Characteristics of Coffee

Acidity: Is what gives the coffee its "brightness," the pleasant tartness, snap, or dryness that the coffee leaves at the back of the palate and around the edges of the tongue; Coffees with low acidity are usually smooth in the mouth; those with high acidity give a fresh, clean brew; an acidity taste sometimes become a little winey.

Flavor: Can vary from light, fragrant, and mild to intense, spicy, and rich; flavors depend on the aroma, body,
and acidity of the beans.

Body: Describes the way the coffee feels in the mouth, the texture and creaminess, whether it has a heaviness, richness, or thickness on the back of the tongue.

Aroma: Refers to a characteristic smell of an individual coffee that can range from sweet and fragrant or
delicately nutty to spicy.

There are some generalizations that can be made about certain growing regions.

African coffees: Tend to be spicy, bold, wild, and somewhat higher in acidity, medium to medium-dark (Vienese)

Indonesian coffees: Smooth, somewhat earthy, but mellow and lower acidity, medium dark roasted.

Central/South America: Natural nutty flavor, mild roast, delicate acidity, with medium body.

Many times the milder roasts have more natural flavor because aroma and flavor are derived from oils within the bean. Milder roasts tend to leave more oils in the bean, but lack the dark smoky flavor some people associate with bold, rich coffees.