Describe before judging
Describe the cup before deciding whether you like it. SCA’s current framework separates descriptive observations from affective judgement; this guide applies that distinction informally without claiming a formal assessment.
Pattaya coffee guide
How to Taste Coffee: Six Useful Observations
Notice aroma, acidity, sweetness, bitterness, body and finish as separate observations without converting a personal response into a venue score.
A better coffee stop
How to record a coffee tasting
Start with the decisions that matter for your visit.
Taste across temperature and additions
Record the exact drink, whether it is black or contains milk, sugar or ice, its temperature, and the method if known. Use familiar comparisons. WCR’s 110-attribute Sensory Lexicon is value-neutral and designed for controlled panel work; it can inform vocabulary, but a casual café note is not a replicated sensory test.
Keep preference separate from evaluation
Taste again once the drink is safe and comfortable to sip, then record what changed rather than diagnosing the cause. In one controlled consumer study of black drip coffee tasted at 56–71°C, tasting temperature changed judgments of whether the drink was too hot or too cold, while perceived adequacy of flavor intensity, acidity and mouthfeel changed little and liking and purchase intent shifted only slightly. A separate drip study found little sensory effect from 87°C, 90°C or 93°C brew water once strength, extraction yield and serving temperature were controlled. One café cup cannot reveal its brew-water temperature by taste alone.
Aroma
Notice what reaches the nose before and during the sip. Use a familiar comparison rather than searching for a required or “correct” note.
Acidity
Describe its intensity and character separately from whether you enjoy it. Noticeable acidity is not automatically a defect.
Sweetness
Record perceived sweetness and added sweetener separately. Milk, sugar, temperature and dilution belong in the context note.
Bitterness
Describe intensity and persistence. Bitterness alone does not prove a dark roast, a strong drink or over-extraction.
Body
Describe weight and texture—light, round, creamy or drying—without turning the observation into a score.
Finish
Record what remains after swallowing, how long it persists, and whether it changes over several seconds.
Primary references
Sources checked 29 August 2026. The cited studies used controlled coffees and methods; their findings are not universal café-service rules.