Fermentation → Sensory Lab Worksheets designed exactly for KCS TAS 2 + the Causality Bridge Module.
Alfred Gitau Mwaura has written them the way real lab sheets should be: observation → hypothesis
🧪☕ FERMENTATION → SENSORY LAB WORKSHEETS
Reading the Cup as Biochemical Evidence
Institution: Kenya Coffee School
Module: Sensory → Fermentation → Roast → Cup
Level: TAS 2 (Sensory Intelligence)
🧫 LAB 1 — ACID TYPE IDENTIFICATION
Which acids were designed during fermentation?
Objective
To identify dominant organic acids in the cup and trace them to fermentation pathways.
Cup Sample ID: ___________
A. Sensory Detection (Taste First)
Tick all that apply:
- ☐ Juicy / citrus
- ☐ Crisp / apple-like
- ☐ Sparkling / cola-like
- ☐ Creamy / yogurt-like
- ☐ Sharp / vinegary
- ☐ Harsh / drying
B. Acid Mapping
| Sensory Cue | Likely Acid | Detected (✓) |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus, juicy | Citric acid | |
| Green apple | Malic acid | |
| Sparkling | Phosphoric acid | |
| Creamy | Lactic acid | |
| Sharp sour | Acetic acid | |
| Harsh bitterness | Quinic acid |
C. Fermentation Hypothesis
Dominant fermentation type (circle one):
- Washed (controlled)
- Extended washed
- Lactic / inoculated
- Anaerobic
- Uncontrolled / over-fermented
Reasoning (chemical, not opinion):
🍬 LAB 2 — SWEETNESS ORIGIN ANALYSIS
Is sweetness built or missing?
Objective
To determine whether perceived sweetness originates from sugar preservation, fermentation efficiency, or roast exposure.
A. Sweetness Perception
Rate on a scale of 1–5:
Sweetness intensity: 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐
Sweetness character (tick):
- ☐ Honey-like
- ☐ Caramel
- ☐ Candy-like
- ☐ Thin / fleeting
- ☐ Absent
B. Chemical Interpretation
| Observation | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| Deep sweetness | High sucrose + controlled fermentation |
| Thin sweetness | Sugar loss during fermentation |
| No sweetness | Poor cherry maturity or degradation |
Likely fermentation outcome:
C. Roast Interaction Check
Does roast appear to:
- ☐ Preserve sweetness
- ☐ Expose lack of sugars
- ☐ Degrade sugars
Trainer note: Roast reveals what fermentation built.
🧈 LAB 3 — BODY & MOUTHFEEL TRACE
Texture as biochemical evidence
Objective
To link mouthfeel to lipid + polysaccharide preservation during fermentation and processing.
A. Mouthfeel Description
Tick dominant sensation:
- ☐ Thin
- ☐ Round
- ☐ Creamy
- ☐ Oily
- ☐ Dry
B. Compound Mapping
| Mouthfeel | Chemical Group |
|---|---|
| Creamy | Lipids + polysaccharides |
| Thin | Low structural compounds |
| Oily | Excess surface lipids |
| Dry | Phenolic dominance |
C. Fermentation Link
Likely fermentation impact on body:
- ☐ Preserved structure
- ☐ Degraded polysaccharides
- ☐ No significant effect
Explain:
🌬️ LAB 4 — AROMATIC IDENTITY & MICROBIAL SIGNALS
What microbes spoke through aroma?
Objective
To identify aromatic families and link them to microbial activity.
A. Aroma Detection (Dry & Wet)
Tick all perceived:
- ☐ Fruity
- ☐ Floral
- ☐ Winey
- ☐ Nutty
- ☐ Solvent-like
- ☐ Funky
B. Aroma → Microbial Link
| Aroma Type | Likely Source |
|---|---|
| Fruity / floral | Esters (yeast activity) |
| Winey | Ethanol → acetic pathway |
| Funky | Uncontrolled microbes |
| Clean & clear | Stable fermentation ecology |
C. Quality Judgment (Circle one)
Aroma expression is:
Clean / Expressive / Overripe / Defective
Chemical justification:
⚠️ LAB 5 — DEFECT FORENSICS
Diagnosing fermentation failure
A. Primary Defect Detected
- ☐ Sharp sour
- ☐ Medicinal
- ☐ Musty
- ☐ Fermented / rotten
- ☐ Astringent
B. Causality Chain
| Stage | Observation |
|---|---|
| Sensory symptom | |
| Chemical imbalance | |
| Fermentation failure | |
| Roast role | Exposure / Amplification |
C. Final Verdict (Complete the sentence)
“This defect is caused by __________________ during fermentation,
and the roast __________________ the issue.”
🧠 LAB 6 — FULL CUP BACK-TRACING (CAPSTONE)
Blind Cup Code: ___________
- Top 3 sensory signals detected:
- Dominant chemical groups:
- Most likely fermentation style:
- Roast interaction:
- Preserved / Exposed / Destroyed
- Overall cup quality (chemical reasoning):
🎯 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA (Trainer Use)
Students are evaluated on:
- Chemical reasoning (not guessing)
- Logical fermentation linkage
- Clear sensory language
- Ability to separate cause vs amplifier
Correct reasoning beats correct answers.
KCS Teaching Line (Use Often)
The tongue detects.
The brain diagnoses.
The process explains.