Every year, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) publishes a color-coded guide to coffee titled the 'Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel.' After 20 years of using the same flavor wheel, the SCAA has finally released a more user-friendly guide.
The original purpose of the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel was to bring everyone involved in the coffee supply chain together through a shared vocabulary. However, the newly updated flavor wheel makes this information more accessible with a design that has been described as "more descriptive and less jargon-y." This is a particularity important update as the coffee industry has changed dramatically over the years due to the effects of climate change and the rise of boutique coffee roasters. Thanks to the new lexicon, everyone from farmers to baristas will be able to understand and identify coffee’s primary sensory qualities.
Colorful Coffee Tasting Charts
The New Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel Boasts a User-Friendly Design
Trend Themes
1. User-friendly Coffee Tasting Guides - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop digital platforms or mobile apps that provide interactive and personalized coffee tasting guides to help coffee enthusiasts explore different flavors.
2. Shared Vocabulary in Coffee Industry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create online communities or platforms that facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among coffee farmers, roasters, and baristas to further develop a shared vocabulary.
3. Adapting to Changing Coffee Industry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop sustainable coffee cultivation techniques or implement innovative coffee processing methods to address the challenges posed by climate change and meet the evolving demands of the coffee industry.
Industry Implications
1. Coffee Retail - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate augmented reality (AR) technology into coffee retail experiences, allowing customers to visualize the taste profiles and brewing methods of various coffee products.
2. Coffee Education - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create e-learning platforms or online courses that offer comprehensive coffee education, covering topics such as flavor profiles, brewing techniques, and coffee sustainability.
3. Coffee Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop smart coffee brewing devices or IoT-enabled coffee machines that can analyze coffee beans and customize the brewing process based on desired flavor profiles.