Coffee cup taste (cup test) terms that must be understood when tasting coffee.

When we measure coffee, we should distinguish whether the flavor, mellow thickness, acidity and wet aroma of the coffee are pleasant. Most cup tasters use the following criteria to judge coffee. While tasting the coffee, you should try to discern whether the flavor, body, acidity and aroma of the coffee is pleasant, or unpleasant. Here are the criteria that most tasters use to judge coffee: acidity Acidity: acidity is an essential feature of coffee, which is the feeling of dryness that coffee produces on the sublingual edge and the back palate. The effect of coffee acidity is similar to that of red wine, with a strong and exciting texture. Without enough acidity, the coffee tends to be flat. Acidity is different from sour taste, which is an unpleasant and bad taste feature. Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike its role as related to the flavor of wine. It provides a sharp, bright, vibrant quality. With out sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity should not be confused with sour, which is an unpleasant, negative flavor characteristic. Wet aroma Aroma it is difficult to separate wet aroma from flavor. If there is no sense of smell, our basic sense of taste is only sweet, sour, salty and bitter. The wet aroma enriches the taste discrimination of the soft palate. Some subtle and delicate differences, such as the "floral" or "wine" characteristics, come from the wet aroma of brewed coffee. Aroma is a sensation which is difficult to separate from flavor. Without our sense of smell, our only taste sensations would be: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The aroma contributes to the flavors we discern on our palates. Subtle nuances, such as "floral" or "winy" characteristics, are derived from the aroma of the brewed coffee. Alcohol thickness Body: alcohol thickness is the feeling of coffee in the mouth, that is, the feeling of stickiness, thickness and richness produced by coffee acting on the tongue. The difference between drinking whole milk and drinking water is a good example. Our perception of the alcohol thickness of coffee is related to the oil and solids extracted by coffee. Typically, Indonesian coffee has a higher alcohol thickness than coffee from South and Central America. If you are not sure about the alcohol thickness difference of several types of coffee, try adding the same amount of milk to the coffee. Coffee with high alcohol thickness will retain more flavor when diluted with milk. Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the viscosity, heaviness, thickness, or richness that is perceived on the tongue. A good example of body would be that of the feeling of whole milk in your mouth, as compared to water. Your perception of the body of a coffee is related to the oils and solids extracted during brewing. Typically, Indonesian coffees will possess greater body than South and Central American coffees. If you are unsure of the level of body when comparing several coffees, try adding an equal amount of milk to each. Coffees with a heavier body will maintain more of their flavor when diluted. Flavor Flavor: flavor is the overall feeling of coffee in the mouth. Acidity, wet aroma and alcohol thickness are all components of flavor, and it is their balance and homogenization that produce our overall sense of flavor. Here are some typical flavor features: Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth. Acidity, aroma, and body are all components of flavor. It is the balance and homogenization of these senses that create your overall perception of flavor. The following are typical flavor characteristics: general flavor characteristics General flavor characteristics: rich-refers to the thickness and richness of alcohol

Complexity-the feeling of multiple flavors

Balance-all basic palate features are satisfactory, and no one taste masks the other. Richness-refers to body and fullness

Complexity- the perception of multiple flavors

Balance- the satisfying presence of all the basic taste characteristics where no one over-powers another's favorite flavor features: fresh, bright, dry, light or lively-(common in Central American coffee)

Caramel-like sugar or syrup

Chocolate-like unsweetened chocolate or vanilla aftertaste

Delicious-delicate flavor felt on the tip of the tongue (Arabica beans from New Guinea)

Earthy-earthy aroma (typical Sumatran coffee) fragrant-an aromatic trait that ranges from floral to spicy

Fruity-- an aromatic quality reminiscent of berries or oranges-- round, smooth, lack of acidity

Nutty-- similar to the spicy aftertaste of fried nuts-- reminiscent of the flavor and aroma of various spices

Sweet-unastringent wild-a wild flavor that is generally not considered pleasant; common in Ethiopian coffee wines-an aftertaste reminiscent of fully ripe wines (common in Kenyan and Yemeni coffee) Typical specific desirable flavor characteristics Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy- (typical of Central American coffees)

Caramelly-candy like or syrupy

Chocolaty- an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla

Delicate- a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue (typical of washed New Guinea arabica)

Earthy- a soily characteristic (typical of Sumatran coffees)

Fragrant- an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy

Fruity- an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus

Mellow- a round, smooth taste, typically lacking acid

Nutty- an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts

Spicy- a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices

Sweet- free of harshness

Wildness- a gamey flavor which is not usually considered favorable but is typical of Ethiopian coffees

Winy- an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine (typical of Kenyan and Yemeni coffees) undesirable flavor feature: bitter-taste produced at the root of the tongue, often caused by overbaking

Dull, non-irritating-- neutral carbon-- with charred carbon flavor

Inanimate-- same as "Flat"

Mixed-- musty, reminiscent of eating dirt-- with "miscellaneous" insipid-- no sour taste, lack of wet aroma and aftertaste

Grassy-reminiscent of freshly cut grass

Rough-- a caustic, scratchy, rough quality that is muddy-- sticky and not strong in flavor.

Stiff-starch like texture, like water cooked with spaghetti-feel on the tongue, similar to eating salt

Rubber smell-similar to the smell of burnt rubber (commonly found in dry processed robusta beans)

Soft-- as "boring, non-irritating" sour-- similar to the sour taste of unripe fruit

Thin-acidity-free, usually turpentine flavor caused by inadequate extraction-tastes like turpentine

Clear water-- lack of mellow thickness in the mouth, no sticky rough-- wild qualities Typical specific undesirable flavor characteristics:Bitter- perceived on the back of the tongue, usually a result of over roasting

Bland- neutral in flavor Carbony- burnt charcoaly overtones

Dead- see "flat"

Dirty- a mustiness reminiscent of eating dirt

Earthy- see "dirty" Flat- lack of acidity, aroma, and aftertaste

Grassy- an aroma and flavor reminiscent of freshly cut lawn Harsh- a caustic, clawing, raspy characteristic

Muddy- thick and dull Rioy- a starchy texture similar to water which pasta has been cooked in. Rough- a sensation on the tongue reminiscent of eating salt Rubbery- an aroma and flavor reminiscent of burnt rubber (typically found only in dry-processed robustas) Soft- see "bland"

Sour- tart flavors reminiscent of unripe fruit

Thin- lacking acidity, typically a result of under brewing Turpeny- turpentine-like in flavor

Watery- a lack of body or viscosity in the mouth Wild- gamey characteristics (this article is reproduced)