Who Creates Coffee Tasting Notes?

Who Creates Coffee Tasting Notes?

From The Roast it Yourself Podcast by The Roast it Yourself Podcast

March 13, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 94

About this episode

This episode explores the origins and accuracy of coffee tasting notes, discussing the roles of various stakeholders in defining flavor profiles.

Episode 90: Where do coffee tasting notes actually come from—and how accurate are they? In this episode of the Roast It Yourself Podcast, Stephen Burnett and Catherine Mansell dive into a listener question from Larry in Michigan about the mysterious world of flavor notes on coffee. Catherine explains how tasting notes are developed during the green coffee evaluation process, why coffee is roasted and cupped before notes are written, and how producers, exporters, importers, and roasters all play a role in defining a coffee’s flavor profile. The hosts also discuss why tasting notes are really just a snapshot in time, how roasting level and brewing method can dramatically change what you taste, and why your own palate—and even what you ate yesterday—can influence the flavors you perceive. If you’ve ever wondered why one person tastes apricot while another tastes orange, or why your roast doesn’t always match the notes on the bag, this episode breaks it all down. Send your coffee roasting questions to questions@rypod.com for a chance to be featured on a future episode! ☕ SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: questions@riypod.com NOTES: Follow Our Instagram Account @RIY_POD CHECK US OUT HERE…

People in this episode

Hosts: Stephen Burnett, Catherine Mansell

Topics covered

  • coffee tasting notes
  • flavor profiles
  • coffee evaluation
  • roasting
  • brewing methods
  • palate influence

Keywords

  • coffee
  • tasting notes
  • flavor
  • roasting
  • brewing
  • evaluation
  • palate

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Coffee Bean Corral, Rancher Wholesale, Coffee Bean Corral Website, Current Crop Roasting Shop Website, YouTube

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