Saturday, I attended a coffee-cupping class at Sozo Coffee Roasting and Expresso Bar. What that means is a class in how to taste and evaluate coffee. The class is at an introductory level, which is exactly what I need.
We started with two table spoons of coffee in a 6 oz cup. We were instructed to smell the coffee and note the fragrance. Fragrance being the smell of the dry grounds. To help us in that task, we were introduced to the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel.
We didn’t spend much time looking at the chart. Rather, we zeroed in on the sensory experience. The gals seemed to be better at detecting and describing the fragrance of the coffee. It was fun as our small group (nine folks) shared observations with each other and we tried to detect what the others were reporting. I might not have appreciated how subjective this process was before, but as we went through this it was becoming increasingly obvious.
Evaluating aroma (the smell when the grounds are wet) is the next step. We added water just off the boil to our cups and smelled them. Two minutes later, we used a hot spoon to crack the crust on the top of the cup and noted the aroma. The strongest aroma is let loose as the crust is cracked.
We all noticed a huge difference between fragrance (dry) and aroma (wet) of the coffee. During the entire process, our teacher, Rodney, is teaching, explaining and helping us through this process. There were lots of interesting stories along the way.
The final step involves taking a spoonful of hot coffee and aspirating (slurping) it into the mouth to cover the complete tongue. Once again, you observe the individual characteristics. The focus being on flavor. I was most comfortable with this step. For years, I have been aware of the tongue’s ability to detect different tastes on different parts of the tongue.
We went through this process with three different coffees. The class concluded with this: “The secret to becoming a good coffee cupper is simple: trust yourself by practicing regularly and be humble enough to continue to learn from others.”
On the way to the register to pay for the class, I picked up a bag of Guatemalan coffee. I bought my way to freedom and signed up for the brewing class to be held next month.
I’m looking forward to the brewing class. I want to retire my Mr Coffee machine. I hate the flavor of the paper filters. Yes, I really can taste it in my cup. I could before I attended this class. Yuck!
I’m no coffee gourmet. We do buy whole beans and grind them, and I like some better than others, but I’m not super fussy.
I wasn’t one (gourmet), but I noticed that the beans or grounds that I bought from Sozo (local business) were far superior to my usual cup of Maxwell House. Curiosity cause me to investigate. Now, I’m hooked.
A couple of years ago, Rodney was importing coffee from Uganda that was heavenly. :angelic: Unfortunately, he is no longer able to buy from that source. :down:
If you ever feel like doing some gourmet and supporting a great cause, the http://furnacehillscoffee.com company was started by a friend of mine who wanted to be able to employ his Down Syndrome daughter. Click on the our story link to learn more. We ordered a little bit for Christmas last year and were not disappointed. Facebook is good for a few things. I hadn’t heard from Dave for years, but we’ve reconnected.
That’s a very interesting story. It sure is nice to reconnect with friends and family. Facebook has worked well for Sylvia and me in that way. On the flip side, being active on Facebook is like trying to take a drink from a fire hose. 😯
Sounds like a lot of work for a little bit of coffee. 😉
In this case, it’s more about evaluating the coffee than drinking it in quantity. 😀 However, you do make a good point. The next step is getting rid of the paper filters. I don’t like the flavor they deposit in my coffee. :no:
We love to all of our coffees in a French Press. This really makes a flavor difference. The mouth feel is also different. Our company is Midwest Coffee Roasting Company in Marion, IN. We belive that taking time to taste the coffee is very important. Why bother otherwise.
Sent a link to my kids who have Midwest Coffee Roasting Co. Thought they’d enjoy reading about your experience. Tasty!
Great. Rodney & Mindy started doing these classes about a year ago. Seems to me to be a great idea. It also seemed like at least a third of the class were repeating. They were becoming dedicated missionaries of the movement.
Tasty? You bet! :up: Now I understand why the “stuff” from the grocery store comes nowhere close to what I buy from Sozo.
This post makes us want to hurry up and get started with our version of cupping, coffee tastings and brewing classes. Thanks for writing this.
I’m glad to hear that you’re going to do that. I think you’ll find it helps build rapport and loyalty in your customer base. Now that I understand better how to evaluate the sensory experience of coffee, the more I want to have a high quality product in my cup.
FWIW, In August David brought a bag of your Honduran coffee to me as a gift. I really enjoyed it! I’ve had other Honduran coffees, and they’ve all shared what I call an “earthy” flavor. (Forgive me, my vocabulary in this arena is rather lacking.) Your product however had a cleaner taste and a very nice body. 😀
Thanks for the compliment on our Organic Honduran Marcala SHG Fair Trade. Part of the difference is the way we roast our coffee. We roast very slowly. This allow us to get what we want out of the coffee. Here are the cupping notes on this coffee you enjoyed.
Cupping Notes:Creamy walnut, milk chocolate
The Honduran is available for mail order at our website.
Very interesting! I never knew there was such a thing as a coffee cupper. I am not a coffee drinker but have always enjoyed the smell, er, aroma.
I think it’s just a fancy way to say “taster.” :whaa: Maybe they do that in lieu of a pay increase?
You are ze coffee meister! :food:
Not yet, I’m not. :dunce: But I am working on it. :up: