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Coffee by Roast and Flavor Profile
When we begin to appreciate the nuances of fine coffee, many of us lack the vocabulary to describe what we're tasting and how we experience the beverage. Below, we've summarized the major dimensions of coffee flavor and experience. As you explore and learn about new coffees, try using these ideas and terms to describe the dimensions of what you're drinking.
Consider your coffee by:
Taste and Aromas
Fruity:
berries (blue berry, raspberry, strawberry)
stone fruits (apricot, plum, nectarine, peach)
citrus (lemon, tangerine, key lime, grapefruit)
tropical (mango, papaya, pineapple, guava)
others (green apple, concord grape, raisin, white grape)
Floral:
chamomile, rose, honeysuckle, jasmine, bergamot
Sweet:
caramel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla, honey, molasses
Bittersweet
dark chocolate, cocoa, carob,
Spicy:
ginger, black pepper, clove, cardamom,
Nutty:
almond, hazelnut, peanut, chestnut,
Woody:
cedar, oak, birch
Earthy/herbal:
Chinese herbs, basil, mint, musty, musky, licorice, fennel, garden pea, hops
Smoky:
wood fire, ashy
Acidity
Acidity presents a sensation in the mouth similar to the effect of biting into a lemon wedge (tart). It can be very mild acidity or very bright and anywhere in between. Desirable acidity is not tart or sour and always transforms into sweetness. If acidity is too high in a coffee, it can throw the coffee out of balance. This is usually due to a roaster not fully developing the potential of the coffee in the roasting process. Very high acidity can be enjoyable if all other components in the coffee support it. An example would be light roasted Kenya.
Body and Depth
Body is the perceived weight of the beverage in the mouth. It ranges from light (paper filter brewed Ethiopia Yirgacheffe) to heavy (French Press brewed Sumatra). Comparing body in wine, we would consider Merlot a lighter body and Cabernet Sauvignon a heavy body. When we develop coffees to be prepared as espresso, we emphasize the importance of heavier body so ultimately the espresso will hold up to the addition of milk.
Aftertaste and Finish
The finish ranges in length from short to long and in depth from thin to full. We develop all of our coffees to a level which capitalizes on the most depth and length possible in the coffee. We are convinced that the last impression of the coffee is, in large part, based on the perceived finish. Short, dry finishes are not desirable and can be a result of many factors including coffee processing, roasting, and brewing.
Degree of Roast
The amount of time coffee spends in the roaster and how high the temperature ultimately ascends to has a dramatic effect on its flavor. Below, each degree of roast is described in terms of flavors, body, and finish.
Light roasts
higher acidity, bright, nippy, tart (not sour)
nutty (in the case of those varietals that have inherent nuttiness...ie: unwashed Brazil, Bolivia)
fruity and floral tones in brew
light to medium body
sometimes finish resembling tannins
Medium roasts
medium acidity, round complimentary acidity (as in very ripe tangerine)
generally, very sweet and sometimes roasted nut flavors
medium to heavy body
medium-long to long finish is wet and sweet
Dark roasts
low to very low acidity
bittersweet and sometimes spicy notes
often ashy or smoky and very strong (adding milk and/or sugar compliments these profiles)
heavy body and long, oftentimes strong finish (generally leaving a bitter aftertaste in the late stages of the finish)
