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A Beginner's Guide To Coffee Tasting by James Hoffmann

1. Aroma​

Aroma refers to the smell of the coffee, which is a key part of the overall enjoyment.

  • Scales: Use separate scales to rate the intensity (how strong the smell is) and the quality (how pleasant the smell is).
  • Notes: This is a good place to note any specific aromas you catch, but don't worry if you can't put a finger on an exact descriptor.

2. Acidity​

Acidity is one of the most complex and controversial aspects of coffee taste. It provides a sense of freshness and crispness, like in fruit.

  • Perception: Acidity is generally perceived along the sides of the tongue and can cause salivation .
  • Quality: You are looking for a positive, fresh, bright, and crisp acidity, not a harsh or sour taste.
  • Assessment: The easiest way to assess it is through comparative tasting:
    • Quantity: Does coffee A feel more acidic than coffee B? .
    • Quality: Which acidity do you enjoy more? Which one leaves your tongue feeling good?
    • Note on Confusion: Many people confuse a sour coffee with a bitter coffee, known as bitter-sour confusion.

3. Sweetness​

In coffee, sweetness is not the same as the simple sugar sweetness (sucrose/fructose) you find in fruit.

  • Definition: Coffee sweetness is a more complex composite sensation that can be highlighted by acidity, flavour, aroma, and the coffee's texture.
  • Source: It generally comes from ripe fruit during the growing and harvesting stages, good processing, and good roasting.
  • Assessment: Compare coffees to determine which one feels sweeter, more complex, or more whole.

4. Body (Texture or Mouthfeel)​

Body describes how the coffee feels in your mouth.

  • Comparison: Think of the difference between skim milk (thin, light) and whole milk (rich, full, heavy, almost chewy).
  • Cupping: The speaker highly recommends the cupping method for assessing body, as paper filters tend to homogenise the mouthfeel and make small differences harder to discern.

5. Finish​

The finish, also known as the aftertaste, is what you are left with after swallowing the coffee.

  • Assessment:
    • Does the aftertaste feel pleasant or harsh?.
    • Do pleasant flavours slowly develop over time, or does the taste quickly disappear?.
    • Patience: The finish needs patience to assess, as you should wait 30 seconds to a minute before scoring it, especially when tasting multiple coffees.

**6. Flavour​

Flavour is the category that gets people most excited, but the video emphasises using broad flavour categories rather than overly specific, competitive descriptors.

  • Fruity Category: The speaker breaks fruit flavours into three broad categories:
    • Fresh Fruit: (e.g., berries, stone fruits, apples, pears) Often tied to medium-to-high acidity.
    • Cooked Fruit: (e.g., jammy, baked pies) Often tied to lower acidity, as cooking fruit diminishes its acidity.
    • Tropical/Fermented Fruit: (e.g., mango, pineapple, wild strawberry aromas) Often found in naturally processed coffees; can be a love-hate flavour profile.
  • Maillard and Caramelisation Family: This includes flavours associated with things that have gone brown and are delicious:
    • (e.g., caramel, chocolate, toast, biscuits, toffee, maple syrup).
    • Negative Notes: It's also acceptable to write down flavours you don't like (e.g., bitterness, burnt, rubbery, earth, wood, vinegar).

Final Characteristic: Bitterness​

While typically avoided by the specialty coffee industry (as it's often viewed as a failure of roasting or brewing), bitterness is present in every cup. It's acceptable for a taster to acknowledge and take notes on bitterness if they enjoy it.