The smell or taste of ash, such as an ashtray, cigarette smoke, or fireplace. Often a roast defectA problem with the roasting machine or process, resulting in off flavors in the cup: Roast defects indicate a problem with the roasting machine or process, resulting in... ...more.: A quality in aromaAroma refers to sensations perceived by the olfactory bulb and conveyed to the brain; whether through the nose or "retro-nasally": The aromatics of a coffee greatly influence its... ...more or flavor similar to that of an ashtray, the odor of smokers’ fingers or the smell one gets when cleaning out a fireplace. In the most moderate amount, it may not ruin a cup, but is never used by Sweet Maria’s as a positive quality. Ashy flavors can hint at roasting defects, anything from smokeyUsually a defect of roasting, or of green coffee processing, smokey notes are sometimes found as a positive flavor in a few exotic coffees; This smell and flavor... ...more uncleanA general negative description of dirty or hard flavors in a coffee that should have none. These are flavors without positive qualities, that distract from the cup. Also... ...more air being recycled through a roasting drum (or a roaster that doesn’t vent, like a barbeque drum roasterA roaster with a rotating drum that provides agitation to the beans, while a heating element (typically either electric or gas) provides heat. The metal drum conducts heat... ...more set-up). Softer, lower-grown coffees will show ashy tastes before high-grown, dense coffees, given the same roast treatment.
