How to make a cup test? What is the purpose of the cup test?

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Coffee cup testing (coffee cupping) is a compulsory course for any coffee lover or professional. It is a method used to identify and judge the characteristics and flavor of a cup of coffee. The cup test is one of the methods to evaluate coffee objectively. The cup test promoted by the American Fine Coffee Association (SCAA) is aimed at fine coffee, that is, high-quality coffee.

The purpose of the cup test is to help the selling price of raw beans understand and master the quality of coffee before pricing and restocking. However, the cup test plays an important role in all aspects of coffee. Through the cup test, the roasting parameters of coffee can be adjusted to optimize the aroma and taste of raw beans, and it can also help baristas understand the characteristics of beans. In order to achieve the purpose of adjusting the extraction data.

Why do you need a cup test?

①, quickly taste the flavor of multiple coffee beans

②, help tap the potential of coffee and identify the most subtle flavor features

③, determine the formula of coffee beans.

④, the brewing data that determines that coffee beans are more suitable.

⑤, compare the flavor of coffee beans in different countries, producing areas, manors, different batches, etc.

⑥ and cup score are the key factors to determine the grading and selling price of coffee beans.

⑦, help purchasers to make purchasing decisions

⑧, do what you want, and all sorts of other reasons

Preparation for cup test

1. Temperature and relative humidity

The optimum temperature is 20-25 ℃ and the relative humidity is about 45% Murray 55%. Too cold, too hot, too high humidity, too dry can make the senses lose their sharpness.

2. Equipment and appliances

All equipment and appliances should be kept in a hygienic condition and should not have a bad smell.

3. Cup testing site

The cup testing place should choose to be quiet, can concentrate, and can not have dust and smell. Participants are not allowed to use perfume or cosmetics with strong flavor. Avoid eating salty and spicy foods before cup testing.

4. Sample baking

It is generally recommended to bake for about 8-12 minutes, there can be no roasting defects such as coke, the cooling process can not use water, need natural cooling, generally use the Agtron company's coffee roasting degree meter value as the standard, the most suitable # 60 color 65.

5. Sample preservation

Roasted coffee beans need to be degassing at a room temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to take a cup test within 8-24 hours after baking.

6. Extraction ratio

According to the extraction theory of the Golden Cup Theory (golden cup), all cups need to be filled with a fixed amount of ground coffee powder and filled with water. The cup test bowl of 150ml needs 8.25g of coffee and the cup of 200ml needs 11g coffee.

7. Grinding

When grinding, use the No. 20 screen (about 840 μ m). Do not use coffee powder that has been ground for more than half an hour. It is best to grind the coffee powder at the beginning of the cup test.

8. Water

The water used must be pure and free of impurities and odor, and the best estimated soluble fixed total amount (TDS,Total Dissolved Solidz) is 125-175ppm. When it is lower than 100ppm, the acidic component will dissolve excessively in water, but when it is higher than 250ppm, it can not be fully extracted, and the taste is light. The water temperature is most suitable when the temperature is 93 degrees.

The steps of cup testing

1. Weigh the beans in advance

2. Grind coffee

Clean up the coffee powder left in the bean grinder before grinding.

3. Confirm the dried incense

Dried incense needs to be confirmed within 15 minutes.

4. Add water

5. Confirm the wet fragrance

Wet fragrance is identified by rising water vapor.

6. Broken powder

After adding hot water for 4 minutes, remove the powder layer with a cup spoon and dial back and forth three times. All samples need to be consistent.

7. Dredging slag

Before picking up the dregs, you need to clean the cup spoon with water, and use two cup spoons to remove all the coffee scum from the cup bowl.

8. Confirm the aroma

Generally speaking, 10 minutes after the timer, the taste of coffee extraction belongs to the stage that can be tasted, and the temperature is moderate, which is the best time.

9. End of evaluation

You can continue to taste the coffee after cooling, and record the data in each score after the taste is over.