flavor and aroma characteristic of burnt food, or burnt wood. Carbony flavors and aromas are often used as an indication of roast degree when cupping darker roasted coffees. Also called "burnt" or "smoky".  


Chicory

ChicoryAn herb used as a coffee substitute and to flavor coffee. Chicory, or Cichorium Intybus, has been used as a coffee additive for centuries, both to enhance flavor of coffee and to stretch coffee supplies. In New Orleans, Louisiana, many have developed a preference for chicory coffee.  


Chocolatey

ChocolateyThe taste or aroma of chocolate. Coffees rarely have a very strong chocolatey flavor or aroma, but some Central American and Yemeni coffees have a distinct chocolatey aroma and a slightly bitter-sweet chocolatey taste.  


Citrus

CitrusThe aroma and taste of ripe citrus fruit. Citrus notes are often found in coffee, which is not surprising considering the fact that coffee beans are the seeds of coffee cherries. Coffees with flavor characteristics of unripe citrus are described as "sour".  


Clean

CleanFlavorful, but without any pungent or unusual flavors.  


Complexity

ComplexityThe array of flavors and flavor shifts experienced when smelling and tasting a coffee. While not necessarily a positive attribute, complexity can sometimes be gained by blending one coffee with another or by blending a dark roast with a light roast. Some excellent single origin coffees are by themselves both complex and balanced, but agreeable complex flavors are most often achieved by blending two or more complimentary single origin coffees.  


Crust

CrustThe layer of saturated coffee grounds that floats to the surface when cupping (tasting) coffee. As part of the traditional coffee cupping method, called "breaking the crust", the grounds are agitated to release trapped vapors allowing the cupper note the coffees unique characteristics. The crust is then scooped out with a spoon before tasting the brewed coffee.  


Earthy

EarthyThe aroma characteristic of fresh earth, wet soil, or raw potatoes. While not necessarily negative characteristic, earthiness may be caused by molds during the processing of harvested coffee cherries. Earthy notes, for example, are commonly found in semi-dry processed coffees from Indonesia.  


Ferment

A sour and oniony taste characteristic of over-fermented coffee. After de-pulping coffee cherries, which removes the skin and some attached mucilage (pulp), the separated beans will still have a significant amount of pulp attached. The remaining pulp is often loosened by fermentation, allowing it to be washed away prior to drying. If fermentation is not stopped as soon as the remaining parchment (husk) is no longer slimy, and has a rough texture, the coffee may acquire a ferment flavor.  


Flat

Lacking flavor and aroma.  


Floral

FloralThe scent of flowers including honeysuckle, jasmine, dandelion and nettles. Mildly floral aromas are found in some coffees and are generally perceived along with fruity or herbal notes.  


Fruity

FruityThe aroma and taste of fruit. Many coffees have fruity notes, which is not surprising considering that coffee beans are seeds of a fruit (coffee cherries). A coffees acidity, or wine-like brightness, is often related to fruit, or citrus. Professional cuppers are careful to not use the term "fruity" when describing the aroma of unripe, or over-ripe, fruit.  


Grassy

GrassyAroma associated with freshly mowed green grass, herbs, green foliage, green beans, and unripe fruit. A grassy aroma, also called green, herby, or herbal, is characteristic of sour tasting under-roasted coffee beans and under-dried or water damaged coffee beans.  


Harsh

Pungent and disagreeable, such as a low quality bitter Robusta.  


Herbal

HerbalAn aroma associated with freshly mowed lawn, green grass, herbs, green foliage, green beans, and unripe fruit. Herbal characteristics are typical of coffees not fully dried to the usual 10% to 12% moisture content during processing. An herbal aroma is also called green, grassy, or herby.   


Hidey

HideyThe smell or taste of hide (leather). Hidey notes, for example, may be found in some east African coffees.  


Instant taste

Instant tasteA taste characteristic of freeze dried instant coffee. Many find the taste of instant coffee objectionable. Ironically, instant coffee is commonly served in Colombia and Brazil, both large volume coffee exporters.  


Malty

MaltyThe aroma of malt. Often used together with Cereal and Toast-like to include the aroma of cereal, malt, and toast. "Cereal", "Malty", and "Toast-like" describe grain-like aromas and flavors of roasted grain (including roasted corn, barley, or wheat), malt extract, freshly baked bread, or toast.  


Medicinal

MedicinalThe smell of medicine, or iodine. A medicinal flavor with notes of iodine which can result from cherries drying while still on the coffee plant. Medicinal flavors cannot be hidden well by blending.  


