The Art of Coffee Cupping: A Guide to Professional Tasting and Evaluation
Coffee cupping is a method of tasting and evaluating coffee that is used by coffee professionals all over the world. It is a standardized process that allows coffee professionals to compare different coffees and identify their unique flavors and qualities.
What is Coffee Cupping?
Coffee cupping is a multi-sensory experience that involves tasting, smelling, and feeling the coffee. The cupping process begins with grinding the coffee beans and then pouring hot water over them. The coffee is allowed to steep for a few minutes, and then it is evaluated for its aroma, acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste.
The Purpose of Coffee Cupping
Coffee cupping is used by coffee professionals for a variety of purposes, including:
To evaluate the quality of coffee beans
To select coffee beans for roasting
To develop new coffee blends
To troubleshoot coffee brewing problems
To educate coffee drinkers about the different flavors of coffee
The Steps of Coffee Cupping
The coffee cupping process is as follows:
Prepare the equipment. This includes a cupping spoon, a cupping bowl, a scale, and a timer.
Grind the coffee beans. The beans should be ground to a medium-coarse grind.
Pour the hot water over the ground coffee. The water should be between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.
Stir the coffee. This will help to distribute the flavors evenly.
Evaluate the coffee. This includes tasting, smelling, and feeling the coffee.
Score the coffee. Coffee professionals use a scoring system to evaluate the quality of coffee.
The Scoring System
Coffee professionals use a scoring system to evaluate the quality of coffee. The most common scoring system is the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) scoring system. The SCAA scoring system ranges from 0 to 100, with 80 being the minimum score for a coffee to be considered specialty grade.
The SCAA scoring system evaluates coffee on the following criteria:
Aroma: The aroma of the coffee should be fresh, clean, and appealing.
Flavor: The flavor of the coffee should be well-balanced and complex.
Aftertaste: The aftertaste of the coffee should be pleasant and lingering.
Body: The body of the coffee should be full and rich.
Uniformity: The coffee should be uniform in appearance and flavor.
Clean Cup: The coffee should be free from defects such as sourness, bitterness, or off-flavors.
Conclusion
Coffee cupping is a complex and nuanced process that requires a trained palate. However, it is a valuable tool for coffee professionals who want to evaluate the quality of coffee and develop new coffee drinks.
If you are interested in learning more about coffee cupping, there are many resources available online and in coffee shops. There are also many coffee cupping classes offered by coffee roasters and specialty coffee shops.
With a little practice, you can learn to cup coffee like a professional and develop your own palate for coffee.
