Question 1

What are common coffee tasting notes?

Accepted Answer

Common coffee tasting notes include: fruity (citrus, berry, stone fruit), floral (jasmine, rose), chocolate (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa), nutty (almond, hazelnut, walnut), sweet (caramel, honey, brown sugar), and earthy (cedar, tobacco, wet soil). The notes depend on origin, variety, and processing method.

Question 2

What makes Ethiopian coffee taste fruity?

Accepted Answer

Ethiopian coffees — especially natural-processed Yirgacheffe — are fruity due to their heirloom variety genetics, high altitude growth, and natural processing where the cherry fruit ferments around the bean, imparting berry and citrus compounds.

Question 3

Why does my coffee taste bitter?

Accepted Answer

Bitterness in coffee usually indicates over-extraction (too fine a grind, too long brew time, or too hot water), dark roasting, or robusta beans. A well-extracted specialty coffee should be sweet and balanced with minimal bitterness.

Question 4

How do I develop a coffee palate?

Accepted Answer

Develop your coffee palate by tasting coffees side by side, focusing on one note at a time, using a flavour wheel as reference, and keeping tasting notes. Cupping (the SCA professional method) is the most effective way to train sensory perception.

Coffee Flavor Compass

Coffee Flavor Compass