Maybe you've heard people in the coffee industry talking about coffee, saying a particular coffee has notes of berries and maybe tones of dark chocolate. Or you've read notes of citrus, almond, and vanilla on a label of a coffee bag. You've questioned if we were drinking the same coffee as you were. In writing this, I brewed myself a cup on a V60 of the Jairo & Fatima that we serve here at Hebron, thinking what better coffee to enjoy. I'll try to assist you in uncovering some facts about coffee and its volatile aromatics and the vast array of flavors. Maybe I can help you discover something extraordinary worthwhile.
Now, as my coffee has cooled down to a certain degree where I can take my first sip, I immediately notice the sweetness that made me fall in love with it since the first time I had it. Contrary to popular belief, coffee does have sweetness; typically, the better quality, the more sweetness it will have. As you're drinking coffee, ask yourself what sweetness you perceive: maybe sugar, honey, fresh fruit, molasses, or caramel. When you eat, pay attention to the differences between white sugar and brown sugar, honey and caramel. Store the sensory memories of everything you eat and call upon them as you're tasting coffees. Something that is always fun for me is brewing two coffees simultaneously. It can often help you distinguish the differences between both and assist in calling out certain flavors.
One of the most cherished attributes of coffee among professionals. But there is a common misconception about acidity where some might say that they're tasting something bitter rather than the complex acidity that is present. So instead, let's look at acidity as something that adds brightness and complexity to a cup. Does the acidity taste tart like a lemon, or is it lovely and mellow, like that of biting into a green apple? My coffee has cooled past the stage where it is hot, and I can now easily sip the juicy green grape liquid that I am used to tasting from this coffee. Almost tea-like. Which will bring us well into our next point.
This is one of the most effortless qualities for new tasters to experience. Thinking about the mouthfeel of a particular coffee, is it heavy like, say, hot cocoa or light and delicate like a tea? Does the coffee feel like milk, or is it like a rich cream? Brew method and dose will affect this attribute of the coffee. It can sometimes be fun to see how the mouthfeel of the coffee will change from one brewing method to another. For example, my coffee has now become lukewarm, and it reminds me of cool green grape juice.
I've already told you what flavors I identified in my coffee, mainly green grapes, freshly squeezed into deliciously sweet grape juice. Often when tasting coffee with someone who's just beginning, their first response is that it only tastes like coffee. But take a second to analyze the sip that you just had. Doesn't it taste like freshly toasted almonds? Or do you feel the tart acidity reminiscent of a sweet lemon? Isn't the sweetness just like a ripe tart raspberry and the texture thick and full like raspberry jam? You may not always be tasting the same thing as someone else, and that's ok. A couple of weeks ago, as we were cupping the exact coffee I'm having right now, one of the team members noted floral. Which stunned me because I hadn't tasted that in this coffee. But as I went back to check on the producer's cupping notes, I was surprised to find they had also written down floral and jasmine. So don't be scared as you're tasting the coffee; write it down if something jumps out at you.
Finally, we get to the finish or the aftertaste: what you're left with after swallowing. It's been 10 minutes since I've finished my cup, and I am still left with the taste. The finish is something magical that allows you still to enjoy some of the flavors of a coffee, even long after it's gone. The finish is described in terms of duration and texture. Is it long-lasting or fleeting? Was it smooth or rough? Do you wish to hold on to the flavors of the cup long after it's gone? I know I do.
Practice makes better. The more you taste, the more you'll be able to discern and separate different flavors within coffee. Brew a few different coffees for comparison when you're up for it. Use these five categories to help guide you on your journey to explore the vastness that there is yet to explore within coffee.
