Coffee cupping is a tool to evaluate coffee quality. It’s an industry essential dating back to the 1800s when merchants used it to decide which coffees to buy.
The process starts with detecting the fragrance of the dry ground coffee in order to determine sweet notes such as honey, caramel, or apple. Water is then added at a controlled temperature of 92-94°C (198-202°F) and left to infuse with the coffee, during which its wet aroma is assessed.
After 4 minutes, a “rupture” is performed, which involves pushing the top crusty layer aside with a cupping spoon.
During the tasting itself, slurping is encouraged: it maximizes the interaction between the air and the coffee. It’s during this step that the unique flavor notes of the sampled coffee shine through.
Careful cupping evaluation singles out specialty coffees from the rest. Some specialty coffee beans rank so high as to be deemed exceptional, fetching a king’s ransom at auction.