Tasting Coffee

Slurp. Swish. Spit.

Not very attractive, is it? And certainly not the romantic stuff that much of the business of coffee is built on. Still, slurping, swishing and spitting—better known as cupping—is the foundation of professional coffee tasters the world over. Armed with silver spoons, twirling tables and the ever-present spittoon, cuppers have employed the technique for more than a hundred years. Just the same, there are iconoclasts even within the community of coffee professionals who feel that cupping is a bit of a throwback to earlier times, when it’s purpose was not so much to identify really great coffees, but to cull those that had defects, those that had been damaged in storage or shipment—even to ferret out those rascals who might try to pawn off inferior beans for the good stuff that was originally purchased.

1. Grind your coffee. Note the fragrance of the fresh-ground beans… spicy, earthy, nutty.


2. Brew your coffee. Enjoy the aroma as it brews… heady and full of promise.


3. Pour your coffee. Find a comfy place to sit. Feel the cup warm your hand.


4. Sample the aroma of the cup. Is it sweet? Fruity? Notes of caramel?


5. Breathe deeply. Release your breath.


6. Sip your coffee. Go ahead… slurp it if you like. Feel the coffee bathe your cheeks, blanket your tongue. Focus on its flavor… is it complex? Is it direct, simple? Swallow… enjoy its warmth.


7. Breathe out through your nose. Savor the aromas that waft through your sinuses… are there herbal notes? Fruit?


8. Breathe deeply. Release.


9. Sip your coffee again. Wiggle your tongue. Does the coffee feel heavy? Viscous? Is it light and delicate?


10. Breathe out through your mouth… feel your breath on your tongue. What new flavors and aromas do you sense?


11. Breathe deeply. Release.


12. Repeat, as often as you like.

Enjoy your coffee. Savor a cup. Savor the world.

Source: Coffee & Commentary