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Cupping

Cupping is the practice of observing the flavour and sensory characteristics of coffee. It's an industry practice that can be done informally by anyone, or by professionals following strict protocols and guidelines. It aims to evaluate the roasted coffee by grinding the beans and steeping with hot water in cupping bowls for a set amount of time. Using a quick and reproducible brew method is a way to reduce the variability of results due to changes in recipes or techniques, as well to make it feasible to prepare a dozen different samples at once.

The ground coffee floats to the top forming a crust. By breaking the crust a cupper can evaluate the aromatics as they are released. The brew is then slurped from a cupping spoon aspirating the coffee over the palate to obtain the organoleptic (flavor) profile of each coffee.

The goal is to evaluate several aspects:

• Fragrance of the dry grounds
• Aroma of the coffee brew
• Acidity in the tongue (a.k.a brightness, sourness)
• Body of the drink (a.k.a texture, mouthfeel, tactile richness, thickness)
• Sweetness vs Bitterness
• Flavor: combined impression of gustatory sensations and retro nasal aromas
• Defects
• Aftertaste notes and duration
• Balance: contrast or complement between factors
• Uniformity: consistency between different cups
• Astringency? #TODO https://coffeeadastra.com/2022/08/01/the-mechanism-behind-astringency-in-coffee/

Protocol

Materials:

• Coffee
• Grinder
• Kettle
• Scale
• Spoon (two is best)

Method:

1. Weigh 9 g of coffee beans
2. Grind the coffees, purging between samples (@7.0/P100)
3. Evaluate its fragrances
4. Boil a kettle of water (93C)
5. Pour 160 g into each cup
6. Let rest in immersion for 4 minutes
7. Evaluate the aromas
8. Swirl surface three times and scoop floaters
9. Evaluate the aromas again when crust is broken
10. Chill for 8 minutes
11. Sip n' Slurp