If your coffee bag says 80+, that score comes from tasters who assess ten different components. You don't need to be a taster to understand them. If you know what they look for, you'll also taste more consciously yourself. Below we explain them one by one, in plain language.
Want to know how the score works first? Then read what 80+ on the bag means.
The ten components in brief
| Component | What it's about |
|---|---|
| Aroma | How the coffee smells, dry and with water added |
| Flavor | What you taste while drinking |
| Aftertaste | The taste that lingers after swallowing |
| Acidity | The freshness and liveliness |
| Body | How heavy or light the coffee feels |
| Balance | How well everything fits together |
| Uniformity | Whether every cup from the same batch tastes the same |
| Clean cup | No unwanted flavors or aftertaste |
| Sweetness | Natural sweetness, without sugar |
| Overall impression | What the taster thinks of everything together |
Aroma and flavor: what you smell and taste
1. Aroma
Tasters first smell the ground coffee and then the coffee after hot water has been poured over it. You might recognize flowers, fruit, nuts, or chocolate. It often already smells like what you'll taste later.
2. Flavor
Flavor is the impression in your mouth while drinking. Aroma and flavor work together, so you also taste with your nose. This is where the flavor notes you see on the bag belong. Which flavors there are, you can read in the ten flavor families.
Aftertaste and acidity: what lingers and what is fresh
3. Aftertaste
The aftertaste is the taste that lingers after you have swallowed. Tasters pay attention to how long it lasts and whether it is pleasant. A long, sweet aftertaste is a good sign.
4. Acidity
Acidity is the lively freshness in coffee, like in a piece of fruit. A clear acidity is a quality in specialty coffee. It is something different than bitter or sharp. Read more about it in sour is not bad.
Body and balance: how it feels and how it works
5. Body
Body is the feeling in your mouth. Is the coffee light, like tea, or full and creamy, like whole milk? Neither is better. It's about what you like.
6. Balance
Balance is about cooperation. Do flavor, acidity, body, and aftertaste fit well together, or does one component stand out? A balanced coffee feels round and finished.
Uniformity and clean cup: consistent and pure
7. Uniformity
Tasters taste multiple cups from the same batch. If every cup tastes the same, the coffee is uniform. That shows that the batch is consistent.
8. Clean cup
A clean cup has no unwanted flavors or aftertaste, from the first sip to the aftertaste. You then taste what the coffee intends, without a distracting note.
Sweetness and overall impression: the rest together
9. Sweetness
Sweetness comes from the coffee itself. No sugar has been added. Tasters look for that natural sweetness, for example like honey, caramel, or ripe fruit.
10. Overall impression
The last component is the taster's judgment of the coffee as a whole. All impressions come together here.
This is how you taste more consciously yourself
- First smell the ground coffee and then your cup.
- Take a small sip and pay attention to flavor, acidity, and body.
- Swallow and pay attention to the aftertaste: what lingers?
- Taste again when the coffee has cooled down a bit. Flavors often come out better then.
- Taste two coffees side by side. Then you will notice the differences the fastest.
What the score does not say
The ten components tell something about the quality of the coffee. They do not say whether you will find it tasty. That is why our coffees also have flavor notes and a roast level, so you can choose what suits you.
Ready to taste?
- View our specialty coffee and choose by taste.
- Taste multiple coffees side by side with a sample pack.
- Read more: What does 80+ on the bag mean?
