What is the cup test often mentioned in coffee? what is its function?

The most direct way to express the quality of a cup of coffee is to make a cup test judgment, which is a magical and simple sensory evaluation method. The cup test is an evaluation method to eliminate the factors that affect the quality of coffee. Evaluate and compare several different coffees at the same level. Through the cup test, we can test the original flavor of coffee beans, as well as whether there are impurities. When performing the cup test, various coffee terms are used to express and define them. This issue gives you a list of key terminologies about Coffee Cupping, so that you can better understand the meaning of coffee cup testing technical terms.

Coffee Cupping is the way professional baristas taste coffee beans. Just like wine, baristas need to judge the taste of coffee from many aspects such as aroma, acidity and aftertaste. It is a necessary process for making fine coffee. Step 1: Make coffee

First of all, the water should be boiled. Coffee Academics also has certain requirements for water quality. Liao Weifen chooses to use German BWT times clean water, which is a kind of pure water added with magnesium, which can increase the aroma of coffee.

Ground coffee beans are especially expensive and fragile, so pour hot water in a circular form rather than directly injecting large amounts of water. "It's the only way air can get into the coffee," she said,"and the flavor is more uniform." Step 2: Remove coffee grease

After pouring hot water, let the coffee settle for about 10 minutes, so that the coffee sediment will stay directly at the bottom, while the Crema will float on the surface. Using two tablespoons, remove the fat layer from the coffee, leaving a clean, clear coffee.

Home Delicious coffee cup test guide

Coffee Cup Testing Guide

Professional baristas taste coffee in a process known as Coffee Cupping, and Liao Weifen, founder of The Coffee Academics, teaches us how to do it.

22 September 2017

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Coffee Cupping is a way for professional baristas to taste coffee beans. Just like tasting red wine, baristas need to judge the taste of coffee from many aspects such as aroma, acidity and aftertaste. It is a necessary process for making fine coffee.

Founder Liao Weifen said: "In the world of fine coffee, every coffee bean carries the history of that place and the painstaking efforts of farmers, so the process of cup testing coffee is sacred and delicate." Just like a formal tea party in Japan, the whole process is completed with reverence."

Today's technology is increasingly advanced, giving Liao Weifen different choices."When I first started, I had to rely on fixed suppliers, but with the rapid development of Internet technology, we can reach more and more coffee suppliers and trade directly with farmers," she said.

Before establishing a cooperative relationship, Liao Weifen needs to deeply understand farmers 'farming habits and living space, so she often visits the local area: "We live with farmers, live in their homes, and understand their lives." One particular time, we went to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, to learn how they were recovering from the tsunami. For me, coffee isn't just coffee, it needs to have a social meaning.”

Liao Weifen shares with us a few simple steps to cup coffee.

Preparations before starting

The cup test is usually done in the morning, Liao Weifen said: "Because we know that after noon, our taste buds will overheat and affect the judgment of coffee tasting." And none of us ate spicy or heavy-tasting foods four hours before the cupping test to keep our taste buds clean."

She also shared that some professional baristas, especially internationally award-winning baristas, usually have stricter life rules, such as they usually don't eat spicy food at all, exercise regularly, etc., in order to maintain the acuity of taste.

Each tasting is usually 6 people, everyone in the tasting process does not speak, alone experience and coffee interaction. After that, we discussed the ratings and the taste and quality of the coffee.

Founder Liao Weifen shares the fun of coffee cup testing with us. Basic Tastes

The five basic tastes are sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami. The first four flavors can be found in coffee.

(Taste)

Water-soluble flavor molecules are received by taste buds in the mouth and transmitted to the brain by nerves to produce five basic flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and fresh. In the cup test coffee will only perceive acid, sweet, bitter, salty taste, and does not contain "fresh" taste.

(smell)

Pre-nasal olfaction refers to

(Sample baking)

Sample baking preparation

Time: Baking should be done in 8-12 minutes.

Color: Coffee bean color 58 (Agtron reference 55), ground powder 63 (Agtron reference 65).

Cupping samples should be baked within 24 hours and allowed to stand for at least 8 hours.

