Alongside the rise of specialty coffee has been a preference for lighter roast profiles. And with this shift has also been a wave of more novel and innovative taste and mouthfeel descriptors – including “crème brûlée”, “structured”, and “melted chocolate ice cream”. 

These flavour notes are certainly exciting, and are sure to spark a lot of interest from both seasoned and new specialty coffee drinkers. At the same time, however, it’s crucial that tasting notes remain accurate – or roasters could risk losing the loyalty and trust of their customers.

To learn more, I spoke to Dakota Graff, Director of Coffee and green buyer at Onyx Coffee Lab, and Manny Carrera, owner of Argyle Coffee Roasters.

You may also like our article on whether tasting notes for specialty coffee are going too far.

Tasting notes serve an important purpose

As an industry, we often assess and score coffee based on the balance of five key attributes. These are:

• Acidity
• Sweetness
• Bitterness
• Mouthfeel (or body)
• Aftertaste
  • We sometimes talk about umami (a Japanese word that is often used to describe savoury flavours in food, as well as full-bodied textures) characteristics in coffee, too

Additionally, though, we also use specific flavour notes to describe what we experience when drinking coffee. In 2017, World Coffee Research published the second edition of its Sensory Lexicon, which formally identifies 110 flavour, aroma, and texture attributes in coffee – ranging from chocolate and brown sugar to pineapple and fermented.

Tasting notes are usually selected by roasters and green buyers during cuppings, and are printed on the majority of specialty coffee packaging.

The idea behind this is to create reference points to describe coffee flavour and aroma. This is so that roasters can communicate to consumers how a particular coffee tastes.

In turn, flavour notes can serve two important purposes: reassuring the consumer that they will know what to expect and to help introduce new people to specialty coffee. In both cases, the consumer can enjoy their drinking experience even more.

The subjectivity of tasting notes

Although they are certainly useful, flavour notes are also subjective and largely based on the opinions of a small number of coffee professionals. For example, while one person may taste strawberry jam in their cup, another may taste fresh strawberries – and they could both be “right”. Ultimately, what you taste is dependent on your palate and the foods and cuisines you have been exposed to.

Moreover, the resources we use to identify tasting notes, like the Specialty Coffee Association Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel, are more relevant for people in consuming countries such as Europe and North America). And even with the development of localised Flavor Wheels in places like Taiwan and Indonesia, for example, criticisms still remain about the lack of inclusivity with flavour notes in specialty coffee.

Manny Carrera is the founder, owner, and head roaster at Argyle Coffee Roasters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US.

“We never really wanted to put flavour descriptors on our bags because we felt it would alienate some customers,” he says. “People just felt terrible when they weren’t able to pick up baker’s chocolate or pineapple acidity, so we chose not to print them on our packaging.”

Instead, Manny explains that Argyle prints “what we taste” on their bags to acknowledge the subjectivity of coffee flavour notes. He believes this language provides consumers with more room to identify their own tasting notes with less influence from roasters.

The rise of unconventional flavour notes

It’s been hard to ignore the more and more unusual and unorthodox flavours appearing on specialty coffee packaging. Tasting notes such as melted chocolate ice cream, banana pudding, crème brûlée, and orange creamsicle have been referenced by certain roasters, as well as World Coffee Championship competitors. While these descriptors can certainly be exciting and help to draw people in, they also have the potential to alienate certain consumers.

“Tasting notes should be about welcoming people further into specialty coffee,” Manny tells me. “I think it’s possible for roasters to take flavour notes too far in an attempt to stand out.”

Similar to the “what we taste” concept, Manny explains that he often refers to coffees using flavour descriptors like “traditional”, “modern”, or “exotic” to better explain sensory characteristics to less experienced consumers.

Acknowledging the importance of subjectivity

More than 800 volatile aromatic compounds have been found in coffee, which creates a somewhat endless number of possibilities when it comes to identifying flavour. Developing your palate and having more exposure to a wide range of different foods and cuisines certainly helps with this.

Dakota Graff works at pioneering roaster Onyx Coffee Lab in northwest Arkansas, US.

“We don’t taste without referring to other benchmarks or references, and so unfortunately, our coffee flavour lexicon is complex, but also limited to personal experience,” he says. “[There are always] extra opinions when it comes to flavour.”

Improving accuracy while maintaining interest

One way that Dakota believes roasters could better communicate tasting notes – while also acknowledging personal preferences – is to follow in the footsteps of other craft beverage industries such as wine and beer. 

