Coffland Corp: How to Test Your Coffee Cup Properly

Making a perfect cup is possible only with the best coffee products.

Cupping is a delicate technique in the coffee industry. This tough job requires studying the proper coffee profile by training your five senses.

Although this career is reserved only for experts, here at Coffland Corp, we can teach you some methods to test your brewed coffee. That way, you'll know how to choose the best quality option. Surprise your friends with the most delicious coffee mugs!

Cupping: the science behind likeness

While coffee tasters prepare themselves for a cupping session, coffee producers put on a table multiple cups with samples of their product in a triangle shape.

At the top of the triangle, they put a sample of the green beans. At first sign, coffee tasters evaluate oiliness and aroma. Then, the roasted version of these beans is placed on a side. The roasting process is made 24 hours before cupping. That way, the grain rests just enough to test its properties.

After that, coffee producers grind the same samples to examine its characteristics before putting it in the espresso machine. Producers let two or three empty cups for the next cupping steps.

How do I test my coffee?

At this point, to evaluate the quality of coffee, tasters can score these principal features:

Aroma: coffee tasters sniff the dry samples to assess its fragrance. Then, they add hot water and check the immediate aroma right from the cup. Depending on the product's properties, coffee tasters smell the fruits, flowers or spices mixed with the coffee beans.
Flavor: once the drink has a normal temperature, the tasters slurp it strongly, using a spoon. This technique allows them to recognize the coffee flavor. At this point, its aroma and body are heavily evaluated.
Acidity: generally, they classify acidity according to coffee's sweetness and its fresh-fruit character. This feature depends on the roasting process and the beans natural properties: The "darkest" the toasting, the less acid the drink will be.
Sweetness: tasters can search the percentage of some carbohydrates due to the coffee’s sweetness. This property can change the final beverage once is mixed with other ingredients.
Body: coffee's body can be perceived once is tasted. Its intensity scores the heaviness of a coffee drink: The lightest coffee has less presence for palates than others with highest bodies.
Balance: the balance of a coffee sample is tested according to the taster's impressions of acidity, aroma, and flavor. These features must complement the final result. If not, coffee will receive fewer points.

As you may see, cupping is an inexact science. Coffee professionals aren't always agreed with their final scores. This office accredits the quality of a product according to the profile that the professional prefers.

Besides well-trained senses, coffee tasters are the specialist of reviewing the beauty of a great coffee cup. Now, here at Coffland Corp, we also appreciate the aesthetic of the coffee world, both from production to consumption. But now that you know a little more about cupping why not teach us your exercises? Remember: practice makes a master!