Coffee cupping is a standardized, systematic method for evaluating the sensory qualities of coffee, allowing professionals to objectively assess a coffee's aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance, and overall quality. It fundamentally involves brewing coffee using only water and coffee in a small cup or bowl, meticulously observing, smelling, and tasting it to remove the numerous variables different brew methods can introduce. This process ensures that the inherent characteristics of the coffee beans themselves are the sole focus of evaluation.
The Purpose of Coffee Cupping
Cupping serves several critical functions within the coffee industry:
- Quality Control: Roasters and producers use cupping to ensure consistency and identify any defects in their coffee batches.
- Green Coffee Sourcing: Buyers assess unroasted coffee samples to make informed purchasing decisions.
- Flavor Profiling: It helps identify specific flavor notes and characteristics, crucial for marketing and blending.
- Roast Development: Roasters fine-tune their roast profiles by cupping coffees at different roast levels.
- Education and Training: It's a fundamental tool for training baristas and coffee enthusiasts on sensory evaluation.
The Cupping Protocol: A Step-by-Step Guide
The cupping process follows a strict protocol to ensure consistency and comparability across different sessions and evaluators. While specific details might vary slightly, the core steps remain the same:
1. Preparation
Before the actual tasting begins, meticulous preparation is key:
- Grinding: Whole bean coffee samples are weighed precisely and ground to a consistent coarse setting, similar to French press, immediately before water is added. Each sample is kept in its own cup or bowl.
- Water: Fresh, filtered hot water (typically around 200°F / 93°C) is prepared.
- Environment: A clean, neutral-smelling environment free from distractions is essential.
2. Dry Fragrance
This is the first sensory evaluation. Cuppers smell the freshly ground coffee in each cup before water is added. They note the fragrance – the aromas perceived from the dry grounds – looking for characteristics like floral, nutty, chocolaty, or earthy notes, as well as any off-notes.
3. Wet Aroma (Crust Formation)
Hot water is poured over the grounds, fully saturating them. A "crust" of coffee grounds will form on the surface. After a specific steep time (usually 3-5 minutes), cuppers evaluate the aroma – the smell of the wet grounds and brewed coffee – by gently sniffing the steam rising from the cups.
4. Breaking the Crust
After the initial wet aroma evaluation, the cupper uses a spoon to gently push the floating crust of grounds to the back of the cup, stirring the coffee three times. As the crust breaks, a rush of volatile aromatic compounds is released, offering a more intense and complex aroma experience. The foam and remaining grounds are then skimmed off the surface to allow for clear tasting.
5. Tasting
This is the core of the cupping process. Once the coffee has cooled to a comfortable temperature (typically below 160°F / 70°C), cuppers begin to taste each sample. This is done by slurping the coffee loudly from a cupping spoon. Slurping atomizes the coffee, allowing it to cover the entire palate and introduce air, which helps release its full aromatic profile.
During tasting, cuppers evaluate several attributes:
- Flavor: The primary taste and aroma perceived in the mouth.
- Acidity: The pleasant tartness or brightness, often described as lively or crisp.
- Body: The mouthfeel or weight of the coffee on the tongue (e.g., light, heavy, creamy).
- Aftertaste: The lingering flavors and sensations after swallowing.
- Balance: How well all the attributes harmonize.
- Sweetness: The perceived sweet taste.
- Defects: Any undesirable flavors or aromas.
Common Cupping Attributes and Descriptors
| Attribute | Description | Positive Descriptors | Negative Descriptors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fragrance | Aroma of dry grounds | Floral, fruity, chocolate, caramel | Moldy, dirty, hay, rubbery |
| Aroma | Scent of wet grounds and brewed coffee | Nutty, spicy, herbaceous, roasted | Sour, burnt, medicinal, phenolic |
| Flavor | Overall taste and aroma perceived | Berry, citrus, cocoa, vanilla, complex | Flat, woody, sour, bitter |
| Acidity | Pleasant tartness; perceived brightness | Bright, sparkling, crisp, vibrant | Sour, harsh, vinegary |
| Body | Mouthfeel and texture | Creamy, rich, heavy, silky | Thin, watery, gritty |
| Aftertaste | Lingering sensation after swallowing | Clean, sweet, long, pleasant | Short, drying, acrid, bitter |
| Balance | Harmony of all attributes | Well-rounded, harmonious, complete | Unbalanced, disjointed, chaotic |
| Sweetness | Perceived sugary characteristic | Honey, brown sugar, molasses, fruit-like | Lacking, astringent, flat |
| Defects | Undesirable tastes or smells | N/A | Tainted, fermented, musty, earthy |
(Adapted from Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping forms)
6. Scoring and Documentation
Throughout the entire process, cuppers take detailed notes and assign scores (often on a 100-point scale) to each attribute using standardized cupping forms. These scores and notes help quantify quality and provide actionable feedback. Multiple cuppers often evaluate the same samples to ensure objectivity and consensus.
By adhering to this rigorous protocol, cupping effectively isolates the inherent qualities of the coffee, making it the most reliable method for understanding and communicating the true potential of a coffee bean.
