Several years ago, coffee tasters sat down and wrote out every flavor and characteristic that might be found in a cup of coffee, and organized it into a circle. If you look at the wheel of flavors as you drink the coffee, it helps you figure out what you are tasting. The only problem, is that the “Flavor Wheel” that has been used for dozens of years is full of words that are not very helpful. Descriptors like “Tipped” “Cappy” and “Horsey” just don’t mean much as we are mulling our latest roast.
Finally, the admired Counter Culture from North Carolina brings us an updated, useful coffee flavor wheel, with flavors and lingo that are common in the coffee world. Look at this the next time you’re trying a new coffee and see if it helps you navigate the tastes you are experiencing.