In this episode, Kenneth sits down with Jeremy Moore of Bonlife Coffee in Cleveland, TN to discuss coffee tasting notes. In particular the flavor wheel. They explain what it is and how it is used in a way that anyone can understand. 

They also talk about some of the other tools they use including the sensory lexicon. Jeremy also shares details of how Bonlife Coffee has evolved and found ways to discover the best coffees you can buy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The original flavor wheel, which was produced in 1995, had to be updated to keep pace with changes in the way coffee was being roasted.
• The new wheel is more scientifically based and considers how everyday coffee drinkers perceive taste.
• Initially, the core flavors are identified, which are in the middle of the wheel.
• Coffee tasting also involves smelling the coffee to pick up the fragrance and aroma, which feeds into the taster’s assessment of what flavors are present.
• In the same way that sommeliers do for wine, coffee tasters have to constantly practice before they can identify different flavor notes and assess the coffee properly.
• There are food items coffee tasters can sample to improve their understanding of what each section of the flavor wheel should taste like.
• Some tasters use both Counter Culture's and the SCA's flavor wheel together.
• On the wheel, the flavor notes are quantifiably related to each other. How is explained in the podcast.

BEST MOMENTS
‘When we are talking about flavor, we´re not just talking about the taste…. ´
‘The more you can pick out some of those individual scents, the more you are likely to be dealing with a really exceptional coffee.’
‘Process is becoming a very big part of what you’re tasting. Especially in the most unique and differentiated coffees.’

GUEST RESOURCES
GUEST - Jeremy Moore of Bonlife Coffee in Cleveland, TN - https://www.bonlifecoffee.com/

EPISODE RESOURCES
SCA Coffee Flavor Wheel - https://atlanticspecialtycoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/SCA_TasterWheel_English_8.5x11.pdf

Counter Culture Flavor Wheel - https://counterculturecoffee.com/learn/resource-center/coffee-tasters-flavor-wheel

World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon - https://worldcoffeeresearch.org/resources/sensory-lexicon

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Award-winning single-origin specialty coffee: https://umblecoffee.com/

You’re disciplined and high achieving. You never settle. Shouldn’t the fuel that helps you reach your goals be held to those same standards? Instead of a crash-inducing cup of jo, you need coffee with optimal antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. A coffee so good that you can drink it black.

At Umble Coffee, we only roast specialty-grade arabica coffee from around the world with cupping scores 84 and above. Don’t sabotage yourself in pursuing your goals - drink coffee that tastes better and is better for you. No crash, great taste, and better long-term health benefits. That’s Umble Coffee. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umblecoffee/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umblecoffee/
Twitter:  https://mobile.twitter.com/umblecoffee

ABOUT THE HOST
As a coffee lover, physician, chemical engineer, serial entrepreneur, competitive runner, writer, and family man, Kenneth knows what it’s like to push yourself to achieve goals very few accomplish. He’s one of the best specialty coffee roasters in the United States as he’s a multi-year US Coffee Roasters’ Competition Finalist. He created Umble Coffee Co with the belief that, if sourced and roasted right, coffee can taste phenomenal and be good for you.

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

Podcast Description
Coffee 101 is an educational show on all things coffee. The host, Kenneth Thomas, starts with the most basic questions about coffee and builds your knowledge from there. If you love coffee, are curious about coffee, or you’re a business just looking for a resource to train your team, Coffee 101 is without question the show for you!  Season 1 is all about coffee's journey from seed to shelf!