coffee cupping

 

  Cup Quality Evaluation in Coffee

From bean to brew, quality is judged through the art of cupping.

  What is Coffee Cupping?

Cupping is a sensory method used to evaluate the aroma, taste, and body of brewed coffee. It ensures quality and consistency for farmers, exporters, and buyers.

 Why It’s Important

•  Helps detect flaws and enhance quality
•  Supports fair pricing and consumer satisfaction
•  Guides better cultivation and processing techniques

  What Affects Cup Quality?

 Coffee variety

 Climate and soil

 Farming methods

 Processing and storage

 Issues like bad fermentation, chemicals, or poor drying lead to off-flavors.

  Cupping Equipment Checklist

Equipment	purpose
Cupping lab	Clean, calm, odor -free space
Round table	For sample rotation and spittons
Roaster	Uniform roasting at 205°C
Weighing scale	Accurate to 1 gram
Grinder	Medium -coarse grind
Glass tumblers	250 ML
Water& kettle	Odorless& heat
Tasting spoon	For spraying brew over the palate

  Cupping Procedure

  Roasting

Roast 50–100g coffee to light-medium at -205°C until first crack (pop sound).

Color: Golden brown.

  Grinding

Grind to medium-coarse for aroma and oil retention.

  Brewing

* Use 10g ground coffee with 250 ml boiling water (≥95°C)

* Let stand for 5 minutes

* Remove floating foam

* Cool to 45–50°C

  Tasting

* Slurp using spoon to spray brew in the mouth

* Assess aroma, body, acidity, and flavor

* Spit out the sample after tasting

  Cup Quality Parameters

    Parameter     -What It Means 

  Aroma         -Floral, fruity, or spicy scents

 

  Acidity        -Bright, pleasant dryness 

  Body           - Heaviness/texture in mouth

 Flavor          -Overall taste + smell impression 

  Good Flavors

* Caramelly 

* Chocolaty 

* Fruity 

* Floral 

* Nutty 

* Spicy 

* Sweet 

* Winey 

  Undesirable Flavors

* Bitter

* Burnt

* Grassy

* Musty

* Rubbery

* Sour

* Dirty

* Watery

 Why Cupping Matters

 Identifies flaws

 Improves quality

 Helps better farming and marketing

 Ensures consumer satisfaction

 How to Score Coffee in Cupping

🏅 Coffee Classification (Based on Score)

Score Range	Classification
90 – 100	Outstanding
85 – 89.99	Excellent
80 – 84.99	Very Good (Specialty)
< 80	Below Specialty Grade

  Cupping Score Sheet Breakdown (SCA Standard)

                  

• Fragrance/Aroma
• Flavor
• Aftertaste
• Acidity
• Body
• Balance
• Sweetness
• Clean Cup
• Uniformity
• Overall

 each rated on a scale from 6.00 to 10.00

  Example:

Let’s say a coffee has the following scores:

* Fragrance: 8.5

* Flavor: 8.0

* Aftertaste: 7.5

* Acidity: 8.0

* Body: 7.5

* Balance: 8.0

* Sweetness: 7.5

* Clean Cup: 8.0

* Uniformity: 8.0

* Overall: 8.0

Total Score = 79.0  → This coffee is just below specialty grade and needs improvement.