Coffee Cupping

Tasting Coffee

Coffee Roast Preparation

The coffee should be fresh roasted to a light level - Agtron 65, around 30 seconds into the first crack, and way before second crack, so that during roasting this means that typically the bean temperature should never go past 210°C. This roasted level is selected as it holds in tact more aroma, tastes and can still be evaluated for defects, without dramatically affecting the coffee.

All samples must be roasted to the same level. To check this all samples are ground and placed on a white sheet so that any colour difference can be noted, and the sample rejected.

Once the roasted coffee is cooled down to room temperature it should be ground for drip filter or French press level - moderately course.

Coffee Table Preparation

Normally coffee cupping is preformed at a round table, or a table with a lazy susan (rotating round plate). The reason for this is so that the cuppers (a person doing the cupping) does not need to move.

Six to 10 cups are arranged in a triangle. At the top of the traingle is a sample of the roasted and a sample of the green bean. In the centre of the that a cup of water at room temperature is placed, and a container with normal tablespoons to be used for cupping.

Any observations of the green and roasted coffee can be made, and then the green and roasted coffee is coverred. This is done so that the green bean and roasted bean are no longer a destraction for the rest of the process.

Coffee Sample Glass

The cupping glasses should be able to take at least 180ml. Whiskey glasses with a thick base are the norm.

Start boiling filter water. Make sure it is new water, as reboiled water can affect the taste.

Coffee Fragrance and Aroma Analysis

Before adding water smell coffee grounds and record observations under the fragerance section.

With the water at 92°C, take 55g, about 2 tablespoons, of coffee and add it to 180ml of water. Also add water to the container that holds the cupping tablespoons, ensuring the spoon temperature is the same as the coffee temperature

Smell each cup without disturbing it and write down your initial observations of the coffee aroma.

Wait about 2 minutes then break the crust of the coffee using one of the preheated spoons.

Placing your nose directly over the cup push the coffee down, with the spoon, thereby ensuring that you can capture the most potent burst of aroma. This is the best time to evaluate the coffee aroma.

After breaking the crust stir the cup a little to making all the coffee grinds are covered in water, helping the coffee sink to the bottom of the cup. Add any further description of the aroma that may occur.

After rinsing the spoon you used in hot water move to the next sample. Evaluated the aroma of all of the sample then scoop out any grounds that continue to float. Due to the high density of the lightly roasted coffee most of the grounds will sink.

Coffee Flavour Analysis

Wait for the coffee to cool sufficiently to be drunk. Then take some coffee into the spoon and quaff the coffee quickly so that it is aspirated over the entire tongue.

It is important to aspirate strongly since you are trying to cover the entire tongue evenly, and doing so strongly will cause tiny droplets of coffee to be distributed around the mouth, into the throat and into the nasal passage. At is an establish fact that the nose acts as a powerful tasting tool, and it is the main tool you have in determining the aroma characteristics.

Record your observations after each coffee taste recording acidity, aftertaste, and body. Then move to the next cup repeat the procedure and compare the different cups. It is often possible to detect new flavours as the coffee in each cup cools, therefore it is important to cup  when a coffee is both warm and when it has cooled to just above room temperature. The best coffees will have positive characteristics at both ranges of temperature.

If cupping more than a couple cups of coffee, it is recommended that you spit out the coffee after evaluation, helps provide consistent results, as the palate is clearer.

Normally at least 5 cups of the same coffee are tested at a sitting, which then can provide a more detailed description of the findings during the coffee cupping procedure.