cupping & tasting
THIS IS BY NO MEANS A DETAILED CUPPING BRIEF. This cupping brief IS PROVIDED TO GIVE YOU AN INSIGHT INTO THE BASIC CUPPING PROCESSES AND EVALUATION STAGES.
Coffee Cupping is the process of methodically and systematically evaluating the taste and aroma of coffee bean samples. A set approach is utilised to both brew the coffee samples and help the cupper evaluate the coffee’s taste, smell and mouth-feel. Cupping is an essential part and process in determining the quality and taste dynamics of different coffee samples.
Cupping Requirements
- Fresh Coffee Samples
- Adjustable Coffee Grinder
- Adjustable Water Boiler
- Cupping Spoon Set (Generally 6)
- Score form and pen
- Porcelain Bowl Cup Set (Wide Rim)
- Spit Bucket or Bowl
- Aroma Neutral Room (Very Important)
- Bread pear apple to clear palette between tastings
- Napkins or paper towels
Why is cupping important?
There are so many reasons why silver spoons should be drawn: sourcing new coffees, quality issues, developing new blends, comparing products (especially competitors’ products), roast profiles, education, and consistency.
The most important reason for cupping however is to maintain and improve the quality and consistency of your own coffees. If you don’t test you don’t really know.
The cupping experience
Cupping may seem a bit daunting to newbie cuppers – Spitting, Swallowing, Gargling, Slurping and MANY Funny Noises are all part of the fun.
By exaggerating these actions you over stimulate and saturate potentially more nerve endings to get the most out of each coffee you are testing.
Making the most of the cupping experience is all about planning ahead and ensuring your process is consistent and controlled.
Main cupping stages
Fragrance
The first thing that needs to be evaluated is the fragrance of the coffee beans sample. Grind a controlled sample of the selected coffee beans and place it into the sampling cup, then robustly sniff the gases released from the freshly ground coffee beans.
The intensity of the fragrance reveals the freshness of the coffee beans sample, or the time that has passed between the time of roasting and grinding the sample.
Aroma
Aroma is the next step that needs to be examined. Near boiling water is poured over the newly ground coffee beans in the sampling cup.
Once the coffee particles have soaked for 2 to 3 minutes there should be a newly formed coffee crust on the surface of the cup.
Stir the crust surface with the cupping spoon and with long deep sniffs, inhale the gases that are released.
Taste
Taste is the next thing that needs to be assessed in the cupping process. Using your special cupping spoon, fill the spoon head with the coffee brew in the sampling cup and forcefully slurp the fluid into your mouth.
Because of the high intensive slurp action the coffee should have covered all areas of the mouth so all nerve endings respond to taste.
Hold the coffee in your mouth for about 5 seconds and record your coffee sample’s taste characteristics and dynamics.
Nose
This step needs to be completed in combination with the taste step. The intensive sucking draws gases into the nose cavity.
The combination of taste and nose gives the cupper the opportunity to experience the entire flavour dynamics.
Tip! It’s a good idea to have Sparkling Mineral Water on hand to help clean the palette between cupping sessions.
Aftertaste
The fifth stage of the cupping process is to filter out the coffee brew after taste. You must swallow a small portion of coffee brew after holding it in the mouth for about 5 seconds.
Once swallowed quickly pump the larynx to force the gases/vapours back through the nasal cavity to reveal a more precise aftertaste.
Body
Finish the cupping process by determining the mouth-feel of the sample. Gently slide your tongue across the roof of your mouth – this exercise measures the body or mouth-feel of the coffee sample.
The body is categorised by the thickness, viscosity, oiliness, slipperiness, and how the coffee brew fibres feel within the mouth.
Tip! Many successful master roasters cup their daily roasts every day to check quality, consistency and roast profiles.