Peet’s Coffee Tasting Terms

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Like wine, coffee has its own tasting vocabulary. As you taste different coffees, how would you describe the aromas and flavors you experience?

Acidity (Palate Acidity)
The liveliness in coffee. All good coffee has some acidity; without it, coffee tastes flat and dull.

Aged
A pleasant, distinctive “cellared” aroma, found in aged coffees.

Bitter
One of the four basic tastes; a certain degree of bitterness is inherent in the fullness of all coffee’s flavor.

Body
Tactile impression of thickness in the mouth, independent of taste and aroma.

Caramel
A sweetness inherent to the bean or produced by roasting.

Chocolate
A flavor reminiscent of unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder.

Clean
A coffee with clear and refined texture in the mouth.

Complex
A taste or aroma with many layers or facets.

Dry
A coffee with a parching, lingering finish.

Earthy
An aromatic fresh soil or wet earth taste characteristic.

Flat
A lifeless coffee lacking in palate acidity or freshness.

Floral
Flowery or perfumy.

Fruity
A sweet berry or citrus flavor.

Herbal
Aroma or flavor of grass, dried herbs, grains, or fresh foliage.

Mild
A rounded and balanced coffee, with mellow acidity and sweetness, and without pungent or dry flavors.

Nutty
Reminiscent of freshly roasted peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.

Pungent
A strong, penetrating effect on the palate.

Rich
Full, complex in flavor and texture.

Roasty
Smoky bittersweet note more prominent in dark-roasted coffee.

Smooth
A coffee with full, pleasant texture or mild acidity.

Spicy
Pleasantly sharp or specific notes of warm spice, such as pepper, cinnamon, etc.

Strength
Often thought to be intensity of flavor, but it’s actually the ratio of ground coffee to water.

Sweet
One of the four basic tastes; a mild coffee with fruity, caramel, or chocolate flavors.

Tangy
A savory combination of sweet and tart.

Wild
A coffee with varying, intriguing and potent flavors.

Don’t feel limited by this list of terms. Have fun creating your own as you describe the aromas, flavors and textures you experience while tasting coffee.

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