How to Describe the Taste of Coffee

Describe the acidity of the coffee. Contrary to popular belief, acidity is not an undesirable trait in coffee. You can detect a coffee’s acidity by its aftertaste. If a coffee has higher acidity, its aftertaste is crisp, sharp and pleasant. If the coffee has low acidity, it will have a dull aftertaste. Because acidity is commonly misunderstood, describe it with words like bright and lively.

Describe the coffee’s aroma. Your nose is capable of detecting things that your taste buds cannot. For example, you can smell fruity, floral and citrus undertones in coffee that you might otherwise miss. Inhale the coffee’s scent before taking a sip to best detect these accents.

Describe the coffee’s overall flavor. The flavor is your perception of tastes while the coffee is in your mouth. For example, a coffee might taste mildly of chocolate or caramel. The flavor of the coffee is separate from its aroma, pay attention to what your taste buds can detect.

Put your description together. Begin with the acidity, followed by the aroma and close with the coffee’s flavor. For example, you might describe coffee as follows: “The coffee has a crisp, bright flavor, with subtle hints of citrus and rich chocolates.”