How the Professionals Describe the Taste of Coffee
Below are some common terms used – it is not meant to be an exhaustive list
Astringent – A secondary taste sensation noted by a salty sensation on the sides of the tongue. Caused by acids increasing the saltiness.
Baggy – An unpleasant taste often found in weakly roasted coffees that have been stored for a long time in inappropriate conditions.
Baked – A flat aroma with insipid taste often caused by roasting for too long at too low a temperature.
Beany – The smell associated with insufficiently roasted coffee that has not been able to allowed to develop its full aroma.
Bitter – Sharp or biting sensation felt at the back of the tongue often the result of over roasting the coffee bean.
Bland – Lacking in any noticeable flavour characteristics.
Bready – A bread-like taste that can occur in coffees that have not been roasted long enough or at a high enough temperature to bring out the flavour of the oils.
Bright – A dryness or sharpness (typical of Central American coffees).
Buttery – Rich and oily.
Caramelly – Suggestive of toffee or caramel.
Carbony – A burnt of charcoal flavour.
Chocolatey – Suggestive of vanilla or chocolate.
Creamy – High levels of coffee oils suspended in the brew.
Delicate – A secondary taste sensation noted for its weak sweet-subtle feeling just past the tip of the tongue.
Dirty – Unclean smelling or mustiness.
Earthy ‘Characteristic smell of soil or dirt often caused when the coffee beans are stored on the ground after harvesting (typical of Sumatran coffees)
Exotic – Unusual aroma and flavour, such as berry or floral.
Fermented – An unpleasant taste producing a sour sensation. The result of enzyme activity in the green coffee beans changing the sugars to acids in the drying process during harvesting.
Flat – A loss of aroma.
Fragrant or floral – Subtle hints of fragrant flowers such as jasmine.
Fruity – A sweet fruity aroma suggestive of berries or citrus fruit.
Grassy – Suggestive of freshly cut grass.
Green – A faint herbal taste due to the incomplete development of the sugar compounds in the roasting process.
Hard – A hard coffee is poorly balanced. It is a secondary taste sensation of sourness on the bottom sides of the tongue. Caused by higher-than-normal percentage of sour acids. Ranking of hardness ranges thus: strictly soft, soft, softish, softish/hardish, hardish, hard, Rioy.
Harsh – A hard or caustic taste.
Heavy – Higher than average levels of suspended material in the brew.
Herby -. Suggestive of onion or green vegetable.
Hidey – A leather-like odour caused when too much heat is applied during the drying process causing the coffee beans fats to break down.
Insipid – A brew of lifeless character often the result of oxygen and moisture penetrating the bean fiber after roasting.
Lifeless – Thin and flat.
Light – Lower than average levels of suspended material in the coffee brew.
Malty – Suggestive of toasted grains.
Mellow – An overall smooth, mild and delicate flavour lacking in acidity.
Muddy – Thick and lifeless.
Musty – A stuffy or mouldy smell which can be a positive trait for aged coffees such as Java.
Neutral – The absence of a predominant taste sensation.
Nippy – A secondary taste of sweetness, associated with a nipping sensation at the end of the tongue.
Nutty – Smell and taste suggestive of roasted nuts.
Oily – The description given to a coffee that has an oily taste.
Oniony – Suggestive of onions.
Peasy – A disagreeable taste that is reminiscent of peas.
Piquant – A sweet, prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue, typified by a Kenya AA coffee.
Point – A coffee with good overall characteristics of acidity, body and flavour.
Potatoy – Suggestive of raw potatoes.
Pulpy – A pungent fruit-like flavour derived from coffee cherry skins.
Pungent – Description given to a full-bodied and forceful coffee.
Quakery – Suggestive of peanuts, often the result of using unripe, green coffee beans.
Rancid – A highly disagreeable taste caused by oxidization of the coffee.
Rich – A very powerful coffee smell or aromas.
Rioy – An iodine-like flavour caused by continuing enzyme activity that occurs when the fruit partially dies on the coffee tree before harvesting.
Round – The coffee characteristics are so well balanced that no particular taste dominates to experience.
Rough – A secondary sensation noted by its grating, salty sensation on the tongue.
Rubbery – reminiscent of burnt rubber.
Scorched – A smoky or burnt aroma and taste caused when the beans are roasted too quickly at too high temperature which char the surface of the beans.
Stale – An unpleasant taste caused by oxygen and moisture penetrating the beans surface.
Sharp – An astringent taste derived from salty tasting compounds within the coffee.
Smooth – Low levels of oily compounds suspended in the beverage.
Soft – A secondary sensation noted by an absence of any predominant taste on any part of the tongue, except maybe for subtle dryness.
Sound – A coffee with no particular positive or negative characteristics.
Sour – A piercing, sour over acidic taste commonly caused by under-ripe beans.
Spicy – An aftertaste suggestive of cinnamon or clove.
Strawy – Suggestive of hay or straw, often from the result of the loss of organic material from the green coffee beans while in storage.
Strong – A coffee, rich in flavour that gives a strong powerful taste.
Sweaty – A coffee that may have been stored inappropriately resulting in a distinct sweaty taste.
Sweetly Spicy – An aroma suggestive of aromatic spices such as cardamom.
Sweet – free from harshness.
Tangy – A secondary sensation noted by a predominantly sour sensation along the sides of the tongue hinting of a fruity sensation.
Tart – A sour puckering sensation experienced on the tongue.
Tipped – A cereal-like taste caused by the beans being roasted too quickly that chars the tips of the beans.
Thick – A high level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a heavy feel.
Thin – A low level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a watery feel.
Twisty – A coffee with different negative qualities that vary from cup to cup.
Turpsy – Suggestive of turpentine.
Unclean – Coffee with a distinct off-flavor suggesting they have been kept in an unclean environment. A taste and aroma with a hint of fermenting.
Variety – A qualitative depiction of the gases present in the aroma, nose and aftertaste of coffee’s bouquet.
Watery – Lacking in body.
Weak – A beverage that is not flat but definitely lacks body.
Winey – An agreeable taste that gives the impression of a good wine.
Wild – A distinctive wood-like taste caused by storing the beans too long.
Woody – A coffee with an unpleasant smell and taste similar to dry wood. This can be due to the loss of organic material in the green beans during storage.
By: Fenton Wayne
About the Author:
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