What makes a good cup of coffee? It is a complicated (and often subjective) question that many consumers and coffee companies alike have tried to answer. In the specialty coffee industry, “cuppings” are held in an attempt to find the answer. A cupping is to coffee what a tasting is to wine; cuppers look to describe the five main factors that give a coffee its unique character: acidity, body, flavor, aroma and finish. Here we outline the meaning of these coffee terms so that you can better describe your own perfect cup of coffee or espresso.

Acidity (aka Liveliness)
Acidity produces a sensation of dryness under the edges of your tongue, and on the back of your palate. Without sufficient acidity, coffee will tend to taste flat. Words used to describe acidity are crisp, clean, lively and snappy.

Body
A measure of how thick or heavy a particular coffee feels in your mouth. The body of a coffee is related to the amount of oil and solids extracted during brewing.

Flavor
The predominant taste a coffee introduces to your palate. Flavor is highly subjective; two people can taste the same coffee and note very different flavors. Acidity, aroma and body are all components of flavor.

Aroma
The scent of a particular coffee. Acidic coffees smell pungent, sharp and lively, while richly flavored coffees smell heavy and rich. Aroma contributes to the much more complex flavors we discern on our palates.

Finish
The aftertaste coffee leaves in your mouth. The finish can make or break a cup of coffee.

If you are interesting in tasting CrimsonCup Coffee, you can visit us at one of the many locations or buy coffee online.

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