If you’ve ever seen baristas slurp, swirl, and spit coffee like wine tasters, you’ve witnessed a coffee cupping session the professional method used to evaluate a coffee’s quality, flavor profile, and roast. But you don’t have to be a certified Q Grader to enjoy coffee like a pro.
Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to understanding the art and science of coffee tasting.
What is Coffee Cupping?
Coffee cupping is a standardized process used by coffee professionals roasters, baristas, and buyers to assess aroma, body, acidity, and overall flavor. It’s how coffee is judged for competitions and quality control.
But more importantly, it’s a powerful way to train your palate, explore new beans, and enjoy coffee on a whole new level.
What You’ll Need
You can do a simplified version of cupping at home with:
- Freshly ground coffee (medium grind)
- Hot water just off the boil (~96°C)
- Cupping or soup spoons
- Glass cups or bowls (6–8 oz)
- Timer
- Notepad or tasting sheet
Optional but helpful:
- Coffee scale
- Grinder
- Tasting wheel
Step-by-Step: How to Cup Coffee
1. Smell the Grounds (Dry Fragrance)
Place the ground coffee in your cup or bowl and give it a deep sniff. This is called the dry fragrance.
Ask yourself:
- Is it sweet, nutty, earthy, fruity?
- Does it smell like chocolate, flowers, or spice?
This step gives your first impression of the coffee’s origin and roast.
2. Pour Hot Water
Pour hot water over the grounds and fill each bowl. Start your timer immediately.
Let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
A crust of coffee will form on the top don’t touch it yet. Just lean in and take in the wet aroma. The difference in smell can be subtle but significant.
3. Break the Crust
At 4 minutes, use the back of your spoon to gently stir the crust. Get your nose close and inhale deeply as you do this—this is when the aroma blooms.
Write down your impression of the smell. Compare it with your notes from step 1.
4. Skim and Taste
Use your spoon to skim off any floating grounds or foam. Wait until the coffee cools slightly to avoid burning your tongue and to allow the flavors to open up.
Now slurp the coffee from the spoon – yes, slurp! This aerates the liquid and sprays it across your palate, helping you taste it more completely.
What Are You Tasting?
Cupping uses four primary flavor markers:
Acidity
Not sourness—more like brightness. Think citrus, apple, berry.
Body
How the coffee feels in your mouth. Is it thin like tea, or heavy like syrup?
Flavor
This includes specific notes like chocolate, caramel, citrus, or floral tones. Use a coffee flavor wheel to help articulate it.
Aftertaste
Does the flavor linger pleasantly or disappear quickly?
How to Train Your Palate
Just like wine, coffee tasting is a skill that improves with practice. Try this:
- Taste two coffees side by side
- Explore different roast levels (light vs. dark)
- Compare origins: Ethiopian vs. Colombian vs. Kenyan
- Use tools like the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel
The more you taste, the better you’ll get at recognizing patterns.
Pro Tips from Baristas
- Use filtered water for a clean cup
- Avoid strong smells or flavors before cupping
- Taste in silence to concentrate
- Write everything down your memory fades fast
- Don’t be afraid to be wrong palates are personal
Why Learn to Cup?
- Appreciate coffee beyond “strong” or “weak”
- Discover what origins and roast levels you love
- Choose beans more intentionally
- Engage in café culture with more confidence
Explore More Coffee Knowledge
- Read a Coffee Label Like a Pro
- Build the Ultimate Morning Coffee Routine
- Find your next specialty brew in our Coffee Directory
- Got questions? Contact us