Coffee

Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics of a coffee bean. Cupping lets us compare different coffees against each other to evaluate the uniqueness between them. This information can give us a better understanding of each different region and their basic tastes.

Having a coffee cupping party at home is a great way to socialize and enjoy coffee while evaluating and sharing thoughts on the different blends. It can be fun and a sense of adventure discovering flavors and nuances you never thought existed in a cup of coffee.

Gather some coffee lovers together with a small cupping supply and let the fun begin.

Coffee cupping is not difficult and will take some practice and patience but the reward will give you invaluable knowledge about coffee.

Your cupping supply will consist of the following :

1. Fresh filtered water, not distilled or softened.

2. A coffee scoop that holds 2 tablespoons.

3. Small cupping cups that hold 5 ounces each

(3 for each sample; if cupping 3 coffees you will need 9).

4. Small rectangle plastic trays to hold beans; 1 for each coffee.

5. Cupping spoons that are deep for holding samples and slurping.

6. Whole Bean Coffee; enough for 3 cups each-six tablespoons.

To Begin:

· Bring water to rolling boil and let stand.

· Put your cups on the table in 3 groups of 3 each.

· Using your scoop measure 1 scoop of beans per cup.

· Grind coffee beans to a fine consistency and put in cup.

Make sure to grind each coffee to the same fineness and clean the grinder after each grinding.

Start by sniffing each of the coffee samples then begin pouring water just off the boiling point on the grounds. Allow the coffee to steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Using your spoon gently break the crust and take time to smell the coffee at this point. Once the crust is broken gently stir the coffee to allow some of the grounds to sink. Any left on top should be scooped out and thrown away.

After cooling slightly start slurping the coffee from the spoon. Let it splash over your entire palate letting your taste buds experience and acknowledge each flavor. It’s fun to see how many funny sounds you can make while slurping.

You could even make a game of it to see who can make the funniest sounds. Hold the coffee in your mouth without swallowing and swish it around and begin to realize all the different taste sensations. At this point, spit the coffee out and begin sharing your experience and thoughts with the rest of the group. There are no right or wrongs just opinions.

For many beginners evaluating coffee with other coffee lovers will open your eyes and your taste buds to flavors in coffee that you might have missed. It is a fun way to share a new understanding and appreciation for coffee cupping and enjoy it all at the same time.

Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved.

This article is supplied by Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what youre looking for at great values.

Author: Gary Gresham
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee cupping is a method to compare the different characteristics of a coffee bean. Cupping lets us compare different coffees against each other to evaluate the uniqueness between them. This information can give us a better understanding of each different region and their basic tastes.

Having a coffee cupping party at home is a great way to socialize and enjoy coffee while evaluating and sharing thoughts on the different blends. It can be fun and a sense of adventure discovering flavors and nuances you never thought existed in a cup of coffee.

Gather some coffee lovers together with a small cupping supply and let the fun begin.

Coffee cupping is not difficult and will take some practice and patience but the reward will give you invaluable knowledge about coffee.

Your cupping supply will consist of the following :

1. Fresh filtered water, not distilled or softened.

2. A coffee scoop that holds 2 tablespoons.

3. Small cupping cups that hold 5 ounces each

(3 for each sample; if cupping 3 coffees you will need 9).

4. Small rectangle plastic trays to hold beans; 1 for each coffee.

5. Cupping spoons that are deep for holding samples and slurping.

6. Whole Bean Coffee; enough for 3 cups each-six tablespoons.

To Begin:

· Bring water to rolling boil and let stand.

· Put your cups on the table in 3 groups of 3 each.

· Using your scoop measure 1 scoop of beans per cup.

· Grind coffee beans to a fine consistency and put in cup.

Make sure to grind each coffee to the same fineness and clean the grinder after each grinding.

Start by sniffing each of the coffee samples then begin pouring water just off the boiling point on the grounds. Allow the coffee to steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Using your spoon gently break the crust and take time to smell the coffee at this point. Once the crust is broken gently stir the coffee to allow some of the grounds to sink. Any left on top should be scooped out and thrown away.

After cooling slightly start slurping the coffee from the spoon. Let it splash over your entire palate letting your taste buds experience and acknowledge each flavor. It’s fun to see how many funny sounds you can make while slurping.

You could even make a game of it to see who can make the funniest sounds. Hold the coffee in your mouth without swallowing and swish it around and begin to realize all the different taste sensations. At this point, spit the coffee out and begin sharing your experience and thoughts with the rest of the group. There are no right or wrongs just opinions.

For many beginners evaluating coffee with other coffee lovers will open your eyes and your taste buds to flavors in coffee that you might have missed. It is a fun way to share a new understanding and appreciation for coffee cupping and enjoy it all at the same time.

Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved.

This article is supplied by Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what youre looking for at great values.

Author: Gary Gresham
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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What would you say if your child or young teen wanted to become an official taster of coffee?

Would it be any different from becoming a wine or orange juice taster? What does it take to become an official coffee taster or “cupper”?

Cupping can be a fun occupation and a hobby. Cuppers run in families and it is not unusual for the job to pass from father to son and so on. There are female cuppers but the majority are males.

