Our olfaction receptors are situated in the nasal membrane and are stimulated by volatile chemical compounds, such as those found in coffee. These compounds come into contact with our receptors by being inhaled through the nose (as a gas by sniffing), or exhaled as vapors (when we swallow, the escape and rise to the receptors). […]
Articles Tagged: Coffee Sensory
Technical Sensory Terms
Absorbing The assimilation of one substance into another in which there is a transformation or loss of identify of the substance taken in. Acidity A measure of the acid content of a fluid, with the relative strength (pH) of the acid quantified by the number of protons (hydrogen ions) released. Do not confuse with acidy. […]
Aromatic Components
Aromatic Components by Source Based on their source, aromatic components can be divided into three sets: Set One: Enzymatic By-Products (most volatile aromatics) This set contains aromatic compounds that are the result of enzyme reactions that occur in the coffee bean while it is a living organism. They are the most volatile set, and most […]
Olfaction Terms
Aftertaste The sensation of brewed coffee vapors, ranging from chocolaty to carbony, spicy and turpeny, as they are released from the residue remaining in the mouth after swallowing. Aroma The sensation of the gases released from brewed coffee as they are inhaled through the nose by sniffing. Ranges from fruity to herby to nutty. Bouquet […]
Understanding Gustation
The Four Basic Tastes Gustation is the taste sense whose receptors lie in the mucous membrane covering the tongue and whose stimuli consist of soluble chemical compounds. As a general rule, the tongue can detect four basic tastes. Sweet Characterized by solutions of sugars, alcohols, lycols and some acids. Sweet is perceived primarily by the fungiform […]
Primary Taste Sensations
Taste Modulation and the 6 Primary Taste Sensations Through a process called taste modulation, the basic taste sensations interact with one another, depending on the relative strength of each. In gustation, there are six combinations that can occur. Sweet, sour and salt taste interact and form the following combinations: Acids increase the sweetness of sugars […]
Secondary Taste Sensations
After identifying the primary taste sensation, one can further specify the character of the coffee brew by determining the degree to which the taste sensation fits into the primary category. To do this, one selects the appropriate secondary taste term that describes the direction of the taste sensation. For example, a winey taste that tends […]
Coffee Acidity
One of the most misused and misunderstood sensory terms in evaluating coffee’s taste is acidity. It is a quantitative term that refers to the relative strength of the acids present in the coffee. And though the terms acidy and acidity are related, the two are not interchangeable. Acid is a chemical compound that contains hydrogen […]
Gustation Terms
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 […]
Understanding Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel is the tactile sense that is derived from physical sensations in the mouth during and after ingestion. These sensations are created by density, viscosity, surface tension and other physical and chemical properties of what is being ingested. The mouth features a network of free nerve endings, which respond to touch and light pressure, as […]