Tasting coffee: how to recognise flavours like a barista

We all drink coffee, but have you ever really tasted what’s in your cup? Behind every sip lies a world of flavours, aromas and sensations. Tasting coffee — also known as cupping — is THE way to discover that world. Whether you’re a curious beginner or have been enjoying your morning espresso for years, your palate can always be developed further. In this article we dive together into the art of tasting coffee. You’ll learn how to do it, what to look out for AND how to host your own tasting at home. Ready to wake up your taste buds?

What does tasting coffee mean (and why should you do it)?

Tasting coffee is so much more than taking a sip and thinking “nice” or “meh”. It’s about consciously experiencing what’s happening in your cup — with your nose, your tongue AND your memory. You pay attention to aromas, flavours, mouthfeel and even how long a flavour lingers. This process not only helps you choose better coffee, but also discover your personal preferences. Think of it like wine tasting, but with caffeine. The fun part? Anyone can learn, and the more you practise, the better you get. So next time you drink coffee: take a moment, close your eyes and really taste what you’re drinking.

The art of cupping: what is it and how does it work?

Cupping is the official way coffee professionals around the world taste and evaluate coffee. It’s a standardised method where you taste different coffees side by side to properly compare flavours, aromas and quality. Sounds fancy maybe, but really it’s quite accessible. You don’t need much for it.

With cupping you grind the coffee coarsely, pour hot water over it and let it brew for a moment. Then you break the ‘crust’ that forms with a spoon, smell the aromas and start tasting: slurping! Yes really — slurping makes sure the coffee spreads properly over your tongue so you can catch every flavour detail. Cupping isn’t just educational, it’s super fun to do with other coffee lovers too.

Step by step: tasting coffee like a connoisseur

Want to give coffee tasting a go at home? Below are the steps to start your first tasting session:

1. Grind your coffee coarsely: Preferably use freshly ground coffee beans and grind them slightly coarser than you normally would.
2. Smell the dry coffee: Stick your nose into the ground coffee and try to recognise aromas. Say out loud what you smell — it helps!
3. Pour hot water on the coffee (± 92-96°C): Use a fixed ratio, e.g. 12 grams of coffee to 200 ml of water.
4. Wait 4 minutes and break the crust: Stir gently with a spoon and inhale the aroma deeply again.
5. Skim off the foam and start tasting: Slurp a little coffee from a spoon and let it roll over your tongue.

Pay attention to the body (mouthfeel), acidity, sweetness, bitterness and aftertaste. Tasting fruit? Chocolate? Nuts? The more you practise, the better you learn to recognise all those nuances.

The 5 main flavour characteristics in coffee

Tasting coffee is about more than just whether you like it or not. During a tasting session you pay attention to the five basic characteristics below which together determine a coffee’s flavour profile:

Body

This is the mouthfeel of the coffee. Is it light as tea or full as milk? Body says something about the structure and intensity.

Acidity

A fresh, fruity acidity can actually be very pleasant. Think citrus or apple. But too much acidity? Then it can get sharp.

Sweetness

Good coffee often has a subtle, natural sweetness. Think caramel, honey or ripe fruit.

Bitterness

All coffee is a bit bitter, but it has to be in balance. Pleasant bitterness adds depth, excessive bitterness makes it harsh.

Aftertaste (finish)

How long does the flavour linger after swallowing? And what stays behind? Is it soft, dry, spicy or sweet?

Once you learn to recognise these five aspects, you’ll experience coffee on a whole new level. It’s as if you’re tasting a story, and you’re the storyteller.

Common flavour notes and aromas in coffee

Coffee is a flavour adventure — there can be more than 800 different aromas in it! That makes it one of the most complex drinks in the world. But don’t worry, you don’t have to recognise them all at once. Below you’ll find a few common flavour notes you’ll often come across when tasting coffee:

 

Feel free to use a flavour wheel as a tool while tasting. That way you’ll find it easier to put words to what you smell and taste. And remember: there’s no wrong answer, because your taste is unique!

Flavour profiles by coffee region

Region	Flavour profile	Typical notes
Ethiopia	Fruity and floral	Blueberry, jasmine, citrus
Colombia	Balanced with mild acidity	Caramel, red fruit, chocolate
Brazil	Mild and creamy, often slightly sweeter	Nuts, milk chocolate, light body
Kenya	Intense and complex, with pronounced acidity	Blackcurrant, grapefruit, tomato
Indonesia	Full and earthy, often darker in flavour	Spicy, earthy, tobacco, cedar
Guatemala	Full, complex and slightly spicy	Dark chocolate, spices, citrus
Costa Rica	Pure and bright, often nicely balanced	Red apple, caramel, citrus
Panama	Very aromatic, elegant and floral	Jasmine, peach, bergamot, tropical fruit
Yemen	Classic and wine-like, with wild and complex flavours	Raisins, cocoa, spices, red wine
Peru	Mild and accessible, perfect for blends	Milk chocolate, almond, soft fruit notes
Mexico	Light to medium body, subtly spicy	Nutmeg, brown sugar, orange
India	Low acidity, heavy mouthfeel	Earthy, woody, spices, leather
Honduras	Smooth and sweet, with soft acidity	Tropical fruit, nuts, chocolate

6 tips to train your taste and sense of smell

Good news: you can train your sense of taste! Just like with wine or cheese tasting, with coffee too you get better the more consciously you taste. Here are a few fun and easy tips to train your taste buds and nose:

Taste consciously

Really take time over your coffee. Slurp, smell and think about what you taste. What can you identify? What stands out?

Use a flavour or aroma wheel

These tools help you put words to what you smell and taste. Super handy for beginners!

Compare different coffees side by side

For example, put a Colombian coffee and an Ethiopian coffee next to each other. That makes the differences much clearer.

Smell individual ingredients

Consciously smell herbs, fruit, nuts or chocolate. That trains your aroma recognition.

Drink black coffee

Milk and sugar can mask flavours. Want to learn to taste? Then go pure!

Note what you taste

Keep a tasting notebook or use an app. That way you’ll learn to connect things faster and remember flavours better.

The more often you do this, the sharper your taste becomes. And trust us: it makes drinking coffee SO much more fun (and tastier)!

Cupping yourself? How to host a coffee tasting at home

Fancy trying coffee tasting yourself? Good plan! A coffee tasting is not only educational, but a fun activity to do with friends or family. Here’s how you go about it:

What do you need?

• 3 to 5 types of coffee beans (preferably from different countries)
• A coffee grinder
• Scale and kettle
• Coffee cups or bowls
• Spoons (ideally cupping or soup spoons)
• Pen and paper (or tasting cards)
• Hot water (± 92-96°C)
• A neutral snack (water, crackers) to reset your palate

How you do it:

1. Grind each coffee coarsely, weigh exactly (e.g. 12 grams per cup).
2. Smell the dry grounds and note what you smell.
3. Pour hot water over the coffee (200 ml per cup), and let it brew for 4 minutes.
4. Break the crust with a spoon, smell again.
5. Skim off the foam layer and start slurping!
6. Compare the coffees with each other and discuss what you taste.

Tip: Give everyone a tasting card and let them vote for their favourite. You’ll be surprised how much variation there is between coffees — even if you don’t normally taste so “deeply”.