A large part of the reason why the coffee flavor wheel was created was to meet the tasting criteria for high-quality coffee. It also drew lessons from wine tasting and cupping, and gradually improved the original vague and general flavor description into a detailed and logical flavor wheel.
The first version of the coffee flavor wheel was released in 1995 and was divided into two types: a positive flavor wheel and a negative flavor wheel. In 2016, the latest version of the coffee flavor wheel was released, which is the flavor wheel we commonly see now. But it takes a little thought to really figure out this flavor wheel.
Let’s take a look at some of the creative background of the new version of the flavor wheel. SCAA first teamed up with World Coffee Research (WCR), Kansas State University, German Agricultural and Technical University, and coffee industry representatives to analyze and test the flavors of 105 different samples from 13 coffee-producing countries, and compiled the "World Coffee Research Sensory Dictionary" as the basis for the new coffee flavor wheel.
The SCAA then worked with a UC Davis team to rank 72 experts on the lexicon's flavor attributes using novel adaptations of traditional sensory and statistical methods. The data is then compiled and arranged into a wheel.
The flavor wheel was then carefully color-matched by London-based creative agency One Darnley Road, with each color and tone carefully selected to better match the corresponding flavour. To summarize briefly, this version of the flavor wheel describes the flavor more closely to the flavor of coffee, and the colors are easier for everyone to associate. For example, grass green is used for herbs and orange is used for citrus.
This flavor wheel is divided into 3 rings, namely the inner ring, the middle ring and the outer ring. The inner ring is category subjects, which are divided into herbs, acid fermentation, fruits, flowers, sugars, nuts and cocoa, spices, baking flavors, and other categories.
The middle ring is the second-level detailed subjects of each category in the inner ring. For example, the fruit category includes citrus, other fruits, preserved fruits, and berries.
The outer ring is a three-level detail, subdivided into individuals. For example, citrus includes limes, lemons, oranges, and grapefruits.
The advantage of this distribution is that when you drink lemon flavor, you can know that it comes from citrus among fruits, which makes it easier to classify and file learning. And when you can't distinguish the detailed flavors, you can also slowly distinguish them through such first-, second-, and third-level classifications.
In addition to looking from the inside out, the gaps between each category also reflect the distance between them. For example, in the berry category, the distance between blueberries and strawberries is relatively close, while the distance between blueberries and raspberries is relatively sparse. Similarly, belonging to the same flower category, the distance between roses and jasmine is relatively close, while the distance between roses and citrus is relatively sparse. This also shows the similarity in their flavors.
In addition, the color of the outer ring matches the description type very well. The colors of the common food descriptions are basically the same. For example, jasmine is yellow-white, rose is rose red, and chamomile is orange. Friends often describe "white floral fragrance", and we understand that white floral fragrance probably refers to that type of floral fragrance.
Of course, relying on the flavor wheel is just like talking on paper, and you need to cooperate with actual practice to maximize the effect. After understanding the flavor wheel, you should often eat or smell the food on the flavor wheel (forget about other types), and drink coffee often to feel the flavor of the coffee.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