For example, a consumer buying beer first decides on the type of beer they would like to drink, and several factors may influence their decision. They may want to buy sour beer or IPAs in the warmer months, and opt for stout and ale in the colder seasons, for instance.

It’s also likely that the consumer will already have expectations about what each type of beer will taste like, largely based on region or method of production.

In line with this, Dakota emphasises that educating consumers (especially those who are new to specialty coffee) about how origin, processing methods, and roast profiles can impact coffee flavour could help to improve accuracy of descriptors – and thereby enhance the customer experience.

Ultimately, when identifying and selecting tasting notes, a better approach for roasters could be to develop a more thorough understanding of the preferences of their consumers in conjunction with the flavours they are tasting.

Flavour notes on coffee bags are important for both roasters and consumers, and even producers. And while tasting notes certainly need to draw consumers in, roasters also have to ensure descriptors are accurate and balanced.

If not, roasters risk losing consumer trust and loyalty – something which many cannot afford to do.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how producers and roasters can develop specific flavour profiles for coffee.

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We know that processing methods influence roast profiles, meaning roasters need to tweak some variables in order to get the best results from experimentally processed coffees. But another important question remains – should we also brew these coffees in different ways?

To find out, I spoke with three coffee professionals. Read on to learn more about what they had to say.

You may also like our article on coffee roasting & experimental processing methods.

What is experimental processing?

No matter which processing method is used to process coffee, it will have a huge impact on the final cup profile. For farmers, processing is one of the most important steps in coffee production, and can also add significant value to coffee.

The three most well-known “traditional” processing methods are washed, natural, and honey processing. These methods are used by many producers along the Bean Belt, and result in a variety of different flavours and mouthfeels.

However, in recent years, we have seen more and more producers try a range of different experimental processing techniques – but what exactly are they?

Dan Fellows is a two-time World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion and a UK Barista Champion. He also runs a coffee cocktail-themed YouTube channel.

“Experimental processing methods have a lot of influence over the final flavour profile and characteristics of coffee,” he says. “In many cases, these techniques borrow from other industries, such as wine and gastronomy.

“In doing so, producers can broaden the flavour possibilities of different coffee varieties and species,” he adds.

A large part of creating these flavours is by leveraging the use of fermentation. No matter which processing method is used, fermentation begins as soon as the cherry is picked. However, in recent years, more and more producers have realised that changing the parameters in which fermentation occurs can create a wider range of interesting new flavours.

Sam Corra is the Director of Coffee at ONA Coffee in Sydney, Australia.

“In general, experimental processing is defined by smaller batch sizes and are atypical washed, natural, and honey processes,” he tells me. “For example, anaerobic fermentation is becoming a more standardised method.

“These processing techniques usually focus on changing one variable in order to understand its impact on the coffee, or to enhance a specific aspect of the flavour profile,” he adds. “Experimental processing often involves many different variables, including fermentation time, temperature, and different types of fermentation.”

Different types of experimental coffee processing

Although there are many different kinds of experimental processing methods, some techniques are becoming more prominent in specialty coffee. 

Aerobic and anaerobic fermentation are two of the most popular methods. They are both very similar, but there is one main difference between them – the presence of oxygen.

With aerobic fermentation, the presence of oxygen means the sugars in the coffee beans ferment more slowly. However, when fermentation takes place in an oxygen-free environment (or anaerobically), fermentation can occur more quickly.

With anaerobic fermentation, coffee cherries are usually sealed inside large tanks or barrels to create an oxygen-free environment. Coffees can be fermented for anywhere from 24 to 96 hours – depending on the desired sensory profile.

Some producers are experimenting with a new process called “anaerobic impregnation”, which involves placing fruits or other ingredients into fermentation tanks, which can give a coffee more fruity flavours.

Another prominent method is carbonic maceration. Dan says this was inspired by a similar technique in winemaking, and can often give coffee a more “boozy”, wine-like quality. With carbonic maceration, cherries are placed in sealed containers, before being flushed through with carbon dioxide.

Malic fermentation, meanwhile, is similar to other experimental processing methods, but the key difference is the introduction of malic acid. This is a flavour compound most associated with green apples, and can provide a coffee with a clean, sharp acidity.

One of the newest emerging trends in processing is the use of koji mould as a unique priming agent during fermentation. 

