Coffee Basic Language

Let’s talk Coffee

Most of us fall in love with our cup of coffee without truly knowing how to describe the taste and feel! Well, we are here to help you speak coffee language and enjoy knowing what you drink.

Let’s start with basic; here are 4 words that are worthwhile understanding when describing coffee.

1. Body
   a term used to evaluate how thick and flavorful a coffee is. An easy way to understand what body is to try different types of beans. For instance, Colombian Coffee is known for its body, however, Robusta beans have very little body.
   Tip: if you feel that you could chew on the coffee to some extent, it has body. If it doesn’t stay on your palate, it doesn’t have body.
2. Balanced
   a very attractive term everyone is looking for, even in life! It’s the taste of when no one particular element or flavor is dominant (acidity, body, flavor notes). However, there are amazing coffee options that you may fall in love with because of how they taste. For example, Sumatran beans give a very earthy coffee taste, that is not balanced yet amazingly amazing!
   Tip: it will depend on your personal preferences whether your coffee balanced or with a dominant dimension in it. You really need to pay attention to how you feel about it.
3. Acidity
   A citrusy acidity is desirable in well-balanced coffee, experts say. It is lime-like taste but not accompanied by bitterness. Acidity rounds out the flavor when it’s in the desirable level. This term is unavoidable when you try your coffee with Kenyan, Ethiopian or Central American beans.
   Tip: focus completely on the lateral parts of your tongue – Sides- . Take a sip and “roll” the coffee over these parts. Taste the acidity with these areas of your tongue and ask yourself if your tongue starts to salivate and becomes watery.
4. Finish
   One of the magical things about a great cup, even five minutes after you sip it, is that you can still experience its flavors. We often describe finish in terms of duration and texture.
   Tip: Ask yourself; is it momentary or lasting? Is it rough or smooth? What’s your last impression of it? How do you feel about it?

Listen to your palate and speak your coffee language with joy! Give yourself the time to practice your vocabulary perhaps with your every morning cup of coffee!

Reference; Black out Co. & Blue Bottle Coffee Lab.