How To Cup Coffee
How to Cup Coffee
Cupping is the professional way to taste and evaluate coffee. It is how we compare different lots, roast levels, and origins to understand their character and quality.
What You Will Need:
Freshly roasted coffee (roasted within the last 7 to 14 days)
Grinder (burr grinder preferred)
Scale
Hot water (about 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 93 degrees Celsius)
Cupping bowls or wide mugs (same size and shape preferred)
Cupping spoons or soup spoons
Timer
Kettle
Clean water for rinsing spoons
Coffee to Water Ratio
Use 8.25 grams of coffee for every 150 milliliters of water, which equals about a 1 to 18 ratio. This is the standard ratio for cupping.
Step 1: Grind the Coffee
Grind the coffee to a medium coarse consistency, similar to raw sugar. Place each sample into a cupping bowl. Smell the dry grounds and take note of the aroma. This is your dry fragrance.
Step 2: Add Hot Water
Start your timer and pour hot water directly over the grounds until the bowl is full, about 150 milliliters per bowl. Make sure all grounds are evenly saturated. Let the coffee steep undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Step 3: Break the Crust
After 4 minutes, you will see a crust of coffee grounds on top. Using a spoon, gently push the crust back three times while leaning close to inhale the aroma. This is your wet aroma. Rinse the spoon between bowls to avoid cross contamination.
Step 4: Clean the Surface
After breaking the crust, use two spoons to remove the floating grounds and foam from the top of each bowl. Allow the coffee to cool for a few minutes before tasting.
Step 5: Taste (Slurp)
Once the coffee cools to around 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius, use your spoon to take a sample and slurp it loudly, spreading it evenly over your palate. This helps you sense flavor, sweetness, acidity, and mouthfeel all at once.
Step 6: Take Notes
As you taste, consider:
Aroma: What does it smell like? Floral, nutty, or chocolatey?
Flavor: What does it taste like overall?
Acidity: How bright or lively is it?
Body: How does it feel in your mouth? Light or heavy?
Aftertaste: What lingers once you swallow?
Taste again as it cools. Coffees change and often reveal new flavors.