tags: [] - MOC - coffee/skills - coffee/tasting aliases: - Barista sensory development - Coffee sensory skills

Barista Sensory Skills¶

Sensory skills allow a barista to evaluate coffee objectively, diagnose extraction problems by taste, and calibrate with professional standards. They develop alongside technical ability and are essential for quality control at every level. See Barista Skills /Barista Skills Development MOC for the full framework.

Tasting Fundamentals¶

Basic perception: Five Basic Tastes | Aroma Recognition | Texture Awareness | Temperature Effects | Retronasal Olfaction

Coffee tasting: Slurping Technique | Systematic Tasting | Flavour Identification | Intensity vs Quality | Personal Bias

Cupping Skills¶

Protocol Mastery¶

Standard SCA cupping: 8.25 g per 150 ml, water at 93°C, steep for 4–5 minutes, break the crust, skim, evaluate.

Evaluation Attributes¶

Attribute	What Is Being Assessed
Fragrance and Aroma	Dry grounds and wet coffee smell
Flavour Assessment	Overall flavour impression
Aftertaste	Finish length and quality
Acidity Evaluation	Brightness, type, quality
Body Assessment	Weight and texture
Balance	Harmony of elements
Uniformity	Consistency across cups
Clean Cup	Absence of defects
Sweetness	Natural sugar perception
Overall Score	Holistic quality impression

Scoring Systems¶

100-Point Scale | Specialty Coffee Threshold (80+ points) | Cupping Form | Score Calibration

Defect Identification¶

Primary defects: Phenolic (medicinal, chemical) | Ferment (vinegary, over-fermented) | Mouldy (musty contamination) | Potato Defect (antestia bug damage)

Secondary defects: Woody | Earthy | Grassy | Winey | Sour

Extraction defects: Under-Extraction (sour, salty, thin) | Over-Extraction (bitter, hollow, astringent) | Channelling (uneven extraction) | Stale Coffee (flat, oxidised)

Advanced Sensory Skills¶

Blind identification: Origin Recognition | Processing Method ID | Roast Level Assessment | Varietal Characteristics

Calibration: Reference Standards | Panel Cupping | Triangulation | Ranking Exercises

Professional certification: Q Grader Programme | Q Processing | R Grader | Sensory Skills Tests

Barista Skills /Barista Skills Development MOC — skill development framework and progression
Sensory Science MOC — sensory science, perception, and flavour theory
Quality Control MOC — quality control processes and standards

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