Tasting coffee like a pro

Cupping (professionally tasting coffee) is quite an art. But don’t worry: anyone can learn it. With this five-step guide, you can make a cautious start. It includes all the basics and important coffee terms. 

Step 1: Look
Here, you mainly pay attention to the crema: the foamy layer on top of the coffee. It consists of fat, sugar and the (bitter) flavour compounds from the coffee bean and gives your coffee an ultimate flavour boost. Just think about it: coffee without crema tastes much less intense. It should therefore not be missing, be very thin or dissolve immediately after brewing. A perfect crema is fine and dense, not too thin, and you can spot small air bubbles in it. Most importantly, the layer should stick to the cup.

Step 2: Smell

Your tongue can distinguish only five different tastes, while your nose effortlessly recognises more than a thousand. By smelling your coffee carefully, you can therefore describe its flavour even better. Push the crema aside with your spoon so that the aromas can be released even more effectively. And now: breathe in deeply. Only then will they reach the rear (and also the most perceptive) part of your nose.

Step 3: Taste

Slurping is not allowed, but essential. It ensures that the less pronounced aromas are brought to the back of your nasal cavity. That is where you can taste them much better. It is also extremely important not to swallow your sip of coffee too quickly. Keeping it in your mouth a little longer is better. A single sip contains many different flavours, and you can taste them only if you cover all the different areas of your tongue with it. Let the coffee cool down for a moment after a few sips. As it gets a little colder, the acidity changes and the coffee starts to taste slightly different. Give it a try. 

Step 4: Describe
Pay attention first to the body when describing the coffee: how it feels in your mouth. A full body means that the coffee has a full, creamy texture. If you say that your coffee has a light body, you mean that it feels more subtle and thinner. Compare it with whipped cream and (skimmed) milk: whipped cream is thick and creamy and therefore has a full body, while skimmed milk is much thinner and more watery and has a light body. 

Then focus on the notes. Which flavours can you recognise? Chocolate, spices, wood, citrus, caramel? Nothing is too far-fetched. And no, those ingredients are not actually in the coffee. But because the beans have been roasted or dried in a certain way, the coffee can come to taste like them. Another term you can use to impress: acidity, simply the freshness of a coffee.

Finally, pay attention to the aftertaste: the flavour that lingers after you have swallowed a sip of coffee. It may well be that the coffee leaves a slightly different taste in your mouth after swallowing. From now on, try paying attention to it.