How do we distinguish specific flavors in our coffee? Can coffee really taste like fruit or chocolate?

The answer? Yes and no. Like any other agricultural product, coffee is a product of the environment it grows in. Differences in soil composition, elevation, and climate can have a profound impact on how the coffee cherries develop before they are harvested. Because of that, every single coffee we try is going to taste slightly different than the other!

When we are ready to put a new coffee out on the shelf, Oscar, our Director of Coffee, needs to write up details about the coffee in order to help us describe the coffee’s flavors and what make them unique. As part of that process, we will brew the new coffee using a variety of brew methods in our lab to taste the coffee as best as we can. Not only will we use tools like a Flavor Wheel to describe the flavors we perceive, but we can also use flavor references from our own personal experiences. Your mind doesn’t just remember sight and sound, but smell and taste as well. If you’ve never had an apricot before, you will not be able to recognize the flavor note of apricot in a coffee.

Boneshaker Espresso features tasting notes of Bakers Chocolate, Dark Caramel, and Candied Citrus. How would you describe this coffee in your own words?