WHAT IS BODY IN COFFEE?

Body is one of the categories used to complete evaluations of coffee, along with other categories such as aroma, sweetness, flavour, acidity, aftertaste, and balance.

The term “body” describes the physical properties and tactile sensations perceived by the mouth such as the sense of “heaviness” (or “mouthfeel”) as the coffee settles on the tongue. Other characteristics include the sensation of oiliness, graininess and wateriness.

Body in coffee is the sensation of weight and texture that is felt while drinking. It is something we feel, rather than something we taste. 

During the roasting process oils are forced from the centre of the beans outwards. The longer a bean is roasted, the more physical and chemical changes that occur so darker roasts generally have an oilier exterior which will deliver a heavier body.

When making a coffee we that is extraction, the soluble compounds dissolve in in the water. However, insoluble compounds in the proteins and fibers, which include oils, do not dissolve and contribute to the body of the coffee.