The tasting of coffee is a rigorous and disciplined process. It is slurped by an expert for the purpose of evaluating the brew and determining its characteristics. The taster first assesses the green beans for their appearance. A small quantity are then roasted in a laboratory roaster and tested for their flavour and aroma. After the coffee has been infused in water, the brew is 'nosed'. After approximately three minutes the brew is lightly stirred and smelled again. The resulting foam is removed and the tasting begins. A small spoonful of coffee is taken into the taster's mouth and it is 'chewn' around before being spat out. The procedure is repeated with all of the samples and notes are made as each one is sampled. The taster would be looking for criteria such as acidity, body, aroma and flavour.

Acidity: This is a desirable characteristic in coffee. It is the sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike its role as related to the flavour of wine. It provides a sharp, bright, vibrant quality. Without sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity should not be confusedwith sour, which is an unpleasant, negative flavour characteristic.

Body: Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the viscosity, heaviness, thickness or richness that is perceived on the tongue. A good example of body would be that of the feeling of full cream milk in your mouth, as compared to water. Typically, Indonesian coffees will posess greater body than South and Central American coffees. Coffees with a heavier body will maintain more of their flavour when diluted with milk.

Aroma: This is a sensation which is hard to separate from flavour. The aroma contributes to the flavours we discern on our palates. Subtle nuances, such as 'floral' or 'winy' characteristics, are derived from the aroma of brewed coffee.

Flavour: Flavour is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth. Acidity, aroma and body are all components of flavour. Describing the tastes and flavours of different roasts is as subjective as putting a wine into words. In both cases there's no subsitute for your own personal tastes - so sample away!