Operations
Cupping
Cupping is the standardized tasting protocol used by coffee professionals to evaluate coffee quality. Beans are ground to a coarse setting, steeped in hot water, and tasted across multiple dimensions (aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance, aftertaste) on a 100-point scale.
The Specialty Coffee Association cupping protocol is the industry standard: 8.25g of coarsely ground coffee per cup, 150mL of water at 93°C, 4-minute steep, then break the crust, skim the surface, and taste with a cupping spoon. Tasters evaluate fragrance/aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, and overall.
Cupping is used at every stage of the specialty coffee supply chain: producers cup to evaluate harvests, roasters cup to develop and quality-check roast profiles, and cafés cup to evaluate incoming bean shipments. A bean scoring 80+ points on this scale is considered specialty grade.
Café-level cupping is less formal than competition cupping but still valuable. Weekly cupping of in-rotation beans surfaces quality drift, lets staff develop tasting vocabulary, and catches problems before they reach customers. Most quality-focused cafés cup at least once a week.
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A barista is a professional who makes espresso-based drinks at a coffee shop.
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Single origin coffee is coffee sourced from one specific place — a single farm, cooperative, or growing region — rather than blended across multiple sources.
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Espresso
Extraction
Extraction is the process of water dissolving soluble compounds from ground coffee during brewing.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
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