What is coffee cupping? As people are becoming more sophisticated and discerning about their coffee, many are asking this question to better understand and gain more knowledge about their favorite beverage. Because of this increasing sophistication, many are now familiar with the word “barista” and understand the important roles of the types of roast and grind of coffee beans play on the flavor of their coffee.
Cupping is a systematic method of evaluating the aroma and taste of coffee beans usually employed by professional Master Tasters. Growers, buyers, and roasters often use the method to assess the quality of a particular sample of coffee. Coffee beans go through several cuppings throughout its life. It is first done at the farm to determine the quality of the lot and is done again before exporting, at the roaster, by the buyers, and may be done again by both the coffee connoisseur and the average drinker alike.
Coffee cupping divulges the fine distinctions of a coffee bean. It can tell you the region where they are grown, the quality of the crops from that year, and can even tell you the different lots within the same farm. For an average coffee drinker, it can determine the characteristics of the type of coffee you love – or hate, for that matter.
A standard coffee cupping procedure involves deeply sniffing the coffee for post-grinding fragrance and after-brewing aroma, then loudly slurping the coffee (known as aspiration) so it spreads to the back of the tongue.
The coffee taster attempts to measure aspects of the coffee’s taste, specifically the body (the texture or mouthfeel, such as oiliness), sweetness (the perceived sweetness at the sides of the tongue), acidity (a sharp and tangy feeling at the tip of the tongue like when biting into an orange), flavor (the characters in the cup), cleanliness, balance, and aftertaste. Since coffee beans embody telltale flavors from the region where they were grown, cuppers may attempt to predict the coffee’s origin.
Average coffee drinkers need not necessarily be Master Tasters. However, a little knowledge about what to look for in coffee will certainly help you how to make coffee at home that you and your guests will love and enjoy. Understanding what is coffee cupping all about moves your discerning taste up a notch.
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