Have you ever wondered how experts determine if coffee is truly good? Why one bean is labeled premium while another is considered mediocre? The answer lies in a special process called “cupping.” Let’s dive into this fascinating world of professional coffee tasting!
What is Cupping and Why Do We Need It?
Cupping (or “coffee cupping”) is essentially a coffee “test drive.” Imagine being able to “listen” to coffee like a music track, catching all its notes, tempo, and mood. That’s exactly what professional tasters do!
Interestingly, cupping emerged in the late 19th century. Merchants needed a reliable way to evaluate the quality of coffee they were buying from different parts of the world—they couldn’t just take someone’s word that the coffee was excellent, right? Over time, this method evolved into a real science with its own rules, now regulated by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
How Cupping Works: From Bean to Cup
You might think it’s just “sip coffee—say if it’s tasty or not.” In reality, it’s much more fascinating! Here’s how it happens:
- Sample Preparation — coffee beans are roasted lightly (to avoid “overpowering” their natural flavor), then ground to the consistency of sea salt.
- Smelling the Dry Grounds — the first contact with coffee begins with its aroma. It’s like a first date—first impressions matter!
- Adding Hot Water — hot water is poured over each portion of ground coffee (about a heaping teaspoon). A “crust” of coffee grounds forms on the surface.
- Breaking the Crust — after 3-5 minutes, the taster uses a special spoon to break this crust and, leaning close to the cup, inhales the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. This is when all the aromatic compounds are released!
- Time to Taste — when the coffee cools down a bit (to around 158°F), the most interesting part begins. The coffee is scooped up with special wide spoons and slurped into the mouth with a characteristic loud noise. The sound isn’t for show—it helps distribute the coffee evenly across the entire tongue to better taste it.
- Recording Impressions — tasters note all their observations on special forms, scoring different parameters.
What Exactly is Evaluated in Coffee?
When you drink your morning coffee, you might say: “Mmm, delicious!” or “Ugh, bitter!” But professionals break down the flavor into components:
- Aroma — this bouquet of scents can remind you of anything: from flowers and fruits to chocolate and nuts. “Smells like freshly baked cookies with berries!” — such a description is completely normal for cupping.
- Flavor — what you feel when coffee hits your tongue. Sweet? Sour? Bitter? Or perhaps with notes of caramel or citrus?
- Aftertaste — how long the flavor lingers in your mouth after a sip, and what it’s like. Good coffee can “resonate” in your mouth long after you’ve swallowed it.
- Acidity — don’t confuse this with a sour taste! It’s more about the brightness and liveliness of the beverage. High acidity makes coffee more invigorating and interesting, like lemonade on a hot day.
- Body — the sensation of coffee’s “thickness” in your mouth. Light and watery or thick and buttery-creamy? Both options can be excellent, depending on the variety.
- Balance — how all these characteristics combine. Like in a good orchestra—no instrument should “overpower” the others.
- Clean Cup — whether there are any unpleasant or foreign flavors in the coffee.
Why is Cupping Important for Different People?
For Farmers
“Hey, Juan, our coffee scored 86 points out of 100! We can ask for a higher price next season!” — this is roughly how farmers use cupping results. They also learn what exactly can be improved in their coffee.
For Buyers and Sellers
Imagine buying coffee from Ethiopia without leaving your office in Port Charlotte. How do you know if it’s worth the money? Right—through cupping!
For Roasters
“If I roast these beans a little longer, the caramel notes will become more pronounced, but the floral acidity might disappear…” — such decisions are made based on cupping sessions.
For Baristas
Knowledge of cupping results helps baristas select the ideal brewing method for each coffee variety and better advise guests on which coffee suits their taste preferences.
For You and Me
Although most of us don’t conduct formal cupping at home, we indirectly benefit from it. Information about flavor profiles often written on coffee packages comes directly from cupping results. “Raspberry-chocolate profile with wine-like acidity”—these aren’t marketing gimmicks but the results of professional tasting!
Cupping as a Way to Dive Deeper into the Coffee World
Today, cupping has expanded beyond professional laboratories. Many excellent coffee shops hold open cupping sessions where anyone can try their hand at tasting. It’s like a wine club, but with coffee!
These events help ordinary coffee lovers better understand what they drink daily and learn to distinguish the subtle nuances of different varieties. You’ll agree it’s much more interesting than just ordering a “regular coffee with milk.”
And for those looking to build a career in the coffee world, cupping skills are simply invaluable. Q-graders (certified coffee tasters) are like sommeliers in the coffee world—their opinion can influence the price of entire batches of beans!
Cupping Isn’t All Straightforward
Despite all standards and methodologies, cupping isn’t free from subjectivity. After all, taste is a very personal thing! What one person describes as a “berry bomb,” another might call “slightly fruity.”
To reduce this subjectivity, “blind” cuppings are often conducted (where tasters don’t know which coffee they’re sampling) or several experts are involved, and an average score is taken.
Conclusion: Cupping is the Bridge Between Your Cup and the Coffee Plantation
Cupping isn’t just professional fun for coffee geeks. It’s a serious tool that helps the entire coffee chain work more efficiently: from the farmer growing coffee cherries somewhere in the Colombian mountains to the barista making your latte at your local coffee shop.
And the coolest thing is that thanks to cupping, we can all enjoy better coffee—the kind that makes us smile from the first sip and say: “Wow, now that’s coffee!”
So the next time you drink your morning coffee, try becoming a taster for a moment: smell the aroma, pay attention to the acidity or sweetness, feel the aftertaste… Perhaps you’ll discover your favorite coffee in a whole new way!
