TRUE Green & Roasted Coffee Taste Descriptions

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Exploring TRUE coffee descriptions: Trustworthy, Realistic, Understandable, Enticing

A Shared Industry Vocabulary to Keep Us On the Same Page

Learn more about coffee quality: Join Blue Donkey Coffee for a specialty coffee cupping at the 2019 NCA Convention in Atlanta, March 7-9


Part I: How To Communicate TRUE Coffee Quality

The following article was originally published as the first installment of a 2-part special series in Tea and Coffee Trade Journal in the July/August 2018 and September 2018 issues

By Spencer Turer, Coffee Enterprises – via LinkedIn


Aroma and taste descriptors are most easily understood when primary flavors are referenced for the perceived attribute.

When attributes are categorized into groups it becomes difficult to understand their meaning without additional training or explanations. Confusion is created when conclusions are used for flavor descriptions, or when adjectives or verbs are used in place of nouns when presenting descriptions.

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How To Communicate TRUE Coffee Quality

Baristas training to make the perfect cup of coffee

Learn more about coffee quality: Join Blue Donkey Coffee for a specialty coffee cupping at the 2019 NCA Convention in Atlanta, March 7-9


The following article was originally published as the first installment of a 2-part special series in Tea and Coffee Trade Journal in the July/August 2018 and September 2018 issues

By Spencer Turer, Coffee Enterprises – via LinkedIn

“Coffee professionals are enthusiastic, passionate and place a high priority on product education – but we often create jargon and use insider’s vernacular not easily understood by consumers.”


How do we encourage or persuade customers to try our coffee?

Communicating the virtues of the coffee will attract the attention of buyers, for both green coffee and roasted coffee.

The success of any beverage program starts with quality: how does it taste? Branding, promotion and merchandising will capture the first sale, but only quality will keep your customers returning time after time.

Together we will explore how to create TRUE coffee descriptions:

Trustworthy, Realistic, Understandable, Enticing.

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A Bitter Buzz: The Psychology Behind Our Love of Coffee

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A new study found that coffee drinkers are actually more sensitive to the bitter taste of caffeine.

Coffee is a complex beverage – and it’s experienced differently by everyone.

Your appreciation (or not) of coffee is largely driven by genetics, which control a host of factors raging from your caffeine tolerance to sensory perception.

A new study from Northwestern University, recently published in Scientific Reports, found that coffee lovers aren’t less sensitive to the bitter taste of coffee – instead, the opposite is true.

This suggests an interesting psychological phenomenon behind our love of coffee.

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Coffee: Still King of the College Dorm

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New market research takes a closer look at the most popular late-night study aid (and early morning eye-opener) on campus.

By Brian Sudano, Managing Partner, Beverage Marketing Corporation

It’s been a scorcher on the East Coast so far this summer. But September is approaching soon – which means cooler weather and back-to-school season.

College students are a growing demographic: U.S. enrollment for  public or private colleges is estimated to reach nearly 20 million in 2018. And their consumption habits offer some interesting insight into the next generation of trends.

In our recent BMC report, “U.S. College Student Beverage Consumption and Attitudes,” we took a deep dive into college student beverage consumption behavior, which we think is a great way to peer into the crystal ball of the future of the industry. We took an especially close look at student attitudes toward coffee, everyone’s favorite early eye-opener and late-night study aid.

Here’s what we found.

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The Power of Personalization in Coffee

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This post originally appeared on Restaurant Business via S&D Coffee and Tea

Decaf with two raw sugars, half-caf with almond milk and agave, iced Americano with two pumps of caramel syrup: Coffee orders can be as varied and unique as the consumers ordering them.

One consistent aspect, however, is that customization is now an essential part of the coffee experience — a fundamental or basic need and no longer an enhanced need, as confirmed by research from S&D Coffee & Tea and Datassential.

According to their survey of regular coffee drinkers that purchase coffee away from home from a commercial operator or convenience store, the ability to customize is statistically tied with speed/convenience and variety of options as the third most important factor when consumers choose a venue from which to buy coffee. Only price and quality are deemed more important than the ability to add to one’s coffee.

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The Best Coffee Dessert Recipes for the Holidays

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Coffee is a complex and versatile ingredient that has long been underrated in culinary circles. It adds a complex, rich flavor – plus an extra antioxidant boost.

For the best taste, use fresh grounds or brewed coffee when cooking with coffee (but to minimize waste, here are some ideas for how to use leftover coffee and grounds around the kitchen).

Check out our round-up of some of the best coffee dessert recipes for the holidays, and share your favorites in the comments below.

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