The Dormouse Confidential

Mouthfeel and Body, or “I’d like a slice of coffee, please”

There is one final characteristic that is generally discussed when cupping coffee.  That is the “body” or “mouthfeel” of a coffee.  Quite simply put, the body describes how thick or thin the coffee feels to your mouth.  It can also describe the textures you experience while drinking a cup of coffee, although this oftentimes has more to do with the choice of preparation than with the choice of bean.

The body can be described in term similar to the differences one notices between a stout ale such as Guinness versus an American pilsner such as Miller Genuine Draft, or the difference between heavy cream and skim milk.  In either case, the initial example is considered to have a “full body”, while the following example is considered to have a “light” or “thin” body.  Other word combinations used to describe the body include: strong/weak, big/light, chewy/thin.  The choice is really yours; as long as you can convey your impressions effectively, the word choice can be fairly arbitrary.  Again, what is good or bad is a personal preference, so don’t let anyone tell you that their personal fondness for one or the other is “better”.

Don’t be afraid to use other adjectives when describing how a coffee feels to your mouth.  Gritty, velvety, silky; all these words are great descriptors when recording your impressions.  These words and others can help point towards other coffees that you may enjoy.

Conclusion

While cupping has been generally associated with high-browed assessments of coffee, it can be a valuable tool for finding new flavor combinations that might suit your palate, as long as you keep the snobbishness out of the equation.  Through careful consideration of what you experience while drinking a cup of your favorite brew, you can relate what you find pleasurable about a coffee to another person which, in turn, can help point your tastes towards new horizons that you might not have had the opportunity to encounter without the act of cupping.

There is even value to be taken away from a less favorable cupping experience:  you can describe better what you don’t like about a coffee in order to avoid those factors in the future.

Above all, cupping should be an interesting and fun event — never a chore.

Related Articles:

The Art of Cupping, Part I:  Whats and Wherefores

The Art of Cupping, Part II: Aroma

The Art of Cupping, Part III: Taste