A speciality coffee flavour note across London.
Squash in speciality coffee refers to the soft, rounded sweetness of cooked or fresh vegetable marrow and summer squash, occasionally edging towards a mild butternut or pumpkin quality. In the cup it reads as a gentle, slightly starchy sweetness with low acidity, contributing body and warmth rather than brightness. This character is typically linked to natural or anaerobic processing methods, where extended contact with fruit mucilage encourages fermentation-derived compounds that produce fuller, sometimes earthy-sweet flavour profiles.
This note is often found in coffees from Ethiopia and Latin American origins, particularly when processed using natural or extended fermentation methods that allow sugars and pulp to interact with the bean over a longer period. Central American coffees from countries such as Honduras or Guatemala can sometimes carry this quality, especially at medium roast levels where roast sweetness amplifies any underlying starchy character. It tends to emerge more readily in lower-grown lots or in varieties with inherently dense, sweet bean chemistry.
On a bag or cafe menu, look for tasting notes that include words such as butternut, pumpkin, marrow, or roasted vegetables alongside broader descriptors like sweet and full-bodied, as these often signal the same flavour family. Natural or anaerobic process coffees are the most likely candidates to carry this character. Brew methods that preserve body and reduce sharp acidity, such as French press or a well-controlled filter, tend to bring this note forward most clearly.
Take our 60-second flavour quiz and discover roasts across London that are aligned with your palate — including ones carrying squash notes.