Topic Hub
Sensory & Tasting
How to taste, cup, and describe coffee — the sensory science of flavor perception, the building blocks of acidity, sweetness, bitterness, body, and aftertaste, and the professional tools used to evaluate a cup.
Overview
Sensory evaluation is the discipline that turns tasting into skill. Every coffee descriptor you read — bright, syrupy, floral, clean — traces back to concepts professionals learn deliberately: how flavor is perceived, how acidity differs from bitterness, and how body and aftertaste are assessed.
This hub organizes the site's sensory and tasting resources into a learning path. Start by understanding what taste and aroma are and how perception works, then practice with structured cupping using the SCA's flavor wheel and scoring protocols, and finally build your tasting vocabulary entry by entry.
Start Here
New to sensory & tasting? Begin with these resources.
Essential Resources
Sensory Science & Flavor Perception
How the brain and nose build flavor from taste and retronasal aroma.
Acidity
The bright, lively sensation that defines specialty coffee.
Coffee Acidity Guide
A deeper guide to recognizing and describing acidity.
Sweetness
What sweetness means in coffee and where it comes from.
Coffee Sweetness Profiles
How sweetness is expressed across different coffees.
Coffee Bitterness Causes
Why bitterness appears and when it belongs in the cup.
Body
The weight and texture of coffee in the mouth.
Coffee Body Explained
A practical guide to recognizing and describing body.
Aftertaste
The finish a coffee leaves and how professionals score it.
Related Books
Books from Lyons Den Publishing.
The Complete World of Coffee: The History, Science, and Craft of Specialty Coffee
615 pages
The Complete World of Coffee: The History, Science, and Craft of Specialty Coffee
615 pages
The Complete World of Coffee: The History, Science, and Craft of Specialty Coffee
615 pages
Pour Over Coffee
103 pages
Pour Over Coffee: From Beginner to Advanced Enthusiast
103 pagesExplore Further
Ready to go deeper? These resources cover advanced topics.
SCA Cupping Score Guide
How professional cupping forms score ten attributes.
Volatile Compounds & Aroma Chemistry
The chemistry behind what you smell in the cup.
Cupping Supplies Guide
The equipment a cupping table actually needs.
Cupping Spoon
Why the cupping spoon is designed the way it is.
Sensory & Tasting Encyclopedia Category
Browse every sensory encyclopedia entry in one place.
Other Topic Hubs
Curated by
Keith E. Lyons
Specialty coffee author, educator, and founder of Lyons Den Publishing. Author of The Complete World of Coffee, a 615-page guide to coffee origins, brewing science, and sensory education.
Learn more about Keith E. Lyons →