From being a vital part of the morning routine to a productivity booster and a reason to get together with friends in the afternoon, coffee improves our lives.
It comes in many different varieties, but while millions of people say they love it, only a few truly understand the beverage's complexity. When you ask people why they like a certain coffee, they can usually only give vague answers. They say the coffee just tastes nice, but what's hiding behind this answer?
This is where the coffee flavor wheel comes into play.
The Origin of the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel
The coffee taster's flavor wheel is a visual reference tool. It is meant to help coffee professionals describe and identify flavors, but it's also popular with casual coffee lovers. It was published in 1995 by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
Ted Lingle designed the original version based on his observations. It was divided into two sections: desirable flavors ("Tastes & Aromas") and undesirable flavors ("Taints & Faults").
In 2016, the SCAA partnered with World Coffee Research (WCR) to create a new flavor wheel based on a comprehensive study of coffee flavor by sensory scientists. The wheel received a third section and was improved to be more inclusive and reflect coffee's diversity.
The Importance of the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel
The coffee taster's flavor wheel provides a common language for understanding and describing the flavors of coffee. It can be used to:
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Train new baristas on how to identify and describe the flavors of coffee,
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Develop new roast profiles that highlight the specific flavors of coffee beans,
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Select the best coffees for customers,
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Learn more about the drink in general,
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Become a more discerning drinker.
Anatomy of the Wheel
Before using the wheel like a pro, you must understand its layout. When you look at it, you see three layers. Starting from the inside to the outside, these are:
- Core Flavors: This layer shows the most general taste descriptors.
- Secondary: This layer is more detailed than the basic tastes.
- Tertiary: The third layer dives even deeper.
How to Use the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel
When you drink a coffee and want to identify its flavor, you work outward from the center of the wheel to the outside. The farther outward you get, the more detailed everything gets:
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What's the core flavor? Is the coffee sweet, floral, nutty, etc.?
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Try to figure out the next layer. If the coffee is sweet, what kind of sweetness is it?
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If you can taste even finer notes, you’re in the third layer. Is the sugary sweetness like maple syrup, molasses, honey, or something different?
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Writing down your experiences helps with developing your skills.
If you want to up your flavor wheel game:
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Try different brewing methods to see how your brew method influences which flavors are extracted from the coffee grounds.
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Experiment with different roast levels because this can also affect the flavor. Try coffees that are roasted light, medium, and dark to see how the flavors change.
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Pay attention to the coffee’s origin. You'll find that coffee from certain areas usually has something in common.
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Keep the processing method in mind and try to find coffees that were processed differently to see how this changes the flavor.
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Visit a coffee cupping session to see how coffee tasting is done professionally.
Don't be discouraged if you can't write detailed flavor notes yet. Developing a palate takes time. Here are some things you can try.
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Start with a clean palate.
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Smell the coffee before you taste it.
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Let a small sip linger on your tongue for a few seconds so your taste buds have time to register the different flavors.
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Compare different coffees, focusing on smell and taste.
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Practice!
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Try different foods listed on the flavor wheel if you're unsure what they taste. See this Interactive Flavor Wheel for more information on the definitions.
The Science Behind Coffee Flavors
The bean origin can affect the flavor profile of coffee in several ways. Important factors are the growing region's climate, soil, and altitude.
For example, coffee beans grown in high altitudes tend to have a more complex and nuanced flavor than beans grown in lower altitudes. The bean variety can also affect the flavor profile of coffee. For example, Arabica beans generally have a more delicate and fruity flavor than Robusta beans.
The processing method also influences much:
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The Washed Process involves removing the skin and pulp of the coffee cherry before drying the beans. Washed coffees have a clean, bright, and fruity flavor profile.
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During the Natural Process, the coffee cherries are dried with intact skin and pulp. Natural coffees tend to have a richer, more complex flavor profile, with chocolate, caramel, and nuts notes.
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The Honey Process is a hybrid between washed and natural processing. Honey coffees can have a wide range of flavor profiles, depending on the amount of pulp on the beans.
How coffee is roasted is strongly connected to what the content of a cup will taste like.
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Light roasts usually have a bright, fruity, and acidic flavor.
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Medium roasts have a more balanced flavor, often with chocolate, nuts, and caramel notes.
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Medium-dark roasts have more pronounced chocolatey and nutty flavors.
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Dark roasts tend to have a strong, smoky flavor.
Pairing with the Coffee Flavor Wheel
The coffee taster's flavor wheel can give you an idea about how to pair coffee with sweet or savory foods. Some ideas:
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A fruity, light roast with a peach cobbler or a slice of lemon cheesecake would be nice.
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A medium roast with notes of chocolate is great with a bowl of chili (yes, seriously!).
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A medium-dark roast with even more chocolatey notes is great to combine with a chocolate cake for an indulgent chocolate-lover experience.
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With their often smoky flavor, dark roasts are nice with a roasted chicken dinner.
Challenges in Identifying Flavors
If you find tasting coffee difficult, you may have encountered one of these common pitfalls:
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You’re unfamiliar with the terms: You can solve this by spending time with the flavor wheel to understand it better.
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You over-rely on the wheel: The flavor wheel is a guide, not a rulebook.
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You use the wheel too rigidly: It is a dynamic tool, and it is important to be flexible when it is.
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You ignore personal preferences: Everyone's palate is different. Take your personal preferences and experiences into account when using the flavor wheel.
Conclusion
If you want to be someone who can give more detailed answers on why one coffee is better in your eyes than another, understanding coffee flavors and aromas is important.
Not only will this help you to choose the right coffee for your taste and give helpful recommendations to others, but you’ll also come to appreciate the complexity of the beverage more.
