Discover new research from Australian scientists: Coffee Character Wheel

New Coffee Character Wheel research is funded by the Australian government’s agricultural agency. The goal is to create a tool that provides a concise list of terms for coffee drinkers to evaluate acidity, mouthfeel and aftertaste.

In this study, scientists used terms to describe the acidity, mouthfeel and aftertaste of coffee, collated from published specialized documents and coffee sensory panels. A total of 679 sensory terms were identified for acidity, mouthfeel and aftertaste and correlated into a map. After analysis and refinement based on word relationships and usage, the number of terms was reduced to a total of 95 terms for acidity, mouthfeel, aftertaste, and overall. Shortened terms are arranged on a Coffee Character Wheel from general to specific.

According to expert reviewers, this tool can be used to further describe or identify coffee with the concept of terroir within the components that make up them. Coffee terroir is usually not created intentionally. It results from the contributions of the cultivar, environmental and agricultural factors, as well as the harvest and post-harvest methods. The unique combination of these parameters gives consumers a unique cup of coffee, reminiscent of the place of coffee production. Determining a coffee’s Terroir requires careful consideration of sensory and flavor profiles with standardized roast levels, grind sizes, and brewing methods.

Meanwhile, Coffee Character Wheel provides terms about sensory groups such as acidity, mouthfeel, aftertaste and overall feeling. Each group and tool describes from overview to detail the ingredients and cupping sensations according to the surrounding layers. For example, the acidity group will have two sub-categories: coffee acidity and intensity – intensity. With coffee acids, the category clearly indicates the types of acids and corresponding specific flavors. For example, the citric acid section corresponds to scent ranges of citrus and tropical fruits, and the malic acid section corresponds to ranges such as apples, berries and nuts. With the intensity subgroup, the subgroup includes three groups describing low – medium – high levels. Each level also corresponds to detailed descriptions of tasting sensations. Similarly, the remaining sensory groups are condensed and clearly presented at each level. Thereby, users can easily identify coffee characteristics and help analyze the factors that form a cup of coffee more conveniently.

Analyzing groups of acidity, mouthfeel, aftertaste, and overall taste can assist in creating consensus and consistency about coffee characteristics. The broad to specific terms on this Coffee Character Wheel can help coffee drinkers describe the acidity, mouthfeel and aftertaste of their coffee.

Besides, scientists said that using the Coffee Character Wheel with the coffee flavor wheel can provide users with clear descriptions to evaluate coffee. Because in addition to flavor, acidity, mouth feel, aftertaste is also an important part in scoring coffee quality.

You can try making a cup of coffee at home or enjoy it at any store and slowly feel and compare the Coffee Character Wheel to find hidden interesting things. However, for beginners, it will be a bit difficult to determine. But don’t worry, because it’s normal. Understanding flavor requires a process of getting used to it and becoming familiar. You can choose pure coffee beans – single origin and experiment with grinding, dividing the proportions and enjoying the magic that unfolds in your own style. If you need pure specialty coffee beans, choose XLIII Coffee!

Follow XLIII Coffee’s Journal channel to update useful news in the industry.

Articles you may be interested in:

– Accelerating climate change – Is the coffee belt getting worse?

– Is deforestation monitoring satellite really the solution to EUDR regulations?

– White Coffee – The stubborn guy in the world of light roasted coffee