Coffee

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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You need to have a basic understanding of coffee terminology before you can begin your journey as a coffee connoisseur. Even if your dream is not to be a coffee tester it is still important to know the different nuances of coffee and how they are described. This will give you more insight into your favorite coffees and how to find others that taste like them. You’ll also know what your coffee roaster is talking about when they are describing their coffee.

Here is a list of terms: Acidity, Aroma, Body, Finish, Flavor.

Acidity:

What it means?

Green coffee beans have a natural amount of acidity (pH) to them. Different regions and growing methods have a pronounced affect on the amount of acidity within the bean. Higher elevations and mineral rich soil can produce higher amounts of acidity.

What it tastes like?

Acidity gives coffee its dry, crisp and almost sweet after taste. It’s experienced on the edges and the back of your tongue. A bean that has the correct amount of acidity will give it an aromatic floral flavor with a sweet tasting finish. A bean with poor acidity will have a tart almost grass like taste with a sour unpleasant finish.

Alternative Names

Acidity is described in a multitude of ways. The next time your roaster describes it as bright, lively, dry, crisp, sweet, winey, vibrant or sharp they are referring to the level of acidity within the coffee. Because the word acidity has negative connotations associated with it roasters will often shy away from this word when describing their coffee.

Aroma:

What it means?

Simply put aroma refers to the smell of the coffee. It can be perceived either nasally or retronasally (the way it smells when it is in your mouth). Acidity and flavor will be interpreted by the smell as much as it will be by the taste. Aroma is accountable for all of the attributes that aren’t perceived by the tongue (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and the body).

What it tastes like?

Aroma makes up all the complexities of the coffee that aren’t experienced on the palate. A coffee with high acidity will smell highly acidic. A coffee with full notes of flavor will smell strong of its flavor. Aroma is best used to describe the experience of it before it’s tasted and then again used to describe the flavor after it’s been tasted.

Alternative Names

Aroma is described in a multitude of ways. The aroma can be described as the smell, notes, and experience of the coffee.

Body:

What it means?

Coffee has naturally occurring oils trapped within the bean. Different regions, growing methods, and roasting times will cause these oils to become more pronounced within the bezn. The oil in coffee gives it ‘body’ which can be interpreted as the feeling it imparts on your mouth.

What it tastes like?

Body is more of a sensation than a flavor. There is a scale in which body is measured in coffee. The lighter and thinner the coffee feels in your mouth the less body it has. A coffee with a low bodied flavor would have the same consistency as water. The oilier and thicker it feels in your mouth the more body it has. A coffee with a full bodied flavor feels like it coats your mouth and tongue and lingers well after you have consumed it.

Alternative Names

The next time your coffee is described as rich, full flavored, oily, thick, and heavy they are referring to the fullness of body within the coffee. On the other hand if it is described as light or thin they are referring to the lack of body within the coffee.

Finish

What it means?

Finish refers to the finality of the coffee. It is used to describe how it tastes after it has been consumed.

What it tastes like?

The finish of coffee can change greatly depending on the coffee. Different regions, growing conditions, and roasts all attribute to the finish of the coffee. Some coffees grow in flavor in this finish and others will simply fall flat. The experience of the finish can also be described in body and aroma as well as taste. The finish is an important part of the overall experience of the coffee.

Alternative Names

The finish of the coffee is most accurately described as ‘finish’ but also may be termed as finality or other variations of the word finish.

Flavor:

What it means?

Flavor is the all encompassing qualities of the coffee that can’t be described simply by aroma, body, or acidity. It is, in a way, generalizing the overall coffee tasting experience.

What it tastes like?

The flavor of coffee is broad in definition and can only be truly experienced when drinking the coffee. There are specific flavors that are sought after in different growing regions and roasts. You can taste the flavor in the coffee by the overall experience of the coffee.

Alternative Names

Flavor can be defined by richness, complexion, balance, and range. The richness of the coffee refers to body, flavor, and acidity of the coffee. Complexion describes the coffee as it undergoes changes in flavor. The balance refers to a coffees ability to hold its flavor. The range describes the area in which the coffee has its true flavor.

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Author: Eric Hermeling
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.

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Author: Fenton Wayne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There is quite a vocabulary to decipher coffee’s degrees of taste, consistency and acuity. Even if you only occasionally drink coffee, knowing the various coffee terminologies can be helpful.
For example, Acidity is a term used to describe the sharpness or clarity of the taste of the coffee on your tongue. A great balance of acidity in the coffee is considered to be desirable. When speaking about coffee, the acidity is somewhat of a sensation that is the cleansing of your palate. This sensation is typically described as bright, snappy, or clear.

A coffee that is thought to be smooth, will not encompass the astringency of its acidic counterpart. It will give off a taste that is softer and at times somewhat sweet and is often considered more desirable by coffee drinkers. Acidity does not mean that a coffee should taste bitter. If a cup of coffee is bitter, it means that the beans were either over roasted or the coffee was not made in the perfect manner by the barista.

The awareness of weight on the tongue, as well as viscosity is known as the body of the coffee. A coffee that has a full body such as Sumatran will have more weight and be more syrupy than a coffee that has a lighter body such as Kenyan or Costa Rican. Many coffee’s that have a heaver body also have a lower amount of acidity.

The blend of taste, smell and body of the coffee is what is referred to as the flavor of the coffee. In sweeping terms, coffee can be describes as smooth (mellow) or acidic (sharp). However, if you wish to be a little more detailed, you can find coffee flavors being described as fruity, nutty, spicy, or even chocolaty.

Experts in coffee can often spot slight distinctions in taste and notice flavors such as blueberries or lemon. Blend is referred to as the combining of two or more varieties of roasted coffee or the mixing of different roasts (light or dark). The blend produces a balanced, delicious taste. There are a large number of coffee shops that create their own house blend for purchase.

The term cafe au lait is a French style coffee. Cafe au lait is created by pouring boiled milk and coffee into a cup at the same time. Many people love a good cup of Cafe au lait. When coffee is referred to as strong, this is a term used to specify the strength of either flaws or merits.

This could be used to say a coffee has a strong acidic taste or a strong aroma. When a coffee is called strong it does not mean that it is good, depending on how the term strong is being used.
A sweet coffee is one that is smooth, easy on the palate and does not contain taints. A sweet coffee is not harsh but rather soft and mellow.

If you are into grinding your own coffee and you hear the term burr mill, you may be wondering what this means. A burr mill is the choice tool for grinding coffee in many people’s eyes. A grinder’s burrs are two corrugated steel cylindrical plates that have cutting edges. These edges are adjustable, and they slice or shave the beans to a consistent grind. Which is of course what people grinding their own beans want to have happen.

An Espresso is a method of extracting the heart of coffee flavor, under pressure; from specially roasted, finely ground Arabica beans very quickly. 1-1/2 ounces of Espresso is called a shot and is served as the base of a large number of coffee beverages.

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Author: Heather Richards
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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