Cupping?
Doesn’t all coffee taste the same? They’re all “bitter” to me! What is cupping?
Ever noticed your bag of coffee bean says “notes of caramel and orange?” That’s because someone cupped it and noted down those flavour profiles. Coffee cupping is the same like wine tasting where different coffee have different flavour profiles. It is a professional way to determine the quality of coffee and analyse their aromas.
However, coffee cupping is not just for the pros. Here’s a guide on coffee cupping and train our palate to get used to those different flavour profiles.
Bean to Cup
First of all, grind your bean with the perfect grind size! Obviously, you can’t cup without ground coffee.
Start with the Aroma
Smell your coffee! Yup, you are encouraged to write down all the fragrances that you have picked up.
Form a Crust of Coffee
Water is added to the grounds, forming a crust of coffee at the top of the cup.
Break It!
Grab a spoon to “break the crust” to allow more of the fragrance of the coffee to escape. Now, smell it again.
Slurp it Right!
Now this is the most exciting part of cupping. You are supposed to “slurp” instead taking a “sip”. Suck the coffee in and spray it into your mouth so that it covers your whole tongue. This way, you are able to experience more aromas.
Note Everything Down
Acidity: Coffee with favourable acidity is often defined as “bright” and coffee with unfavourable acidity is often defined as “sour”
Flavour: What could you taste? Dark Chocolate? Fruity? Caramel? Don’t be afraid to write down whatever you have tasted. There is no right or wrong answer to it.
Body: How does the overall coffee taste? Thin or heavy? I am pretty sure you could tell the differences in drinking a skim milk and heavy cream.
Aftertaste: What is the aftertaste that lingers in your mouth? The aftertaste of a coffee is just as important to the overall quality of the coffee as the initial taste.
Explore and Have Fun!
Cupping may sound hard and complicated, but do remember coffee cupping are about exploring the world of coffee and have fun. What I love about cupping is it allows people to compare and have a better understanding on the different types of coffee. So, just have fun while you can! There’s no limitations in exploring something new.
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