A Complete Guide to Coffee Tasting

Ever wondered why coffee enthusiasts talk about tasting notes of berries, chocolate, or even flowers in their morning brew? These aren't artificial flavors added to your coffee – they're natural characteristics born from the coffee's origin, processing, and roasting.

Just as wine carries hints of different fruits and spices, coffee holds a world of flavors waiting to be discovered. Knowing how to describe these flavors helps you communicate your preferences better and discover new brews that match your taste.

What Shapes Coffee's Flavor Profile?

A coffee’s flavor profile is influenced by numerous factors along its journey. The soil where the coffee grows, the altitude of the farm, the way the beans are processed, and how they're roasted all contribute to a coffee’s distinctive flavor:

• Origin: Where coffee grows impacts its fundamental character. Ethiopian coffees, for instance, often carry bright, fruity notes, while Indonesian varieties tend toward earthy, full-bodied profiles.

• Altitude: Coffee cherries grow much slower in higher altitudes, allowing them to develop more complex acid structures. Because of this, high-altitude coffees often have brighter, more nuanced flavors.

• Processing Method: How the coffee cherry is removed from the bean affects flavor development. Natural processing often results in fruit-forward notes, while washed processing typically produces cleaner, more pronounced acidity.

• Roast Level: Lighter roasts tend to preserve origin-specific flavors, while darker roasts develop more caramelized, roasted notes.

• Brewing Method: Different extraction methods highlight various aspects of the coffee's flavor profile. For instance, immersion brewing often emphasizes body and sweetness, while pour-over methods can highlight clarity and brightness.

Related: Understanding Coffee Roasts

How do you describe coffee tasting notes?

One of the most interesting things about describing coffee is that it is both an objective and subjective experience.

While lab equipment can detect precise molecular compounds, the human experience of taste is deeply personal, influenced by everything from our genetic makeup to our childhood memories. A cup of Triunfo Verde, for example, might remind you of dark chocolate and molasses, while your friend might pick up hints of nutmeg and clove – and you'd both be right.

Describing tasting notes is also relative to one’s experiences. If you’ve never had black cherry before, you might not recognize its distinctive tartness and deep sweetness in your coffee. You might instead attribute it to the closest flavor you’ve tasted.

Our ability to identify flavors is deeply tied to our memory bank of tastes and smells. That's why coffee professionals often use common reference points – like saying a coffee tastes like green apple rather than describing its malic acid content – to make these descriptions more accessible and meaningful to everyone.

That said, let's explore the common terms used to describe coffee flavors, starting from basic tastes before moving to more specific notes:

Basic Coffee Tasting Notes

Like all things we consume, coffee flavors are built on the basic building blocks of taste: sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness.

Sweet

Sweetness can manifest as caramel, honey, chocolate, or fruit-like notes, depending on how it’s processed and roasted. Light to medium roasts often best preserve these desirable sweet characteristics. Strong sweet notes often indicate optimal ripeness at harvest and skilled roasting that develops sugars without burning them.

Sour

Often described as citrusy or winey, acidity is a prized characteristic when balanced properly. However, excessive sourness can indicate underripe cherries or under-roasting.

Bitter

Bitterness in coffee refers to the deeper, more intense flavors that give coffee its backbone. Good bitterness presents as dark chocolate or walnut-like flavors, while excessive bitterness often results from over-roasting or over-extraction during brewing.

Salty

Saltiness is not a trait usually associated with coffee, but it can appear as a mineral quality — adding a touch of complexity to your brew. Some Indonesian coffees naturally exhibit slight savory qualities that can be interpreted as saltiness. When present, it should be subtle, like mineral notes in spring water.

Branching Out To Other Flavor Categories

From these basic tastes, coffee’s flavor notes can then branch out into more complex and descriptive categories. World Coffee Research has identified over 100 of these terms inside the Sensory Lexicon.

Here are the most common flavor categories you'll encounter, and what they tell you about your coffee:

Fruity: Fruity flavor notes in coffee can range from bright berries (typical in Ethiopian beans) to stone fruits like peach to tropical fruits. Roasters can also use “fruitiness” to indicate acidity and a bit of fermentation, especially in naturally processed beans. 

Earthy: Earthiness is common in Indonesian coffees, particularly Sumatrans. This flavor profile can present as fresh soil or brown and woody, like chopped walnuts. When intentional, earthiness adds a wonderful complexity to coffee; when unintended, it might indicate improper storage.

Nutty: This tasting note is common in South American coffees, especially Brazilian and Colombian beans. Almond, peanut, or hazelnut notes come to mind. This often indicates beans grown at moderate altitudes with traditional processing methods.

Roasted: Lighter roasts show more toasted grain notes, while darker roasts develop more intense roasted notes like dark chocolate or smoky characteristics.

Cocoa: Hints of cocoa can range from milk chocolate to dark chocolate notes. It is common in medium to medium-dark roasts from Central and South America and often shows good roast development and bean quality.

Floral: Floral notes are highly prized, especially in Ethiopian and Yemeni coffees. Terms like “light”, “delicate”, and even “tea-like” are sometimes used to describe this attribute. Floral notes can taste like jasmine, bergamot, or rose. 

