Highlands Coffee Company
Coffee Descriptions

Coffee Terms and Definitions*
The four primary descriptive terms for how a coffee performs are:

Acidity refers to the high, thin notes, the dryness a coffee produces at the back of the palate & under the edges of the tongue.  This pleasant tartness, (briskness, brightness) snap or twist is what coffee people call acidity…  The acidity notes also carry, wrapped in their nuances, much of the distinctiveness of rare coffees.

Body or mouth feel is the sense of heaviness, richness, & thickness at the back of the tongue when the coffee is swished around the mouth…  Coffees from various parts of the world vary in body.  The most celebrated coffees are usually heavy in body…

Aroma is the overture of the coffee; its fragrance (most apparent as coffee is infused with hot water).

Flavor is the total impression of aroma, acidity and body—overall intensity—its distinguishing taste characteristics.  Some flavor categories could include:  richness, complexity, earthiness, varietal distinction or character, clean.

Roast Terms and Definitions*

New England (Cinnamon) – very light brown, dry surface
American – medium brown, dry surface
Viennese – medium dark brown, possibly flecks of oil on surface
Full City – slightly darker than medium, with patches of oil on surface
Light French – moderately dark brown, light oil on surface
Espresso – dark brown, surface can range from very oily to barely slick, depending on roast procedure
Italian – dark, blackish brown, definitely oily surface; most roasting establishments stop here
Dark French or Spanish – very dark brown, almost black, very oily

*Taken, for the most part, from the highly respected Kenneth Davids’ Espresso:  Ultimate Coffee and Home Coffee Roasting

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