If your child or teen wants to become a cupper, they can practice at home and look for cupping events through coffee clubs or other groups. Who knows? You could have a cupper in the making right at home!

Cupping is a technique used to evaluate coffee aroma and the flavor profile of a coffee. Cupping is used to taste defective coffee or to evaluate coffee blends.

Learning how to distinguish coffees through cupping takes much practice and a love for coffee. It also requires following certain standards and habits to ensure objectivity and the ability to cup many times throughout the day as a professional cupper

Cupping takes place after the green (un-roasted) beans go through inspection before being graded for sale, especially for export. The professional cupper inspects the beans for color, shape, size, appearance, density and fragility. Next the samples are roasted. The beans are examined again for discoloration, appearance and smell.

What is a coffee cupping session like?

• Coffee cupping sessions usually start with the coffee table preparation set up with a cup for each of the 6 to 10 coffees to be sampled.
• The cupping session includes several coffees to evaluate.
• Throughout the various steps of the session, the coffees are evaluated in a consistent order.
• The setting includes a sample of the roasted coffee and a sample of the green coffee.
• These samples are covered until the coffee cupping session is completed and the aroma, fragrance and flavor profile of the coffee are documented.
• In addition, on the table, there is a cup of water at room temperature and an empty cup with the cupping spoons.
• The coffee sample preparation requires placing 2 tablespoons of freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee in an empty cup.
• The coffee is ground to a standard fineness and a weight of about 10 grams or equivalent to the weight of a nickel.
• Visual verification of roast similarity among the coffees included in each session is common practice.
• This requires placing ground samples next to each other on a black sheet of paper.

How does the cupper prepare to taste the fragrance and the aroma of the coffee?

• The cupper smells the ground coffee before water is added to evaluate the coffee fragrance.
• Next, the cupper adds hot water to each of the cups and to the cup with the cupping spoons so everything is at the same temperature.
• The cupper smells each of the cups without disturbing them and writes down observations about the coffee aroma.
• After 1 to 2 minutes, the cupper breaks the crust of the coffee using one of the preheated cupping spoons.
• The cupper puts his nose directly over the cup and pushes the coffee down.
• This is the time to get the best burst of aroma of the coffee during cupping and to write down observations.
• Next, the cupper stirs the coffee to make sure it is covered by water and to help the coffee sink to the bottom of the cup.
• Again, the cupper writes down additional observations.
• The cupper then rinses the spoon with hot water and moves on to the next sample cup until sampling all of them.

When does the cupper slurp coffee?

• When the coffee is sufficiently cool, the cupper takes sufficient coffee from a cup into the spoon and slurps the coffee to cover the entire tongue.
• Correct aspiration is important because the objective is to cover all the tongue evenly and to allow some drops to go into the throat and the nasal passages. Why? The aromatic compounds in the flavor of coffee are evident when your nose and tongue smell and taste coffee.
• The cupper writes down observations about the coffee flavor.
• Cuppers testing more than a couple of cups of coffee spit out the coffee to prevent too much caffeine which can impact the cupping ability of the professional doing this job.

Cupping is a very important step in the coffee evaluation process because it helps grade the coffee in terms of fragrance, aroma and flavor. Positive cupping marks mean higher prices for specific beans and branding opportunities for limited editions, selected varietals and other marketing qualifications.

So, ready to enjoy your next cup of coffee?

Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “Gourmet Coffee Guy.” He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest. Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com

Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: Timothy S. Collins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Professional coffee tasters use a great variety of terms to describe the taste of different coffees in the process normally known as cupping. Why not learn a few of these terms and next time you find yourself at a dinner party enjoying your after dinner coffee you can amaze your friends with your coffee knowledge?

Below are some common terms used – it is not meant to be an exhaustive list

Astringent – A secondary taste sensation noted by a salty sensation on the sides of the tongue. Caused by acids increasing the saltiness.

Baggy – An unpleasant taste often found in weakly roasted coffees that have been stored for a long time in inappropriate conditions.

Baked – A flat aroma with insipid taste often caused by roasting for too long at too low a temperature.

Beany – The smell associated with insufficiently roasted coffee that has not been able to allowed to develop its full aroma.

Bitter – Sharp or biting sensation felt at the back of the tongue often the result of over roasting the coffee bean.

Bland – Lacking in any noticeable flavour characteristics.

Bready – A bread-like taste that can occur in coffees that have not been roasted long enough or at a high enough temperature to bring out the flavor of the oils.

Bright – A dryness or sharpness (typical of Central American coffees).

Buttery – Rich and oily.

Caramelly – Suggestive of toffee or caramel.

Carbony – A burnt of charcoal flavor.

Chocolaty – Suggestive of vanilla or chocolate.

Creamy – High levels of coffee oils suspended in the brew.

Delicate – A secondary taste sensation noted for its weak sweet-subtle feeling just past the tip of the tongue.

Dirty – Unclean smelling or mustiness.

