Deep Knowledge - Mudhouse Blog

CUPPING AT HOME: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Miss Ristretto

Most professional cuppings are done with a light roast of the coffee under evaluation, as the lighter roast allows for more of the coffee’s individual characteristics to stand out and makes imperfections stand out like Kiss at a Rene Fleming Concert (the darker the roast, the more of the coffee’s distinct characteristics are disguised).  Cupping can be done at any roast degree though, and since we are cupping to appreciate the integrity and genius of the roasters, and the sheer magic of the barista, we can cup our coffee as is (full city roast).

In order to give each coffee an equal playing field, we must be extremely regimented and precise with all of variables involved in the brewing process.  If we use different temperatures, steeping times, roast dates, or grind size in the cupping process, we risk misinterpreting a coffee.

To begin cupping, you will need:

• 2 wide spoons (soup spoons are a good choice)
• 1 Cupping Glass: 8-12oz Glass or ceramic cup (I prefer glass, as it lets you see the thickness of the crust)
• 7-8gms of the coffee to be cupped
• 3 water glasses
• Hot water (~ 202F - just off boil).

Step 1:
Measure out a freshly ground sample of coffee into your cupping glass.  Use a ratio of 12g coffee to 6.5oz of water; roughly two tablespoons per 6 oz water.  Grind should be coarse, like a French Press grind.

Step 2:
Pour hot water over the coffee grounds, pouring gently and making sure to fully saturate all of the grounds.

Step 3:
Allow the coffee to steep for 4 minutes.  As the coffee steeps, notice the thick rich disk of grounds that forms at the top of the cup --this is called the crust.  Note any aromas at this point: Floral? Fruity? Nutty?  Spicy?  Chocolate?

Step 4:
After exactly 4 minutes, bring your nose close to the mouth of the cup- I mean, like, practically stick your face I it!  Using your spoon and starting at the edge of the cup closest to you, gently sink the spoon into the crust and smoothly push it through to the opposite side.  As you do this, deeply inhale the aromas that are released from the first breakage of the crust - these are the most true and pure aromas!

Step 5:
Quickly, and gently, so as not to loose too much of the coffee’s heat, take another spoon and gracefully use the two spoons to scoop out as many of the grinds that you can.  Toss the grinds into an empty glass.

Step 6:
Now here’s the fun part-tasting!  Rinse off one of your spoons in your hot water glass, and get down close to your cup again.  Notice how any aromas have changed?

Ladle some of the liquid into your spoon, and quickly and vigorously aspirate it into your mouth.  The goal is to make the liquid into a vapor that will allow you to enhance the flavor by spraying the coffee onto all of your taste buds at once.

You’ll want to seem like your slurping it really hard into your mouth.  If you start choking or coughing, Great job—that means your doing it right—just slurp a little easier next time!  Continue doing this until you feel you have grasped the full range of flavor, aroma, acidy, body, and aftertaste.  Take little sips of room temperature. Water in-between to clear your palate without contaminating it with the flavor and numbing affects of cold water.

Step 7:
Add up your scores!  Think about the coffee’s overall experience.  Was it pleasant?  Was it sharp and harsh?  Bright and clear like a spring day?  Cooling and sparking like a dip in crystal waters?  Muddy and musty like wearing wet clothes from a yard sale?  Did one particular thing overpower another?  Did you like it for crying out loud?!

see below, “Using a Cupping Form”

Using the Cupping Form:

Our forms are based on ratings of 1-5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent, with example adjectives to help you find the words to describe the kinds of feelings/flavors/aromas that you might associate with each quality. Circle some of the adjectives as you smell, feel, and taste, as well as jotting down any descriptive words that immediately come to mind.  It’s really hard to try to remember the actual smell or sensation on the tongue, so write as you think it!  Your tastes are subjective to you, and you!  Add up all of your scores, multiply the total by 2, and add fifty.  This is the score you gave the coffee!

It is also important to note that a cupping score is still subjective - what one person considers a 3.5 in flavor, another might consider a 5.  Therefore, the best comparison is between coffees that you have cupped yourself.  However, it is possible to develop a generally accepted standard within small groups. For example, all of the roasters at Lexington Coffee have adjusted their grading so that they all agree on what is considered a 3.5 versus a 5.0 What does this mean?  Always consider the source!

Because cupping scores are still a subjective process - what one person scores a 3.0, another might score a 4.5.  Therefore, it is important to note the source when comparing different cupping scores.  When the cupping scores all come from the same source or cupper, it is fair to use the scores to compare one coffee with another.  However, when the cupping scores are from two or more different sources, the score becomes largely irrelevant.  However, we can still use the cupping notes to get an idea of what to expect from the coffee in terms of flavor, acidity, and body.