I went to my first cupping at The Cup with Conscious Coffees and now officially understand that I have a lot to learn about tasting and smelling distinct flavors in different coffees.
But first, I had to find out what a cupping actually is. Here’s how The Cup describes a cupping on their website:
“We are happy to be back on a regular schedule with our Monthly Coffee Cuppings! We offer free coffee cuppings the last Saturday of every month, starting at 9am and lasting for an hour. The cupping will offer 5 or 6 coffees for side by side blind tasting. The Cupping will involve smelling, sipping and slurping each coffee while taking notes on all the flavors, the body, the acidity and the overall balance of the coffee. After tasting the various coffees, we will discuss what it is we tasted, what we liked and did not like, the history of the region, and the attributes of the coffee. It’s a great way to learn more about the beverage most of us drink every day.”
Mark Glenn, owner and master roaster of Conscious Coffees was there to guide us through the cupping. First smelling ground beans, then adding water and smelling again. Next, mixing the grinds into the water, skimming off the floating grinds, letting them cool to room temperature for a better tasting experience, and finally, tasting.
It was really interesting to hear participants call out flavors and aromas like blueberry, cedar, smoke, and broccoli. I learned that I do not yet have a very sophisticated palate, so I’ll be back at The Cup on the last Saturday of every month for the monthly cupping. It’s time to start discovering coffee!