Posted on May 10, 2007 - by deCadmus

Accounting for Taste: A Model Major Article

The current issue of Roast Magazine features an informative and very well acquainted guide to experiencing the flavors and aromas of coffee, covering matters anatomical, physiological and — for good measure — psychological, too:

“Say you’re having a rotten dayâ€â€?everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and you need to cup one final batch of samples before you can leave for the day. Well, you might think twice about cupping those samples, because there’s a good chance your mood will alter the way you perceive the coffee. Your senses are all linked together with your brain, which also controls your thoughts and emotions. With all this going on at the same time, it is possible to allow mood to overlap with sensory evaluation, causing a misinterpretation of what you are really experiencing in that cup of coffee.

In order to get a true idea of what you’re tasting, your mind needs to be clear of clutter and stress.”

As for things olfactorial, don’t miss the article’s categorical companion piece, Dos and Don’ts for Supercharged Olfactory Skills. But don’t delay… I suspect this content may go away when the next issue of Roast hits the newsstand. (Not that it’s actually on newsstands… that’s me being metaphorical.)