Acidy

A primary taste sensation related to the presence of sweet-tasting compounds. Created as acids in the coffee combine with sugars to increase the brew’s overall sweetness. A characteristic found most often in washed Arabica coffees grown above 1,200 masl, such as Colombian Supremo. Acidy coffees range in taste from piquant to nippy, with the taste sensation experienced at the tip of the tongue.

Acrid

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to soury. Characterized by a predominantly piercing, sour sensation on the posterior sides of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; then replaced by a distinct sour sensation as the brew cools. Caused by a higher than normal percentage of acids increasing the salty taste sensation during taste modulation of salt and sour. Typified by an unwashed Rio coffee from Brazil.

Alkaline

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to pungent, typical in dark-roast coffees. Characterized by a dry, clawing sensation at the back of the tongue. Caused by alkaline and phenolic compounds that have bitter – not necessarily displeasing – taste sensations.

Astringent

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to sharp. Characterized by a predominantly puckering, salty sensation on the anterior sides of the tongue when the brew is first sipped. Caused by acids increasing the the perceived saltiness during modulation of the predominantly salty taste sensation. Typified by an unwashed Indonesian Robusta coffee.

Basic Tastes

Sweet, sour, salt and bitter, respectively characterized by sucrose, tartaric acid, sodium chloride and quinine.

Bitter

A basic taste characterized by solutions of quinine, caffeine and certain other alkaloids. Perceived primarily by the circumvallate papillae at the back of the tongue.

Bland

A primary coffee taste sensation related to the presence of salty tasting compounds. Created as the sugars in the coffee combine with the salts to reduce the overall saltiness of the brew. A characteristic found most often in washed Arabica coffees ground below 600 masl, such as washed Arabica coffee from El Salvador (Low Grown Central). Bland coffees range in taste from “soft” to neutral, with the taste sensation experienced on the sides of the tongue.

Caustic

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to harsh. Characterized by a burning, sour sensation on the posterior sides of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a highly displeasing sour sensation as the brew cools. Caused by bitter replacing sweet in the basic taste modulation because of a loss or lack or sugars in green coffee beans. Typified by an unwashed Liberica coffee.

Creosoty

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to pungent, which is typical in dark roast coffees. Characterized by a predominantly scratching sensation at the back of the tongue when the brew is first sipped, followed by a strong aftertaste as the brew is swallowed. Created by the dry distillation of the bean fibers at elevated roasting temperatures, when pyridine and phenolic compounds mix to produce burnt and oil-like taste sensations.

Delicate

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to mellow. Characterized by a fragile, subtle sweet sensation just past the tip of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a sweet sensation as the brew cools. Caused by the lowest possible combination of sugars and salts that still produces a sweet cast to the taste but can easily be broken up by other taste sensations. Typified by a washed Papua New Guinea Arabica coffee.

Hard

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to soury. Characterized by a predominantly stinging, sour sensation on the posterior sides of the tongue when the brew is first sipped, replaced by a dominant sour sensation as the brew cools. Caused by an enzymatic activity in the cherries converting sugars to acids when the fruit pulp has been bruised during harvesting or drying. Typified by a natural Parana coffee from Brazil.

Medicinal

A secondary coffee taste term related to harsh. Characterized by a penetrating sour sensation on the posterior sides of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a chemical sensation reminiscent of iodine as the brew cools, caused by the alkaloids increasing the sourness of the acids without any taste modulation of sweetness. Typical of coffees in which cherries are contaminated by bacteria growth.

Mellow

A primary coffee taste sensation related to the presence of sweet tasting compounds. Created as salts in the coffee combine with sugars to increase the brew’s overall sweetness. A characteristic found most often in washed Arabica coffees from Sumatra, Indonesia. mellow coffees range in taste from mild to delicate with the taste sensation experienced at the tip of the tongue.

Mild

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to mellow. Characterized by a predominantly sweet tingle just past the tip of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a sweet sensation as the brew cools. Cause by the taste modulation of high concentrations of both sweet and salty compounds. Typified by a washed Arabica coffee from Guatemala.

