Tasting Basics Acidity - refers to a pleasant "snap" or crispness that makes coffee refreshing and palate- cleansing. It does not mean "bitter" or "sour". High acidity is a desirable characteristic of mountain grown Arabic coffees and has nothing to do with the level of acid - the pH - of the coffee. Aroma - refers to the distinctive and complex fragrance of the brewed coffee. It comes from gases that escape from the roasted beans after they are ground, and from vapors released during brewing. It's the first indication of a coffee's quality. Balance - refers to how well the various flavor characteristics in a coffee blend with each other. A balance coffee is one in which no single flavor characteristic predominates or overwhelms the others, but which is still complex enough to be interesting. Body -a sensation of relative weight on the tongue. Think of the comparative sensation of whole milk to skim milk. Light, medium, full and heavy are words used to describe body in coffee.