SENSORY INTRODUCTION
COFFEE TASTING
Learn to identify aromas
Sensory guide • 7 min read
"Caramel notes," "floral finish," "bright acidity." These descriptors are not snob jargon. They are tools to better understand what you drink. Here's how to develop your sensory vocabulary.
THE WHY
WHY LEARN TO TASTE
More than just pleasure
Tasting is listening. When you identify hazelnut notes in a Brazilian coffee or citrus in an Ethiopian, you start to understand the influence of terroir, roasting, and extraction. It's the difference between drinking coffee and truly experiencing it.
ADVANTAGE
Choose your coffee better
SKILL
Adjust the extraction
PLEASURE
Intensified
THE DIMENSIONS
THE 4 ELEMENTS OF A CUP
What we analyze during a tasting
01
Aroma
What you smell before drinking. Floral, fruity, chocolaty, woody. The first contact. Always smell before tasting.
02
Acidity
The liveliness in the mouth. Not unpleasant acidity, but that brightness that makes coffee lively and interesting. Think citrus, green apple.
03
The body
The texture in the mouth. Light like water? Silky like whole milk? Thick like cream? The body depends on the method and the roast.
04
The finish
What remains in the mouth after swallowing. Short or long, sweet or tannic. A great finish is the sign of a great coffee.
THE FLAVOR WHEEL
AROMA FAMILIES
By geographic origin
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Caramel, hazelnut, milk chocolate, nuts. Round and accessible notes, medium body.
EAST AFRICA
Jasmine flowers, red fruits, berries, citrus. Marked acidity, light to medium body.
SOUTH AMERICA
Dark chocolate, tobacco, leather, cashew nuts. Full body, moderate acidity.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Earth, wood, grass, warm spices. Heavy body, low acidity. Often a darker roast.
PRACTICE
TASTING EXERCISE
5 steps to do at home
01 — PREPARE
Make a V60 filter without milk or sugar. Use water at 92°C.
02 — SMELL
Smell the hot coffee. Close your eyes. What images come to mind? Fruits? Chocolate? Flowers?
03 — TASTE HOT
A small sip. Let it cover the whole mouth. Acidity? Sweetness? Body?
04 — TASTE LUKEWARM
Wait 5 minutes. Lukewarm coffee reveals more aromas. The notes often change.
05 — NOTE
Note three words. No need to be precise. "Sweet, nutty, long" is a valid descriptor.
PUT INTO PRACTICE
TASTING TRAINING
Our barista training includes a complete guided tasting module. We teach you how to read the cup with the same tools as professionals.
SEE THE TRAININGS
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