Coffee cupping is a formal tasting process conducted to internationally recognised standards. It engages all the senses to evaluate a coffee’s quality and identify its flavours, strengths, and faults. Like a wine tasting, cupping helps reveal the unique characteristics of each coffee. At Merlo, cupping is essential for maintaining the quality and consistency of our signature blends and for selecting the finest beans for our Bean of the Month program.

This guide explains why cupping matters, the six key components professionals evaluate, and how to conduct a session to better understand the coffee in your cup.

Importance of Professional Coffee Cupping

Cupping allows both professionals and home enthusiasts to fully understand and appreciate coffee. It also helps:

• Ensure each batch meets quality standards
• Detect unique characteristics from different origins
• Identify faults or inconsistencies
• Select the best beans from around the world

Six Key Components of Coffee Evaluation

Every coffee is assessed on six core components. Weakness in any area can impact the overall cup:

• Fragrance and Aroma - The scent of the dry, ground beans (fragrance) and the brewed coffee (aroma).
• Acidity - The brightness of the coffee, whether crisp and lively or sour and unpleasant.
• Flavour - The overall taste profile, including natural sweetness or bitterness.
• Body - The weight, texture, and richness of the coffee in the mouth.
• Balance - How well the aroma, acidity, flavour, body, and aftertaste work together.
• Aftertaste - The flavours that linger on the palate after swallowing.

How to Conduct a Coffee Cupping Session

You Will Need:

• Fresh beans (8.5g per sample)
• A grinder
• Weighing scale
• Hot water (around 92°C)
• At least 3 cups per coffee sample
• Cupping spoons
• SCAA flavour wheel or scoring sheets

Before we dive into the step-by-step guide, it’s important to note that the optimal ratio of coffee to water is 1:17, so actual quantities may vary depending on your cup capacity.

Steps:

1. Weigh out 8.5g of fresh beans per sample to be cupped.
2. Grind the beans to a medium plunger consistency and place in separate cups.
3. Smell the dry fragrance by cupping your hands over the cup and inhaling.
4. Pour 150ml of hot water over the grounds. Wet all the coffee, let sit for 3 minutes, and do not stir.
5. Break the crust with the back of the spoon while inhaling the wet aroma.
6. Remove the floating grounds by skimming the surface with a spoon.
7. After about 10 minutes, taste the coffee. Take half a spoonful and slurp to aerate the liquid across your palate.
8. Note acidity, flavour, aftertaste, body, and balance on your scoring sheet.
9. Tally the points for each bean and determine your favourite.

Plan Your Coffee Cupping Session

Cupping is a valuable way to refine your palate and understand what makes a coffee exceptional. For a professional approach, download the SCAA coffee cupping scorecard to record your observations.

To take your skills further, join one of our Coffee Cupping Classes. You’ll learn the full technique, gain confidence in assessing beans, and discover how to select the perfect coffee for your taste.