What do you think of the content characteristics of coffee flavor wheel? How to taste the flavor description of individual coffee?

A large part of the reason why the coffee flavor wheel was created is to meet the tasting criteria of high-quality coffee, which also draws lessons from the wine tasting cup test, from the original fuzzy flavor description gradually perfected into a meticulous, logical taste wheel.

The first edition of coffee flavor wheel was released in 1995, which is divided into positive flavor wheel and negative flavor wheel. In 2016, the latest version of the Coffee Flavor Wheel, which is now common, was released. But it takes a little effort to really understand this flavor wheel.

First, let's take a look at some of the creative background of the new flavor wheel. SCAA, together with the World Coffee Institute (WCR), Kansas State University, German Agro-Industrial University and the coffee industry, analyzed and tested the flavors of 105 different samples from 13 coffee-producing countries, and compiled the World Coffee Research sensory Dictionary as the basis for the new coffee flavor wheel. SCAA and the University of California, Davis team then used novel adaptations of traditional sensory and statistical methods, and 72 experts ranked the flavor attributes of the dictionary. The data is then compiled and arranged into a wheel. Finally, the flavor wheel is carefully matched by One Darnley Road, a creative agency in London, and each color and tone are carefully selected to better match the corresponding flavor.

In a nutshell, the flavor wheel of this edition describes the flavor of coffee more appropriately, and the color is easier to associate with, such as grass green for herbs and orange for oranges. The flavor wheel is divided into three rings, namely, the inner ring, the middle ring and the outer ring. The inner ring is a kind of subject, which is divided into herbs, acid fermentation, fruits, flowers, sugars, nut cocoa, spices, baking flavor, and other categories.

Central is the second-level detailed subject of each category in the inner ring, for example, fruits include citrus, other fruits, preserved fruits and berries. The outer ring is three levels of detail, subdivided into individuals, such as citrus contains limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit.

The advantage of this distribution is that when you drink the lemon flavor, you can know that it comes from the citrus in the fruit category, which is easy to classify and archive. And when you can not distinguish the details of the flavor, you can also through such a level, two, three classification slowly. In addition to looking from the inside out, the gap between each category also reflects the estrangement of their relationship. For example, also belong to the berry category, blueberries and strawberries are more closely spaced, while blueberries and covered plates are relatively sparse. Similarly, they belong to the same flower category, and the distance between rose and jasmine is relatively close, while that between rose and orange is relatively sparse. From this, we can see that their flavor is similar.

In addition, the color of the outer ring matches very well with the description type, the basic common food description, its color is basically the same, such as jasmine uses yellow and white, roses use rose red, chamomile uses orange, often friends describe "white flower fragrance", we also understand that white flower fragrance probably refers to that kind of flower fragrance. Of course, relying on the flavor wheel alone is like talking on paper, and you have to cooperate with the actual combat in order to maximize the effect. after you understand the flavor wheel, you should often eat or smell the flavor of the food (even if you forget other kinds), drink coffee often and feel the flavor of the coffee.