Tasting coffee at home: a simple comparison

Discover your preferences with two coffees, your usual brewing method and a few notes. A practical exercise without specialist equipment.

Stefan Anzinger, SCA AST

September 07, 2026

You do not need to name exotic aromas to taste coffee attentively. Often the simplest question is the most useful: what do I notice when two coffees are side by side? This small comparison is an easy place to start at home.

What you need

Two coffees suited to the same brewing method
Your usual brewing equipment and, ideally, a scale
Two similar cups, drinking water and something to write on

This is our straightforward everyday exercise, not an official cupping protocol. You do not need a scoring form or professional tasting equipment.

Prepare the comparison

Label the cups A and B. If someone is helping, they can keep a separate note of which is which. Prepare both coffees using the same method and a recorded starting recipe. Keep water, coffee dose and drink yield as comparable as possible.

If you brew them one after another, also assess each after a similar cooling time. Otherwise, you may mainly be comparing a hot coffee with one that has already cooled. A shared starting recipe is convenient, but will not necessarily be ideal for both coffees.

Four questions while tasting

What does the aroma remind me of? Start with familiar words such as nutty, fruity, chocolatey or roasty. You do not need to identify a specific fruit.
How does the coffee feel in my mouth? Light or substantial, smooth or drying? Describe the impression in your own words.
What remains afterwards? Notice the aftertaste: is it pleasant, brief, lasting or dominated by a particular impression?
Which do I prefer drinking? Keep personal enjoyment separate from description. Greater intensity is not automatically better.

A simple note is enough

For example: “A: nutty impression, light mouthfeel, would enjoy it black. B: bolder, longer aftertaste, would like to try it with milk.” That is already useful information, even without a score.

Taste again later at a comfortable, slightly cooler temperature. If you use milk, follow up with a second comparison using equal amounts. Repeat your favourite on another day and adjust its recipe deliberately.

If you want more precise descriptions

The World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon offers terms and references for describing coffee systematically. For your first comparisons, a small selection of familiar words of your own is enough.

Explore further

Sensory basics · Understanding brewing recipes · Explore coffees to compare