(If you're one of our regulars, yes—that title is a little wink to our Wi-Fi password.)
One of the most common questions we hear is about the tasting notes on our coffee bags.
Someone picks up a bag that says blueberry, milk chocolate, or caramel, then pauses.
"Wait... I'm allergic to blueberries. Does this coffee actually contain blueberries?"
The answer is almost always no.
The tasting notes on specialty coffee describe the coffee's natural flavors and aromas, not ingredients that have been added. Think of them the same way you would wine tasting notes. When someone describes a wine as having notes of cherry or blackberry, they aren't saying those fruits were added—they're describing the flavors they naturally perceive.
Likewise, if a coffee has tasting notes of blueberry, it doesn't contain blueberries any more than a wine described as "black cherry" contains cherries.
So if you're allergic to blueberries, nuts, chocolate, or citrus, seeing those words listed as tasting notes does not mean those ingredients are in the coffee. They are simply descriptions of the flavors people notice when tasting it.
There is one important exception worth mentioning. Some newer specialty coffees are co-fermented, meaning ingredients like fruit or spices may be intentionally introduced during processing to influence the coffee's flavor. Those coffees are specialty products and should be clearly labeled. Unless a coffee specifically says it is co-fermented, the tasting notes are descriptors—not ingredients.
So Why Does Coffee Taste Like Blueberries?
Coffee is one of the most chemically complex beverages we drink.
As coffee is grown, processed, roasted, and brewed, hundreds of aromatic compounds develop. Many of those compounds contribute to flavors and aromas that our brains associate with fruits, chocolate, nuts, flowers, and spices.
When someone says a coffee has notes of blueberry, they're recognizing flavors and aromas that remind them of blueberries. No fruit was added—the coffee simply developed characteristics that create a similar sensory experience.
The same is true for tasting notes like caramel, jasmine, orange, or dark chocolate. They're descriptions of the coffee's character, not a recipe.
Where Do Those Flavors Come From?
Every step in coffee's journey influences what ends up in your cup.
Origin
Just like wine grapes, coffee reflects where it is grown. Soil, climate, rainfall, altitude, and local growing conditions all influence flavor.
Elevation
Higher-growing coffees often develop more slowly, allowing sugars and organic compounds to develop over time. That's one reason many high-altitude coffees display bright fruit, floral notes, and lively acidity.
Processing
After harvest, coffee can be washed, naturally processed, or honey processed. Each method changes how the coffee fruit interacts with the bean and has a noticeable impact on flavor.
Roasting
Roasting doesn't create flavor out of nowhere—it develops what's already there. A lighter roast may highlight fruit and floral characteristics, while a darker roast brings out more chocolate, caramel, and roast-driven flavors.
Even the way you brew your coffee can change which flavors are most noticeable.
So... Who Decides What's Written on the Bag?
No one sits around throwing darts at a flavor wheel.
Specialty coffee roasters evaluate coffees through a process called cupping, where experienced tasters independently record the flavors, aromas, sweetness, acidity, body, and overall impressions they experience.
When multiple tasters consistently identify characteristics like citrus, cocoa, or berry, those become the tasting notes printed on the bag.
They're not guarantees that everyone will taste exactly the same thing. Instead, they provide a helpful roadmap for understanding a coffee's most recognizable characteristics.
But I Don't Taste Blueberries...
That's perfectly normal.
Taste is deeply personal.
Our brains connect flavors to memories and experiences. If you've never eaten lychee or black currants, those tasting notes probably won't mean much to you. Likewise, your brewing method, water quality, and even the temperature of your coffee can change what you perceive.
You might describe a coffee as "sweet," while someone else calls it "milk chocolate," and someone else simply says, "That's really good."
None of those answers are wrong.
How to Start Tasting Coffee
You don't need a trained palate to appreciate specialty coffee.
Next time you brew a cup, slow down for a minute.
Smell it before you take a sip.
Let the coffee cool slightly—very hot coffee can hide subtle flavors.
Then ask yourself a few simple questions:
- Does it remind you more of chocolate or fruit?
- Is it bright and lively, or smooth and rich?
- Does the flavor linger after you swallow?
Comparing two different coffees side by side is one of the fastest ways to notice these differences. You don't have to identify "bergamot" or "maraschino cherry" to enjoy tasting coffee. Simply noticing that one coffee is fruitier while another is nuttier is a great place to start.
One of our favorite ways to explore these differences is with a pour over. Because pour overs highlight a coffee's unique characteristics so clearly, they're a great way to experience the flavors that make each coffee distinct.
If you've ever wondered why one coffee is described as citrusy while another is chocolatey, trying them as pour overs side by side can be an eye-opening experience. We'd be happy to talk you through what we're tasting, too.
The Bottom Line
When you see tasting notes like caramel, blueberry, or dark chocolate, remember that they're describing the coffee—not what's been added to it.
Those flavors developed naturally through the coffee's variety, where it was grown, how it was processed, how it was roasted, and even how it was brewed.
So yes...
Our coffee still tastes like coffee.
It just turns out that coffee can taste a lot more interesting than most people realize.
