The Appreciation for Coffee

The appreciation for coffee is not unlike an appreciation for wine--the more you know, the more your experience is enhanced. There are four main elements one may notice when drinking coffee. An excellent blend will exhibit all four characteristics and bring them to the taster in a pleasing and well-balanced combination.

Our flavored coffees also exhibit these coffee characteristics--culminating in a complex taste profile. We use a lighter roast for our flavored coffees to create the perfect balance of flavor and coffee character.

Acidity

Not to be confused with bitterness, acidity in coffee brings a pleasant liveliness, sparkle, or snap to the drink that is experienced around the edges of the tongue and towards the back of the mouth. The acidity of a coffee may be assessed as lively, moderate, flat, or dull. A coffee such as our Colombian Supremo will exhibit a bright and pleasant acidity.

Aroma

Aroma is the smell or bouquet of the coffee. Wake up and smell the coffee! Specialty coffee will exhibit a complex floral aroma as does Gloria Jean's Special Blend.

Body
Coffee professionals refer to this as "mouth feel." It is the impression of lightness or of weight one experiences when drinking coffee. A full bodied coffee such as Gloria Jean's French Roast is sure to please.

Taste

In addition to the "flavor" in a flavored coffee, there is also coffee taste. Taste refers simply to the taste of the coffee. Taste experiences with coffee can range from one-dimensional (as in a "straight" or single varietal) to rich and complex (as found in some blends). Look for specific taste elements described as winey, earthy, sweet, nutty, smoky, or spicy.