🎓 TAS 1 & TAS 2 – GOOGLE SLIDES (Trainer-Branded)

🟢 TAS 1 GOOGLE SLIDES

Sensory Literacy: What Am I Tasting?

Slide 1 – Title

TAS 1: Sensory Literacy
Tasting & Smelling as Chemical Detection

Footer: GCPRs TAS 1 | Kenya Coffee School

Slide 2 – Learning Objectives

By the end of TAS 1, trainees can:

• Identify major chemical groups in coffee
• Match taste sensations to compounds
• Describe coffee using objective sensory language

KCS Principle: Taste is detection, not preference.

Slide 3 – Coffee Is Chemistry

Coffee quality is determined by:

• Organic acids
• Sugars
• Lipids
• Proteins & amino acids
• Polysaccharides
• Phenolics
• Volatile aromatic compounds

Sensory analysis = chemical literacy

Slide 4 – Acids (Acidity Quality)

Major Acids

• Citric – juicy, citrus
• Malic – crisp, apple
• Phosphoric – sparkling
• Lactic – creamy
• Acetic – sharp (excess = defect)
• Quinic – harsh bitterness

Q term: Acidity
KCS lens: Type + balance matter

Slide 5 – Sugars (Sweetness Foundation)

Primary Sugars

• Sucrose
• Glucose
• Fructose

During roasting:

• Caramelization
• Maillard reactions

Sweetness = controlled transformation, not sugar count

Slide 6 – Lipids & Body

Compounds

• Coffee oils
• Triglycerides
• Cafestol / Kahweol

Sensory impact:

• Body
• Mouthfeel
• Aroma persistence

Slide 7 – Proteins & Complexity

Proteins & amino acids:

• Drive Maillard reactions
• Create depth & structure
• Increase flavor complexity

No proteins → flat cup

Slide 8 – Phenolics & Bitterness

Key Compounds

• Chlorogenic acids
• Caffeic acid

Balanced → structure
Excess → harsh bitterness

Slide 9 – Aromatics (Smell Science)

Functional groups:

• Esters – fruity, floral
• Pyrazines – nutty
• Furans – caramel
• Phenols – smoky

Aroma is chemistry becoming airborne

Slide 10 – TAS 1 Exit Skill

A TAS 1 graduate can say:

“This cup shows malic-dominant acidity, moderate sugars, light lipid body, and controlled phenolic bitterness.”

🔵 TAS 2 GOOGLE SLIDES

Sensory Intelligence: Why Does It Taste This Way?

Slide 1 – TAS 2 Purpose

TAS 2 moves from:

• Detection → diagnosis
• Description → prediction

Slide 2 – Chemical Balance Model

Quality cup =
Acids + Sugars + Lipids + Aromatics
in correct proportion

Defects = chemical imbalance

Slide 3 – Diagnostic Logic

Taste symptom → Chemical group → Process cause

This is applied sensory intelligence.

Slide 4 – Acidity Diagnostics

Slide 5 – Sweetness Diagnostics

Slide 6 – Body Diagnostics

Slide 7 – TAS 2 Exit Skill

A TAS 2 graduate can:

• Identify defects
• Trace cause
• Predict cup outcome before scoring

🖨️ PRINTABLE A3 CUPPING ROOM WALL CHART

KCS Sensory Chemistry Map

THE QUALITY CUP

ACIDS
Brightness • Structure • Freshness

SUGARS
Sweetness • Flavor clarity

LIPIDS
Body • Mouthfeel • Aroma carry

PROTEINS
Complexity • Depth

PHENOLICS
Bitterness • Structural backbone

AROMATICS
Identity • Recognition

BALANCE = QUALITY

IMBALANCE = DEFECT

Footer: Kenya Coffee School | Sensory Is Science

(Print size: A3 vertical, matte finish recommended)

🧪 ASSESSMENT RUBRICS

✅ TAS 1 ASSESSMENT (Sensory Literacy)

Pass Standard: 70%

✅ TAS 2 ASSESSMENT (Sensory Intelligence)

Pass Standard: 75%

🌉 BRIDGE MODULE

From KCS Sensory → Q Scoring

Purpose

Enable KCS-trained students to:

• Sit at Q tables confidently
• Translate chemical understanding into Q language
• Score without abandoning science

Bridge Logic

Teaching Line (Use This)

“Q grading names the sensation.
KCS explains the chemistry behind it.”

Bridge Exercise

1. Cup coffee using KCS sensory language
2. Translate description into Q attributes
3. Assign score last

This prevents score-first bias.