Mellow

MellowBalanced and mild, without strong tastes or aftertaste. Medium roasted, low grown (less than 4000 feet) Arabicas, for example, generally have a mellow flavor.  


Neutral

Neutral coffees do not have a predominant taste sensation, but may still have a pungency felt by the tongue and are often used in blending. Coffees from Brazil and Colombia, for example, commonly have a neutral flavor.  


Nose

NoseThe aroma and taste characteristic of a coffee sensed by the nose, especially when exhaling coffee vapors after swallowing.  


Nutty

NuttyThe aroma and flavor characteristic of fresh nuts. Coffee cuppers are careful to avoid using the term "nutty" when describing coffee with taste or aroma characteristics of rancid nuts or bitter almonds. Coffees from South America commonly have a nutty flavor.  


Oniony

OnionyFlavor characteristic of onions, and often associated with the use stagnant water when processing coffee by the wet method. Oniony characteristics are often avoided by recycling the pulping water during processing.  


Papery

PaperyA taste characteristic of coffee stored in paper bags or prepared using low quality filter paper.  


Past Crop

Past CropCoffee from a previous years harvest. Past crop, old crop, old, or oldish are also used as a taste terms to describe coffees stored for more than a year. Past crop coffees tend to have a woody, strawy, or hay-like flavor and less acidity.  


Peasy

An unpleasant bitter taste similar to fresh green peas.   


Primary tastes

Primary tastesProfessional coffee cuppers may describe flavors detected by the tongue (primary tastes), and flavors detected through the nose (secondary tastes). Primary tastes are salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. Taste buds are located on our tongues, and while many subtle tastes can be recognized, there are only four distinct tastes (salty, sweet, sour, and bitter). Each taste bud contains between 50 and 100 taste cells, and each taste cell has receptors. While receptors are capable of recognizing all tastes, some tend to recognize sour foods and are usually located around the sides of the tongue. Sweet and salty foods are usually tasted best near the end of the tongue. Bitter foods are usually tasted at the back of the tongue. The middle of the tongue usually has no taste buds.  


Quakery

A peanut-like flavor that results from processing unripe or underdeveloped coffee beans.  


Rancid

RancidThe terms "rancid" and "rotten" are used to describe characteristics of decomposing coffee. Professional coffee cuppers are careful to not describe a strong and unpleasant aroma as "rancid", if there are no other signs of deterioration.  


Rubbery

RubberyThe aroma and flavor characteristic of hot tires or rubber bands. A rubbery characteristic, while not always negative, is highly recognizable in some coffees, especially fresh Robustas.   


Scorched

Roasted coffee with burn marks caused by inadequate tumbling or by roasting too hot. Also called "tipped" or "charred". Scorched beans may look completely roasted, but are likely to have soury and bready flavors.  


Smooth

A taste characteristic of balanced coffee without any pronounced tastes or aftertastes. Also called round, rounded or soft.  


Sour

SourAn excessively sharp, biting and unpleasant flavor (such as vinegar or acetic acid). Sour or soury flavors are sometimes associated with the aroma of fermented coffee. A sour taste can be caused by overripe or already fermenting cherries, or by improper fermentation where yeasts and alcohol form vinegar-like acids To avoid this defect, coffee still in its parchment (husk) is washed immediately after fermentation when the parchment coffee is no longer slimy and has a rough texture. Soury flavors are often confused with acidity, which is the slightly tangy sensation associated with bright coffee flavors.  


Spicey

SpiceyThe aroma of sweet spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. The term "spicy" when describing coffee does not include the aroma of savory spices such as pepper, oregano, and curry.  


Taint

An unexpected off-flavor not clearly defined by usual taste categories. Too much pulp in fermenting parchment, for example, will produce tainted coffee.  


Tobacco

TobaccoThe aroma and flavor of fresh tobacco in brewed coffee. A tobacco-like taste is not necessarily disagreeable and is found in various specialty coffees throughout the world. A tobaccoy taste or aroma should not be confused with characteristics of burnt tobacco (ash).  


Winey

WineyThe combined sensation of smell, taste ,and mouth feel experienced when drinking wine. A winey taste is generally perceived along with acidy and fruity notes. Often used incorrectly to describe a soury or over-fermented flavor.  


Woody

WoodyA taste characteristic of old coffee. Woody coffee has a smell of dry wood, an oak barrel, dead wood, or cardboard. This defect results when beans are improperly stored for an extended period of time. Coffees stored at low altitudes in high temperatures and humidity (as in many ports of shipment) tend to deteriorate quickly and become woody. All coffees can become woody if stored long enough.  

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