Cereal: Some coffees carry notes of cereal, ranging from fresh oats to toasted grain. This distinct flavor is often present in light roasts or early in the roasting process.

Spices: Spice notes are often found in coffees from the Asia Pacific region. This can include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, or clove notes. These notes frequently develop during the roasting process and can indicate skilled roast development.

Alcohol/Fermented: Think wine-like or whiskey notes. This appears in experimental fermentation processes or natural processed coffees. When pleasant, alcohol flavor notes add complexity to your brew, while too strong flavors might indicate over-fermentation during processing.

Green/Vegetative: This can include fresh grass, bell pepper, or garden pea notes. Green or vegetative notes can also be described as leafy, unripe, or grassy. This is usually found in under-roasted coffee or very fresh crop coffee that hasn't had enough rest time after roasting.

Chemical: Chemical notes present as bitter, medicinal, and salty. It’s not always negative – they can include positive notes like wine-like fermentation or challenging but interesting medicinal qualities. When unpleasant, chemical notes might indicate processing issues or contamination during storage.

Stale/Papery: These are generally considered defect notes. If you detect cardboard or paper-like qualities, your coffee might be past its prime or improperly stored.

How To Taste Coffee Flavor Notes

Now that we know the words to describe coffee, let’s put it into practice.

To mindfully — and perhaps more methodically — approach coffee tasting, start with freshly brewed coffee at the right temperature. Too hot and you'll miss the subtleties, too cold and the flavors change. Wait until it's warm but comfortable to sip (around 140°F/60°C).

First, smell the coffee deeply. Cup your hands around the mug to capture the aromas. Notice what comes to mind – is it nutty, fruity, or roasty? Your nose detects more flavors than your tongue, so don’t skip this step.

Next, take a sip and let it spread across your tongue. Pay attention to what hits you immediately. Take note of how the coffee tastes and feels in your mouth, and of the tastes that linger after swallowing.

A simple approach to coffee tasting

While the variety of possible tasting notes might seem overwhelming, you can start by focusing on five key aspects:

• Flavor: What's your first impression? What tastes stand out?

• Acidity: How bright or lively does the coffee feel?

• Body: How heavy or light does it feel in your mouth?

• Sweetness: What kind of pleasant, sugar-like qualities do you notice?

• Finish: What flavors linger after you've finished your sip?

Between sips, cleanse your palate with room-temperature water. Try tasting the same coffee multiple times throughout your session, as the flavors often evolve as the coffee cools. Keep a notebook to track your observations, using familiar foods as reference points. With practice, you'll start noticing more complex and subtle notes.

Comparative tasting

One of the best ways to develop your palate is through comparative tasting. Try brewing two different coffees side by side – perhaps a bright Ethiopian next to a chocolatey Colombian. This direct comparison helps you notice subtle differences more easily than tasting coffees in isolation.

Coffee cupping

Professional coffee tasters use a practice called "cupping," where multiple coffees are evaluated simultaneously using a standardized brewing method. While you don't need to follow the strict cupping protocol at home, tasting different coffees together will train your palate to recognize distinct characteristics more quickly.

Learn more: The Art of Coffee Tasting – Better Grounds 

Start Your Coffee Tasting Adventure

Tasting coffee isn't about getting it "right" – it's about developing your own sensory journey and discovering what you love.  When you understand what you're tasting, you can:

• Better communicate your preferences when buying coffee

• Make more informed choices about brewing methods that highlight your favorite flavors

• Find new coffees that match your taste profile

• Share meaningful coffee experiences with others

Next time you're buying coffee, pick up two bags with contrasting flavor descriptions. Maybe pair a fruity Ethiopian Yirgacheffe with a chocolatey Colombian Cauca, or try a floral Congo Muungano alongside a deep, earthy Sumatra. Brew them side by side, take notes, and most importantly – enjoy the process of discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee Tasting Notes

How do you describe coffee tasting notes?

Describe coffee tasting notes by focusing on your immediate sensory experience. Start with broad categories like "fruity," "nutty," or "chocolatey," then get more specific. For example, if it's fruity, is it more like bright citrus or sweet berries? Consider both the initial taste and the aftertaste. Use familiar food references – if it reminds you of dark chocolate or caramel, that's a valid tasting note.

What are the 5 elements of coffee tasting?

The five key elements of coffee tasting are flavor (the overall taste profile), acidity (the bright, lively qualities), body (how the coffee feels in your mouth), sweetness (natural sugar-like qualities), and finish (the lasting impression and aftertaste). These elements work together to create the complete tasting experience and help you evaluate and compare different coffees systematically.

How do you describe a good-tasting coffee?

"Good" is subjective and depends on personal preference.

In general, however, good-tasting coffee shows balance between its elements – no single aspect overwhelms the others. Consider both intensity and quality of flavors, and how they complement each other. 

How to taste notes in coffee?

Start by smelling the coffee – much of what we taste comes from aroma. Take a sip and let it coat your tongue. Notice your first impression, then focus on specific characteristics. Is it bright or mellow? Light or heavy? What flavors emerge as you swallow? Try comparing different coffees side by side to train your palate. Take notes of your observations, and don't rush – flavor recognition improves with practice.