Black Turtlers, are you ready to take your appreciation of coffee to the next level? If so, it's time to learn about cupping, a process used by professionals to sample and evaluate different coffees.
Cupping is a multi-faceted process that involves a number of steps, all of which are designed to help tasters get the most out of their coffee. Here's a brief overview of the process:
Grind the coffee: The first step in cupping is to grind the coffee into a uniform size. This ensures that the coffee is extracted evenly and that the taster gets a full, well-rounded impression of the flavor.
Add the ground coffee to the cup: Once the coffee is ground, it is placed into cups or bowls. These cups are usually small and shallow, allowing the taster to easily smell and taste the coffee.
Pour hot water over the grounds: Next, hot water is poured over the grounds, allowing them to steep for a few minutes. This allows the flavors of the coffee to fully develop and allows the taster to get a good sense of the body, acidity, and overall flavor profile of the coffee.
Taste the coffee: Once the coffee has had a chance to steep, the taster will use a spoon to scoop up a small amount of the liquid. The taster will then slurp the coffee, spraying it over the back of the tongue and through the teeth. This allows the taster to fully experience the flavors of the coffee and to evaluate its various characteristics.
Evaluate the coffee: Finally, the taster will evaluate the coffee based on a number of factors, including flavor, body, acidity, and finish. The taster will also take note of any defects or flaws in the coffee, as these can impact the overall quality of the brew.
