How can one identify baked coffee?

Identifying baked coffee primarily involves taste, particularly because the flavor profile of baked coffee can manifest unique characteristics. When coffee beans are over-roasted or roasted past their ideal point, they typically lose their intended flavor complexity and can develop a dull, flat, or even ashy taste. Tasting the coffee allows one to discern these undesirable qualities more definitively than relying solely on visual or aromatic cues.

While aroma plays a significant role in coffee experience, the taste ultimately provides the most reliable indication of over-roasting. Similarly, visual characteristics may offer some insights, such as an overly dark appearance, but these aren't as conclusive, as the color alone does not accurately represent flavor nuances. Smell can alert a coffee drinker to certain off-notes, but again, the authenticity of the flavor is most reliably gauged through tasting.