Coffee Cupping - The taste of coffee

The taste of brewed coffee depends on a variety of factors, apart from the coffee beans used. These factors include the grind of the coffee, the temperature and quality of the water used for brewing, as well as the ratio of coffee to water and the extraction time between coffee and water.

Coffee lovers take advantage of these parameters to prepare the perfect cup of coffee at home. Different preparation methods are used, these include, for example:

  • Pour over

    Also known as filter coffee, or hand filter, or Chemex. Here, the ground coffee in the filter is poured over with hot water. In this way, there is a relatively long contact time between coffee and water and the coffee's ingredients are slowly extracted. Flavor-bearing coffee oils remain in the filter, resulting in a milder taste.

  • Portafilters

    Portafilters are often used for the preparation of espresso. In this process, water is forced through the pressed-on grounds under pressure. The contact time between coffee and water is short. A fine grind is necessary so that many ingredients can be extracted from the coffee powder despite this short time.

  • Full immersion

    With full immersion, the ground coffee remains in contact with the water during the entire extraction time and all coffee constituents pass into the coffee beverage unfiltered. This process is used, for example, in French Press or direct infusion, which is used in professional cuppings. Depending on the contact time, this method produces rather strong, aromatic coffee beverages. A coarse grind is necessary so that not too many undesirable ingredients are extracted from the coffee powder.

But with such a wide range of possible influences, how can coffee be evaluated neutrally?

For this purpose, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has published the so-called Cupping Protocols. These standardize the preparation of roasted coffee to ensure comparability of coffee tasting worldwide.

For cupping, freshly ground roasted coffee is weighed into uniform coffee cups. 8.25 g of coffee is poured over 150 ml of 93 °C hot, clean, odorless and tasteless water. Ensure that the coffee is completely moistened and that the water is infused evenly without settling. The coffee infusion must then infuse for 3-5 minutes. During this time, the so-called crust forms on the surface, which traps the coffee aromas underneath. After 3-5 minutes, this crust is broken with a spoon and meanwhile the smell of the coffee is immediately evaluated. The crust is then skimmed off and the coffee is left to cool. When the coffee has reached a temperature of about 70 °C (after about 8-10 minutes), it is tasted with a cupping spoon. At this temperature, the taste and aftertaste are described. During cooling, the taste of the coffee changes. After the coffee has cooled further to about 60 °C, the coffee is tasted again with the cupping spoon and the body, balance and acidity of the coffee are evaluated. When the coffee has cooled to room temperature, sweetness and the purity of the cup are still evaluated. In this way, different coffees can be compared in terms of their quality.

See the procedure also in our cupping video:

If you have any questions about coffee analysis or sensory, we will be happy to assist you.

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