Introducing the Coffee Tasting Framework
Coffee tasting notes can better connect coffee drinkers with beans and brews. At present, descriptors often hinder more than they help.
Use the new Coffee Tasting Framework to systematically assess colour, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and flavour.
The framework can:
- identify a coffee's defining characteristics
- explain why some coffees are tastier than others
- provide language to accurately and compelling communicate each coffee's flavours
Coffee Tasting Framework
The framework consists of three parts:
Coffee Assessment Sheet: A guide for assessing colour, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and flavour – plus evaluating tastiness based on mouthfeel, balance, ‘alignment’ and complexity.
Coffee Aroma Map: 101 key aromas grouped by dominant aromatic compound, plus a method for plotting aromas to appreciate quality.
Coffee Flavour Wheel: A continuous wheel of 73 distinct, natural flavours grouped by family, with adjacent flavours placed side-by-side.
Despite all the possible aroma and flavour combinations, tasty coffees commonly share three traits: a pleasant mouthfeel, harmonious taste balance and strong alignment between taste and flavour.
You can explore the new Coffee Tasting Framework at https://unitedbaristas.com/coffee-tasting/
Rationale
Specialty coffee needs to better match coffees to consumers to ensure their satisfaction and support specialty coffee's price premium.
Current flavour descriptions are not fit-for-purpose. They often confuse coffee drinkers more than they help. Plus, poor quality tasting notes give the impression that tasting coffee is difficult, subjective or a hoax. This is an unpardonable position to be in for an industry that defines itself by the quality of its coffee.
More info: https://unitedbaristas.com/articles/ideas/reinventing-the-wheel/
Writing Tasting Notes
Write coffee tasting notes that sell, guide and delight.
Tasting notes are simultaneously marketing copy to encourage sales, a promise to the consumer and a translation of a sensory experience into a narrative. Good tasting notes typically combine factual information, accurate descriptors combined and evocative descriptions.
A guide to writing tasting notes: https://unitedbaristas.com/articles/guides/how-to-write-coffee-tasting-notes-that-sell-guide-and-delight/
Coffee Tasting Framework
The new Coffee Tasting Framework guides roasters, baristas and consumers through a straightforward process to assess colour, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and flavour. It introduces a new key concept: ‘alignment’. When mouthfeel, taste and flavour align, coffee is easier to appreciate. The framework achieves three important things. It can: • explain why some coffees are tastier than others • match consumers to coffees • provide the foundation for better tasting notes To support the assessment process, the framework also includes: • Coffee Tasting Assessment Sheet: A guide for assessing colour, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and flavour – plus evaluating tastiness based on mouthfeel, balance, ‘alignment’ and complexity. • Coffee Aroma Map: 100 key aromas grouped by chemical family, plus a method for plotting favours to appreciate quality. • Coffee Flavour Wheel: A continuous wheel of 73 distinct, natural flavours grouped by family, with adjacent flavours placed side-by-side. Coming May 2025 • Coffee Tasting Framework: https://unitedbaristas.com/coffee-tasting/ • How the industry can better communicate speciality coffee’s distinct and vibrant flavours: https://unitedbaristas.com/article-series/communicating-coffees-distinctive-flavours/
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