After harvesting, coffee cherries go through milling. This removes the outer fruit as well as the parchment-like skin around the bean. The end result is called green coffee, and quality-control at this stage is vital. Our experts work closely with our coffee suppliers in every country of origin. It’s the only way to make sure the coffee we use lives up to the world-famous NESCAFÉ® name.
We work closely with all our coffee suppliers through our network of six specialist coffee quality-control centres around the world. We also help coffee suppliers adhere to the latest food safety measures. Finally, our NESCAFÉ® professional tasters will thoroughly test the quality of our coffee before it is even shipped.
Expert coffee tasters need to understand the subtle differences between coffees. How has the way the coffee was grown, milled and roasted affected the final flavour? Did the type of soil the tree was planted in make a difference? Or maybe the way it was watered and fed? Even the type of bags the beans have been stored in could change that final flavour.
In fact, many experts in the coffee-tasting profession use a book called the Sensory Lexicon. It’s a bit like an insider’s guide to the strength of the different flavours in coffee. It lists more than 100 different flavours, and they’re organised into groups such as:
• Floral, spices, sweet, cocoa
• Fruity, green/vegetative
• Roasted, cereal, nutty
There can be many flavours in each group. For example, the ‘sweet’ group of flavours includes molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, caramelised, honey and vanilla.
Blind-tasting coffee so you can match the judgment of experienced tasters
It’s certainly a lot to take in! But this dedication to the craft of coffee tasting is what makes our coffee taste that little bit better. Whether you’re inspired to develop these skills to help you make a difference in your world, or if it’s just for the simple appreciation of a great cup of coffee, enjoy every sip of the journey with NESCAFÉ®.