Curious how coffee professionals evaluate different coffee roasts? How they pick out specific flavor notes or judge a coffee’s smoothness and overall profile? Coffee cupping is a technique use by coffee roasters, baristas and anyone is truly obsessed with coffee to taste it in a slow, intentional way.
What is Coffee Cupping?
Coffee cupping is the process used to taste and evaluate coffee. Coffee pros use this technique all around the world to test for quality, consistency, and flavor but you can totally do this from home!
All you need? Some fresh beans, hot water, and a few simple steps (don’t worry—we’ll walk you through it). Cupping will help you to isolate and identify the flavors, aromas, and textures of your coffee.
It is the best way to figure out what you actually like in a cup. Let's get into it!
Smell vs. Taste: Not Always a Match
The way coffee smells doesn’t always line up with how it’s going to taste and that’s what makes cupping so cool.
When you first grind your beans, you’ll catch a whiff of the dry aroma like cocoa or cinnamon. But once you add hot water? The smell shifts again. Then finally, when you take that first sip, everything opens up and all those hidden flavor notes start to shine.
Here are a few fun contrasts you might notice:
-
A coffee that smells like dark chocolate might actually taste bright and citrusy.
-
A mellow, nutty-smelling roast could surprise you with a tart berry finish.
-
Some coffees smell almost savory, but taste silky and sweet.
Cupping trains you to slow down and separate the aroma from the flavor so you can appreciate both.
How to Cup Coffee at Home
What You’ll Need:
-
Whole bean coffee - try a few different coffee roasts for comparison
-
Burr grinder
-
Hot water - around 200°F
-
Small bowls or glasses - 5–7 oz each, one per coffee
-
Soup spoons or official cupping spoons
-
Timer
-
Notebook - to take notes and thoughts
Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Grind the coffee
Use a medium-coarse grind, like rough sand. You’ll want about 10–12 grams per bowl.
2. Smell the dry grounds
Stick your nose in the bowl and take a deep inhale. This is the dry aroma. What do you notice? Chocolate? Citrus? Earthiness? Take notes.
3. Add hot water
Pour about 200 ml (6.7 oz) of hot water over the grounds. Let it steep for 4 minutes.
4. Smell the wet aroma
A crust will form on top. Before breaking it, lean in and smell the wet aroma as it often smells totally different than the dry grounds. Take notes.
5. Break the crust
Use your spoon to gently push the crust down while inhaling. This moment is bursting with aroma.
6. Skim the top
Scoop out any remaining grounds or foam from the top so you’re left with a clean cup.
7. Taste (a.k.a. slurp)
Let the coffee cool slightly. Then take a spoonful and slurp it loudly to aerate and spread it across your palate. Yes, you’re supposed to sound ridiculous.
8. Take notes
What do you taste? Sweetness, acidity, bitterness? Light body or syrupy? Jot down your impressions. There's no wrong answer, this is all very personal.
What to Look (and Taste) For
As you taste each coffee, consider:
-
Aroma: What does it smell like dry vs. wet?
-
Acidity: Bright and juicy, or soft and mellow?
-
Body: Light like tea or thick like syrup?
-
Flavor: Any fruity, nutty, floral, or spicy notes?
-
Aftertaste: What lingers on your tongue?
You don’t need a flavor wheel, or a score sheet just your senses and a little curiosity. Trust your nose, trust your taste buds, and most of all, have fun with it. Coffee’s meant to be enjoyed, not overanalyzed. Either way, the more you taste, the more you’ll learn what you love.
Coffees Worth Cupping
Wanna put your new tasting skills to work? We’ve got some roasts that are begging to be cupped!
Brazil Medium Roast Coffee | Tasting notes of Caramel, Nutty, Chocolate and Balanced
Try our Brazil Medium Roast Today >
Jude’s Brew Dark Roast Coffee | Tasting notes of Velvety, Toffee & Burnt Sugar
Try our Jude's Brew Dark Roast Today >
Soulful Medium Roast Coffee | Tasting notes of Chocolate, Granola & Sugar Cane.
Try our Soulful Medium Roast Today >
