What exactly is a cup test? The role of the cup test? Cup Test Process and Scoring Criteria? Cup test operation method

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Do you often think the coffee you brew is not delicious enough? Don't rush to change the coffee beans, and you don't have to spend money to upgrade the coffee utensils. Coffee preferences are extremely subjective, which is related to personal "taste." People often regard their favorite coffee as the criterion of "good coffee". However, the coffee that most people praise may be mediocre in the mouth of some people.

Subjective standard

The taste of coffee varies with national conditions. South Koreans who have a penchant for instant coffee prefer coffee with a mellow flavor like a pot, while northern Europe, which is famous for the word "Nordic Roasting" and prefers Light Roasting, may find it difficult to accept coffee with a heavy burnt taste.

In addition to taste, people sometimes define "good coffee" according to their field or personal lifestyle. For example, chemists may use specific molecular combinations of chemical formulas to define the most ideal flavor, while economists may evaluate coffee according to the so-called "performance-to-price ratio." artists may think that coffee that "inspires you" is the best-when it comes to "good coffee", everyone has their own standards, and it doesn't matter whether it's right or wrong.

So-called good coffee in the coffee industry

For the coffee industry, the so-called delicious coffee is the use of coffee cherries cultivated in the best quality environment, processed in the form of Parchment, the natural aroma of raw beans (Green Bean) is extracted by the roasting process, and then extracted in the most appropriate way according to the state of roasted beans (Roasted Bean).

If you want to make a good cup of coffee, you must first have a basic understanding of the aroma and flavor of coffee in each process of the coffee industry chain (Coffee Chain).

The aroma and flavor of coffee are collectively referred to as "coffee flavor". The purpose of every process in the coffee production chain is to show the flavor of coffee. Without the interpretation of flavor, it is difficult to reflect the value of a cup of coffee.

As a result of the above reasons, it has gradually derived the "cup test" which is not based on personal orientation, but adopts "unified standard" to evaluate and show the flavor of coffee.

Through the "cup test", we can objectify the original definition of "good coffee" comments, and have a common language that can be understood by each other, so that people can explain to others the uniqueness of their own coffee.

Boutique coffee

Once upon a time, boutique coffee (Specialty Coffee) has almost become synonymous with good coffee and delicious coffee. Generally speaking, boutique coffee refers to the coffee with a certain score and high quality in the prescribed cup testing system.

The score standard of CHECK LIST boutique coffee

SAC (Specialty Coffee Association, World Fine Coffee Association) cup test standard of more than 80 points

More than 86 points of CoE (Cup of Exllence) Cup test standard

In addition, you need to trace the raw bean production resume (Traceability) of boutique coffee to find out which country, which farm, and by whom the coffee is cultivated. Boutique coffee attaches importance to the production process of coffee raw materials, will evaluate the efforts of producers, and this feedback on the final quality score.

Having said that, there is still some controversy about the scope of restrictions on boutique coffee, because even excluding cup scores, there are still many criteria for interpreting boutique coffee. If it is not to the taste of the guests, or not in line with the purpose of coffee use, it is difficult to guarantee high-score coffee beans, which will still be fine coffee a few years later. Although there is no single rule for boutique coffee and so-called "good coffee", the coffee industry still spares no effort to produce better coffee.