Earthy ‘Characteristic smell of soil or dirt often caused when the coffee beans are stored on the ground after harvesting (typical of Sumatran coffees)

Exotic – Unusual aroma and flavor, such as berry or floral.

Fermented – An unpleasant taste producing a sour sensation. The result of enzyme activity in the green coffee beans changing the sugars to acids in the drying process during harvesting.

Flat – A loss of aroma.

Fragrant or floral – Subtle hints of fragrant flowers such as jasmine.

Fruity – A sweet fruity aroma suggestive of berries or citrus fruit.

Grassy – Suggestive of freshly cut grass.

Green – A faint herbal taste due to the incomplete development of the sugar compounds in the roasting process.

Hard – A hard coffee is poorly balanced. It is a secondary taste sensation of sourness on the bottom sides of the tongue. Caused by higher-than-normal percentage of sour acids. Ranking of hardness ranges thus: strictly soft, soft, softish, softish/hardish, hardish, hard, Rioy.

Harsh – A hard or caustic taste.

Heavy – Higher than average levels of suspended material in the brew.

Herby -. Suggestive of onion or green vegetable.

Hidey – A leather-like odor caused when too much heat is applied during the drying process causing the coffee beans fats to break down.

Insipid – A brew of lifeless character often the result of oxygen and moisture penetrating the bean fiber after roasting.

Lifeless – Thin and flat.

Light – Lower than average levels of suspended material in the coffee brew.

Malty – Suggestive of toasted grains.

Mellow – An overall smooth, mild and delicate flavor lacking in acidity.

Muddy – Thick and lifeless.

Musty – A stuffy or moldy smell which can be a positive trait for aged coffees such as Java.

Neutral – The absence of a predominant taste sensation.

Nippy – A secondary taste of sweetness, associated with a nipping sensation at the end of the tongue.

Nutty – Smell and taste suggestive of roasted nuts.

Oily – The description given to a coffee that has an oily taste.

Oniony – Suggestive of onions.

Peasy – A disagreeable taste that is reminiscent of peas.

Piquant – A sweet, prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue, typified by a Kenya AA coffee.

Point – A coffee with good overall characteristics of acidity, body and flavour.

Potatoy – Suggestive of raw potatoes.

Pulpy – A pungent fruit-like flavor derived from coffee cherry skins.

Pungent – Description given to a full-bodied and forceful coffee.

Quakery – Suggestive of peanuts, often the result of using unripe, green coffee beans.

Rancid – A highly disagreeable taste caused by oxidization of the coffee.

Rich – Strong presence of coffee aromas.

Rioy – An iodine-like flavor caused by continuing enzyme activity that occurs when the fruit partially dies on the coffee tree before harvesting.

Round – The coffee characteristics are so well balanced that no particular taste dominates to experience.

Rough – A secondary sensation noted by its grating, salty sensation on the tongue.

Rubbery – reminiscent of burnt rubber.

Scorched – A smoky or burnt aroma and taste caused when the beans are roasted too quickly at too high temperature which char the surface of the beans.

Stale – An unpleasant taste caused by oxygen and moisture penetrating the beans surface.

Sharp – An astringent taste derived from salty tasting compounds within the coffee.

Smooth – Low levels of oily compounds suspended in the beverage.

Soft – A secondary sensation noted by an absence of any predominant taste on any part of the tongue, except maybe for subtle dryness.

Sound – A coffee with no particular positive or negative characteristics.

Sour – A piercing, sour over acidic taste commonly caused by under-ripe beans.

Spicy – An aftertaste suggestive of cinnamon or clove.

Strawy – Suggestive of hay or straw, often from the result of the loss of organic material from the green coffee beans while in storage.

Strong – A coffee, rich in flavor that gives a strong powerful taste.

Sweaty – A coffee that may have been stored inappropriately resulting in a distinct sweaty taste.

Sweetly Spicy – An aroma suggestive of aromatic spices such as cardamom.

Sweet – free from harshness.

Tangy – A secondary sensation noted by a predominantly sour sensation along the sides of the tongue hinting of a fruity sensation.

Tart – A sour puckering sensation experienced on the tongue.

Tipped – A cereal-like taste caused by the beans being roasted too quickly that chars the tips of the beans.

Thick – A high level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a heavy feel.

Thin – A low level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a watery feel.

Twisty – A coffee with different negative qualities that vary from cup to cup.

Turpsy – Suggestive of turpentine.

Unclean – Coffee with a distinct off-flavor suggesting they have been kept in an unclean environment. A taste and aroma with a hint of fermenting.

Variety – A qualitative depiction of the gases present in the aroma, nose and aftertaste of coffee’s bouquet.

Watery – Lacking in body.

Weak – A beverage that is not flat but definitely lacks body.

Winey – An agreeable taste that gives the impression of a good wine.

Wild – A distinctive wood-like taste caused by storing the beans too long.

Woody – A coffee with an unpleasant smell and taste similar to dry wood. This can be due to the loss of organic material in the green beans during storage.

Coffee is such a great subject – why not learn more about it at our Coffee School? Learn about coffee, coffee machines and methods of coffee preparation.

Author: Fenton Wayne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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