Dive further in the flavors and aromas of coffee, with the "Coffee Flavor Wheel"!
The most familiar with the particular aromas of coffee will certainly have met it, others may smile ironically by reading the dozens of aromas listed on it. What is the Coffee Flavor Wheel and how can we use it?
The coffee flavor wheel was developed by the American Specialty Coffee Association in collaboration with the World Cafe Research Center as a tool that can help coffee savors both in recognizing the special flavors and tastes of coffee, as well as in their standardization. Its creators expected the wheel to be easy to use and entertaining, but at the same time to be a useful tool in the hands of a professional.
The wheel divides the flavors of coffee into nine basic flavors (Vegetative, Sour, Fruity, Floral, Sweet, Cocoa, Spices, Roasted and "Other"), each separated further depending on the dominant taste. In the end, the resulting flavors are dozens and capable of describing all the delicate aromas of a cup of coffee. In any case, to an amateur coffee lover all these may seem too much, but in the hands of a professional they may prove to be useful. As amateurs, however, you can have fun looking for the special flavors of any blend, but also to understand more deeply our tasteful palette of your coffee, recognizing which blends you enjoy the most.
How can the Coffee Flavor Wheel be used?
- Eliminate stress, enjoy the process
You are going to read about aromas that you've never heard of, or flavors that you have never imagined to be in a cup of coffee. But leave the concepts aside and make the process as fun as you can. Do not forget that you are not a professional, and the purpose is to have fun and discover new flavors and aromas - so the stress has to be over.
- Prepare a good cup of coffee and enjoy it
Professionals use the Wheel in a process called cupping and categorizes the basic characteristics of coffee. At home, choose a coffee you like and prepare it carefully. Try to focus on both its aroma and taste, as it may often be different. Pay attention to the detail and the subtleties of flavors and aromas throughout the process: immediately after grinding, when extracting, with the first sip, holding the coffee on the palate, the feeling left by the aftertaste. If necessary, keep notes. The tasting test is usually done with a Pour-Over filter coffee, as this enhances the natural characteristics of each coffee, while a tasting can also be done with espresso. Avoid methods that tend to "mute" coffee flavors, such as a filter coffee maker or French Press.
Start from the center of the wheel
Start from the center of the wheel, locating the basic sense of coffee flavor. Once you've decided on the basic palette of flavors, move to the edges, where things become more specific. Once you have come to a specific scent, return to the center and explore the other aromas. For example, if you taste a single coffee from Ethiopia, usually the basic feeling is fruity. Moving towards the edges, you should choose whether your coffee brings to mind citrus fruits, dried fruits, berries or other fruits. In the case of a coffee with citrus notes, the wheel will help you identify the aromas of lime, lemon, grapefruit or orange. Small small "slices" symbolize the intensity of every taste.
- Read more and try again
It is perfectly normal not to be familiar with certain flavors described by the wheel, or not to be absolutely sure about their correctness. In any case, you can look for online help. World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon describes with precision and clarity what you will need to understand the tasty terms better and to clarify the tasteful profile of your coffee.
- Use your own words
The Wheel is a useful tool, but the tasting sensor is, in many ways, a personal matter. Do not hesitate to note a new taste sensation that you have identified or note unexpected combinations that may have occurred in your own cup. Remember, the process must always be enjoyable and entertaining . The rules are useful, but it is also useful to break them, sometimes.
If all of this seemed interesting to you, you can only try them in practice. Download the Coffee Flavor Wheel from here, print it on a large piece of paper, prepare your favorite coffee and with the pen in hand, explore its flavors. A wonderful trip to the taste and aroma of coffee has just begun!
