How to Taste Coffee Like a Professional

Professional coffee tasters look for four things. Acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and body.

Acidity is not sourness. It is brightness. A bright, lively quality. Ethiopian coffees have high acidity.

Sweetness is the natural sugar of the bean. Caramel, chocolate, fruit. Good roasts preserve sweetness.

Bitterness is a natural part of coffee. The question is balance. A little bitterness gives structure. Too much ruins the cup.

Body is the weight and texture. Thick and syrupy or light and tea like.

Slurp the coffee. It aerates and spreads it across your tongue. You taste more.

Train by tasting coffees side by side. Compare two origins. The differences become obvious.