What is a Coffee Flight?

A coffee flight is a side-by-side sampler of three to five coffees served together so you can compare them at once. Typically three 2 to 3 oz pours, often single-origin beans brewed the same way, sometimes different brewing methods applied to the same bean.

It is the coffee equivalent of a wine flight or a beer flight: a structured tasting that helps you understand what makes each coffee different.

Coffee flights appear on menus at about 8% of specialty shops. They are a sign of a serious coffee program.

Not every specialty shop offers them because they require more staff time and attention than a single drink order. The shops that do are usually the ones most interested in educating their customers about origin and process. In Tokyo, coffee flights are relatively common at high-end pour over bars. In Portland and San Francisco, they appear at the most thoughtful independent shops.

"A coffee flight answers a question you cannot answer from a single cup: what makes this coffee different from that one?"

What to expect when ordering one

A coffee flight typically comes with a card describing each coffee: the origin, variety, processing method, and tasting notes. You are usually meant to taste them in a specific order. Drink them without milk first so you can taste the actual coffee. Then add milk if you want to see how each holds up.

Price is usually $12 to $18 for three pours. That is higher per ounce than a standard cup but lower than ordering three separate drinks. Ask about coffee flights at shops like Coava Coffee in Portland or specialty shops in Chicago. Learn more about pour over brewing in what is a pour over?

Related: What is a pour over?, Why specialty coffee is expensive, Every coffee drink explained.