Neutral

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to bland. Characterized by the absence of any predominant taste sensation on any part of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a distinct dry sensation on the sides of the tongue as the brew cools. Caused by a concentration of salts high enough to neutralize both the sour taste of the acids and the sweet taste of the sugars but not high enough to evoke a salty taste sensation. Typified by a washed Uganda Robusta coffee.

Nippy

A secondary taste sensation related to acidy. Characterized by a predominantly sweet, nipping sensation at the tip of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a sweet sensation as the brew cools. Caused by a higher than normal percentage of of the acids perceived as sour during modulation of the predominantly sweet taste sensation. Typified by a Costa Rica SHB coffee.

Piquant

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to acidy. Characterized by a predominantly sweet, prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue when the brew is first sipped; replaced by a sweet sensation as the brew cools. Caused by a higher than normal percentage of acids perceived as sweet during modulation of the predominantly sweet taste sensation. Typified by a Kenya AA coffee.

Primary Coffee Taste Sensation

Acidy, mellow, winey, bland, sharp and soury. Created as the basic taste sensations interact with one another, depending on the relative strength of each. Results of the process of taste modulation and the basis of grouping together coffees of similar tastes.

Rough

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to sharp. Characterized by a predominantly rasping, parching sensation on the anterior sides of the tongue. Cause by the additive property of salty tastes sensations. Typified by an unwashed Angola Robusta coffee.

Salt

A basic taste characterized by solutions of chlorides, bromides, iodides, nitrates and sulphates of potassium and lithium. Perceived primarily by the fungiform and foliate papillae on the anterior sides of the tongue.

Secondary Coffee Taste Sensations

Created when a single basic taste dominates the primary coffee taste sensations: acidy – piquant to nippy; mellow – mild to delicate; winey – tangy to tart; bland – soft to neutral; sharp – rough to astringent; and soury – hard to acrid. The temperature of the brew affects perception of the sensation.

Sharp

A primary coffee taste sensation related to the presence of salt-tasting compounds. Created as acids in the coffee combine with salts to increase the brew’s overall saltiness. A characteristic found most often in unwashed Robusta coffees, such as coffee from the Ivory Coast of Africa. Sharp coffees range from rough to astringent, with the taste sensation experienced on the sides of the tongue.

Soft

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to bland characterized by an absence of any predominant taste sensation on any part of the tongue, except for a subtle dryness. Caused by a concentration of salts high enough to neutralize the acids but not high enough to neutralize the sugars. Typified by an unwashed Arabica coffee from Santos, Brazil.

Sour

A basic taste sensation characterized by solutions of tartaric acid, citric acid or malic acid. Perceived by the foliate and fungiform papillae in the posterior sides of the tongue.

Soury

A primary coffee taste sensation related to the presence of sour-tasting compounds. Created as salts in the coffee combine with acids to reduced the brew’s overall sourness. A characteristic found most often in unwashed Arabica coffees grown below 600 masl in Brazil, such as unwashed Arabica coffee from Victoria, Brazil.

Sweet

A basic taste characterized by solutions of sugars (sucrose and glucose), alcohols, glycols and some acids (amino acids). Perceived primarily by the fungiform papillae at the tip of the tongue.

Tangy

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to winey. Characterized by a predominantly darting, sour sensation along the anterior sides of the tongue. Caused by a higher than normal percentage of sugars, which gives the taste an almost fruity sensation. Typified by a high grown, cherry coffee from India.

Tart

A secondary coffee taste sensation related to winey. Characterized by a predominantly biting, sour sensation along the anterior sides of the tongue. Caused by a higher than normal percentage of sour acids giving the taste an almost puckering sensation. Typified by an unwashed Arabica coffee from Kivu, Congo.

Winey

A primary coffee taste sensation related to the presence of sour-tasting compounds. Created as sugars in the coffee combine with acids to reduce the brew’s overall sourness. A characteristic found most often in unwashed Arabica coffees grown above 1,200 masl, such as an unwashed Djimma coffee from Ethiopia.