AROMA

Interestingly, coffee contains over 800 different aromatic compounds. This potentially makes it one of the most complex and interesting beverages on Earth. The way in which our somewhat underappreciated olfactory epithelium allows us to perceive the multitude of complex aroma compounds found in this culturally crucial staple is bordering on being unfathomable.

When speaking of Aroma in Coffee, we are in fact referring to the ‘Bouquet’.

The ‘Bouquet’ can be divided into four parts-

Fragrance( Dry)

-Smell this when you have ground the coffee.

Wet

-Smell this while it’s extracting and also after the extraction time has elapsed.

Nose (Retro-nasal)

-Smell this just after you the swallow coffee, aroma compounds will be perceived as gases travel up to your olfactory epithelium.

Aftertaste

-This is perceived normally on the nose but is what lingers after you swallow the coffee.

The different sections of the bouquet can be spoken of separately.

This is perceived, analyzed, described and measured as the coffee extracts. In most situations, the aroma changes as it goes through its different stages. This merely gives an indication as to where the coffee is heading towards with regards to its potential/quality. Defects and the like can quite easily be picked up in the fragrance alone, and in this situation sometimes won’t even have to be physically tasted to make a somewhat casual judgement on quality.