Coffee Cupping is an integral process in specialty coffee that is used to assess coffee quality. Done at the farm level to maintain consistency, graders, buyers and roasters use this process to select a bean and negotiate a price.

Dry grounds are first tested for fragrance, then steeped in hot water. After the wet fragrance is assessed, the foamy crust is scooped away with a spoon. The coffee is then energetically slurped over the entire tongue, aiming to bring the furthest reaches of the palate into the tasting process (including the nasal passages, which are sensitive to the aromatic compounds released by coffee). Through conscious discernment, note taking and conversation, cuppers evaluate a coffee's chief characteristics, such as acidity, mouthfeel and aftertaste.

Come join us as we open up our lab to the public for a cupping! As we assess each featured coffee, we will discuss different factors such as varietal and origins that effects the final product in the cup.