(grinding)

Cup grinding criteria: 70-75% of coffee powder can pass through the U.S. standard 20 mesh sieve.

(water quality)

The total Dissolved solids (TDS) of the ideal water quality is between 125 and 175ppm, preferably not less than 100ppm, but not more than 250ppm.

(cup/bowl)

The measuring cup shall be made of tempered glass or ceramic. Capacity is between 7-9 ounces (207ml-266ml) and opening diameter is between 3-3.5 inches (76-89mm). The cups shall have the same volume, size and material and be covered (cover immediately after grinding, allow for 15-30 minutes, otherwise require 15 minutes for cup testing)

(dry fragrance)

The aroma compounds released from ground coffee before water injection enter the nasal cavity by smelling and smelling.

(Crust)

A crust formed by adding hot water to the surface coffee grounds.

(wet fragrance)

After the hot water is injected, the coffee powder comes into contact with the hot water and sniffs the aroma released by the coffee through the nose.

(broken slag)

After 4 minutes of hot water injection, while breaking the coffee grounds (Crust) covering the surface with a cup measuring spoon, at the same time feel the aroma floating out at this time, this action is called breaking the grounds.

(SIPPING)

The cup sipping action can improve the taste and olfactory efficiency.

(Flavor)

It represents the main characteristics of coffee, the middle sensory experience, the taste buds at the entrance and the olfactory impression of coffee behind the nose.

(acid)

Refreshing organic acid taste in coffee flavor; bright and refreshing acids like grapefruit, apple, and green grape score high, and pungent acids like vinegar score low.

Body (alcohol)

Feel the texture, consistency and smoothness of the coffee between tongue and palate. Coffee is thin and heavy, which is related to the fat content of the coffee. The viscosity is related to the extracted protein and fiber materials.

(astringent)

Dry, unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth.

(sense of balance)

Balance combines all the elements of the coffee, including flavor, aftertaste, acidity and body to present complementary or contrasting feelings. Balance scores are lower if coffee lacks certain aromas, tastes, or characteristics that are too strong.

(Taste)

Taste includes consistency, weight, smoothness, thickness, and astringency of coffee in the mouth. In COE's Cup Scale, Body was expanded to Mouthfeel as one of the scoring items.

(Rhyme)

The taste and aroma of coffee that remains on the back of the tongue after inhalation or exhalation.

(Cleanliness)

From initial taste to final aftertaste no disturbing negative impressions are produced.

Founder Liao Weifen shares the fun of coffee cup testing with us.

Step 1: Make coffee

First of all, the water should be boiled. Coffee Academics also has certain requirements for water quality. Liao Weifen chooses to use German BWT times clean water, which is a kind of pure water added with magnesium, which can increase the aroma of coffee.

Ground coffee beans are especially expensive and fragile, so pour hot water in a circular form rather than directly injecting large amounts of water. "It's the only way air can get into the coffee," she said,"and the flavor is more uniform."

Step 2: Remove coffee grease

After pouring hot water, let the coffee settle for about 10 minutes, so that the coffee sediment will stay directly at the bottom, while the Crema will float on the surface. Using two tablespoons, remove the fat layer from the coffee, leaving a clean, clear coffee.

Step 3: Smell

Then, smell the coffee first, feel the aroma of coffee. "The first step to recognizing good coffee is through your nose," Liao said. Step 4: Sip

After sniffing, you need to sip coffee. It takes some skill. Liao Weifen said: "In the process of sipping, the air collides with the coffee and the taste is the most fragrant. At this time, you need to pay attention to the purest taste of the coffee and the interaction between this taste and your taste and smell." And whether it has clean taste and balanced characteristics."

After tasting all kinds of coffee, Liao Weifen and his team will also provide different services according to different coffee varieties: "We can make coffee with Chemex hand filter pot or make latte, cappuccino and so on with coffee machine according to customers 'preferences."

A cup of good coffee, everyone has their own definition: "The older generation likes heavy coffee, not sour; but now people like clean taste." Different regions also have different coffee cultures, such as Vietnamese people like to add condensed milk. So there is no fixed definition of a good cup of coffee."

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