Koji mould is commonly used in the production of sake and miso in order to enhance umami flavours. Koji mould is added to the coffee cherries, which helps complex carbohydrates break down into sugars and dextrins which can be used during fermentation.

Each experimental processing method will have its own unique influence on coffee flavour, ultimately affecting extraction variables.

Elika Liftee is the Director of Education at Onyx Coffee Lab in Bentonville, Arkansas. He is also the 2022 US Brewers Cup Champion. 

“With experimentally processed coffees, you should expect a more prominent mouthfeel and an enhanced, more complex acidity,” he says. “However, over-fermentation can also occur [when these methods are not carried out correctly].

“I think experimental processing methods are beneficial for the specialty coffee industry,” he adds.

Sam, meanwhile, tells me how experimental processing methods can influence coffee quality. 

“With experimentally processed coffees, it can be harder to score them based on clarity, mouthfeel, aftertaste, and balance,” he says. “Because of this, some really high-quality and interesting coffees can sometimes score lower or higher than they should.”

Should you brew these coffees differently?

It’s safe to say that no two coffees are the same, therefore no two cups of coffee will be brewed in exactly the same way. But which factors do we need to take into account when brewing experimentally processed coffees?

Fermentation helps to break down sugars, meaning they can be more easily extracted. As a result of this, the likelihood of overextraction can increase, so we need to take this into consideration with our brewing variables. For example, total brew times should generally be shorter, or we can extract these coffees with water at a lower temperature.

“In general, anaerobic fermented coffee tends to be more soluble, so it will extract at a faster rate than other processing methods,” Elika says. “To reduce the risk of overextraction, I brew experimentally processed coffees with water between 88°C and 93°C (190°F to 200°F).”

Sam explains how lower temperatures can help to enhance certain characteristics when brewing experimentally processed coffees. 

“Lower temperatures throughout the total brew time allow the juicier and brighter aspects of the coffee to shine through,” he says. “Brewing with water which is too hot often leads to more murky, dull, or undesirable flavours dominating the final result. 

“Ultimately, lower temperatures used in the final pours of the brew help to mitigate the extraction of tannins, which can reduce bitterness and dryness,” he adds.

Both Sam and Elika suggest their own recipes for brewing experimentally processed coffees as pour over:

Elika’s recipe (to be used with any brewer)

• 15g of medium-to-fine ground coffee.
• 250ml water at 93°C (200°F).

1. Pour a 50g bloom and wait for 20 seconds.
2. At 0:20, pour 50g of water.
3. At 0:50, aggressively pour 75g of water.
4. At 1:20, aggressively pour another 75g of water.
5. Total brew time should be between 2:30 and 3:00.

Sam’s V60 recipe (two kettle method)

• 20g of medium-to-fine ground coffee.
• First kettle set at 92°C (197°F).
• Second kettle set at 88°C (190°F).

1. Pour a 50g bloom and wait for 35 seconds.
2. At 0:35, pour 70g of water from the first kettle.
3. Between 1:00 and 1:10, pour 60g of water from the second kettle.
4. Between 1:25 and 1:40, pour 60g of water from the second kettle.
5. Between 1:45 and 2:10, pour 60g of water from the second kettle.
6. Total brew time should be around no more than 3:00.

Alongside filter coffee, experimentally processed coffees have also become increasingly popular among those making high-quality coffee cocktails – including for the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship (WCIGS). 

In his winning 2019 WCIGS routine, Dan prepared his beverages using his “Frozen Natural Experiment” cocktail recipe – which uses a coffee processed using a technique called “frozen natural processing”.

“This cocktail recipe includes coffee which has undergone a unique processing technique called the frozen natural method,” he tells me. “Red Pacamara coffee cherries were fully frozen before undergoing natural processing, which helped to increase sweetness, body, and flavour intensity compared to more traditional natural processing.”

In his recipe, Dan adds ice wine (which he says inspired the processing method), blood orange, citrus and floral-flavoured gun, malic acid, and cascara coconut syrup. 

“These ingredients are then shaken over ice and served in a frozen glass on top of a cascara aroma cloud,” he explains.

There’s no doubt that experimental processing techniques are going to remain popular in the coffee industry. In turn, baristas and home brewers need to ensure they are getting the best from these coffees.

“It’s important that we as baristas, bartenders, and consumers, support creativity in processing methods and ensure that the potential for these coffees continues to grow,” Dan concludes.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on carbonic maceration & biodynamic farming: Experimental coffee processing in Panama.

Photo credits: Dan Fellows

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