How to Taste Coffee: Develop Your Sensory Skills and Get the Most Out of Every Cup

by Jessica Easto

Overview

Winner of the 2024 Midwest Book Award in Cookbooks and 2024 Society of Midland Authors Richard Frisbie Award honoree

Home coffee-making authority and author of Craft Coffee: A Manual introduces you to the wide world of coffee flavor

Have you ever purchased coffee based on delectable flavor notes—strawberry jam, milk chocolate, hazelnut—only to find none of it in your cup? It’s a common experience among coffee lovers.

These days, high-quality coffee can taste all kinds of ways, thanks to roasting techniques that help draw out the qualities of the bean. In addition to that characteristic coffee taste, you really can find hints of fruit, chocolate, and nuts in your cup—all it takes is a little knowledge, a little practice, and the ability to slow down and savor.

That’s where How to Taste Coffee comes in. With the same accessible, no-shame approach she took in Craft Coffee, bestselling author Jessica Easto explains why flavor notes are not always as straightforward with coffee as they are with other beverages, such as wine, beer, and spirits. You’ll learn how our senses perceive coffee, what creates and affects coffee flavor, and how to practice your sensory skills, using the same tools and resources as coffee professionals.

With nineteen exercises designed to help you identify and talk about what you’re tasting, you’ll come away with a more developed palate, an improved ability to choose coffee you’re going to love, and a better understanding of the astounding complexity contained within these tiny beans.

A must-read for any lover of coffee, How to Taste Coffee inspires readers to taste widely and sip consciously, with more appreciation, more discernment, and a greater sense of wonder.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781572843295
Publisher:	Agate
Publication date:	10/31/2023
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	480,724
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jessica Easto is a writer and editor based in Northwest Indiana. She received a degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee and an MFA in fiction writing from Southern Illinois University. Her first book, Craft Coffee: A Manual, was published in 2017 and was named a top food and drink book of the year by The Food Network, Wired, Sprudge, and Booklist. When she’s not writing about coffee, she edits books and teaches copyediting and proofreading at DePaul Universityin Chicago. Learn more at jessicaeasto.com and follow her on Instagram @j.easto.

Table of Contents

List of Palate Exercises 

Introduction 

Chapter 1: Coffee Flavor: A Multimodal Mystery 

Chapter 2: The Basic Tastes and Coffee 

Chapter 3: Flavor and Coffee 

Chapter 4: Developing a Coffee Tongue: Language and Palate Development 

Chapter 5: Practical Tips for Tasting Coffee 

Conclusion 

Acknowledgments 

Further Reading 

The Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel 

Coffee Taster’s Resource 

Notes 

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Craft Coffee: A Manual

“Provides all the information budding javaphiles need to discover what they like in a cup of specialty coffee—and how to replicate the perfect cup at home.” —Food Network

“Build a better brew by mastering 10 manual methods, from French Press to Chemex, with this comprehensive guide.” —Imbibe Magazine

“Like the coffee bean, Jessica Easto’s book . . . dives deep and reaches wide as it teaches consumers how to improve their daily cup.“ —Chicago Tribune

“Engaging and fun . . . . I really can’t recommend Craft Coffee: A Manual enough. If you’re even mildly curious about brewing coffee at home, it’s absolutely worth a read.” —BuzzFeed

“Easto’s manual for coffee enthusiasts goes beyond mere brew guide to pull back the curtain on the bean itself, coffee processing and roasting, and industry jargon—we’re on to you, tattooed barista. . . . Easto offers a thorough overview of coffee that is never elitist in tone, emphasizing that individual taste should always be one’s guide. . . . Clearly written and comprehensive, this book belongs in every home barista’s tool kit.” —Booklist, starred review

“Craft Coffee is a beautifully written guide to improving your home coffee no matter what your brew method or current coffee setup. . . . If this book doesn’t make your brew better, then I’m coming over to your house every morning, because your coffee is already top notch.” —Sprudge

“Eliminates the intimidation factor from manual brewing. . . . This guide offers value for new cafés or novice baristas, as well as the casual consumer.” —Fresh Cup Magazine

“If you’re ready to learn more about perfecting your morning cup, this is a great place to start.” —Wired

“There’s nothing quite like home brewing for sheer satisfaction. This book will help brewers to finesse their technique and select the best equipment.” —Perfect Daily Grind

“The small hardcover includes recipes and simply explains how to use equipment and produce tastier coffees.” —Eater Chicago

“A well-rounded presentation of coffee basics in an easily digestible format. From helping readers understand the origins of coffee and how it’s processed, to deciphering the vast array of available brewing methods and how to use them, Jessica and Andreas have put together an engaging resource that holds value for home brewers and professionals alike. Full of wonderful illustrations, convenient tables, and helpful sidebars, this is a coffee book well worth poring over.” —Ellie Bradley, editor, Fresh Cup Magazine

From the Publisher