This — the coffee tasting wheel — is the standard graphic for tasting and describing coffee flavors and aromas. You can find laminated prints of it hanging in every cupping room and in every coffee geek’s tasting journal. It’s by no means the ultimate be-all, end-all guide to an accurate cupping, but it’s a really handy resource when you’re struggling for the right descriptors to ascribe while slurping.
4 comments
victoria fallon says:
May 12, 2012
I just had my first cupping. I have a background in cheese and wine so a tasting like this in regards to pin pointing flavors and aromas is something I understand, however yesterday I could only pick up a couple aroma and flavor notes. it may be that I was so wrapped up in the technique of the process: ie. breaking the crust, slurping…trying to distiguish how the taste and aroma changes as it cools etc. that I wasn’t as engaged in listening to my senses. I was distracted.
I plan to cup every friday.
claire iris says:
Jul 4, 2012
There is a great article in Roast magazine may/june 12 issue on the coffee wheel.
Drew Moody says:
Jul 4, 2012
I’d love to read that if you have a copy of it!
Cupping at Ozone Coffee Roasters - London says:
Jan 25, 2013
[...] the differences in the aroma, acidity and taste of each. As well James explained how the coffee tasters flavour wheel is used to help identify the different characteristics of a coffee found in the flavour, body, [...]