For a truly honest coffee evaluation, your cupping space needs to let the coffee do all the talking. It’s about creating a focused zone where your senses can zero in on every nuance, ensuring that what you perceive is the genuine character of the bean, untainted by external factors.
Silence is Golden (and Essential)
A quiet atmosphere is paramount for allowing cuppers to concentrate fully on the subtle sensory details of each coffee.
No Chatting During Tasting
When smelling and slurping, words are a significant distraction. Individual impressions must come first to avoid influencing others; save the discussion for after everyone has evaluated the samples. This prevents one person's tasting note from creating bias.
Minimize All External Noise
A quiet room is crucial for professional cupping. Soundproof the lab if possible, or at least choose a calm location away from disruptive activities. External sounds can easily mask delicate coffee characteristics and break essential concentration.
Guiding Without Words & Maintaining Objectivity
Effective communication and unbiased behavior are key to a successful sensory session.
Communicate Non-Verbally
We can effectively guide the entire process (signaling when to smell dry grounds, pour water, break the crust, and taste) using simple hand gestures or pre-arranged visual cues. This keeps the session flowing smoothly without disruptive verbal interruptions.
The "Poker Face" Rule: Keep Expressions Impassive
A grimace, a smile, or any visible reaction can unintentionally sway the opinions of other cuppers. The primary goal is an unbiased, independent assessment from each participant. Encourage everyone, including the session leader, to maintain an unexpressive demeanor until all evaluations are complete and recorded.
Other Key Environmental Factors for Optimal Cupping
Beyond silence and impassive expressions, several other elements contribute to an ideal cupping lab:
Good, Consistent Lighting
Use consistent, even, and preferably neutral lighting. This allows for accurate visual assessment of coffee grounds, roast color, and the brewed beverage itself, without misleading hues.
Strictly Odor-Free Zone
The cupping lab must be entirely free of competing smells. This means no food odors, perfumes, scented cleaning products, or aromas from nearby roasting. Excellent ventilation is non-negotiable.
Controlled Air and Water Temperature
Maintain stable room temperatures for comfort and consistent coffee cooling rates. Critically, water for brewing must be at the correct temperature (typically around 200°F ± 5°F or 93°C ± 3°C) for proper extraction and consistency across all samples.
Unobtrusive, Simple Decor
The surroundings should be visually simple and non-distracting. Plain walls in muted colors help keep the focus solely on the sensory task at hand.
Adherence to Standard Protocols
Stick to established cupping methodologies (like those from the SCA) regarding coffee-to-water ratios, grind size consistency, water quality, and tasting procedures to ensure fair and comparable evaluations.
Panelist Comfort & Essential Tools
Ensure cuppers are comfortable. Provide all necessary standardized tools, such as cupping bowls, spoons, spittoons, and palate cleansers.
Creating Your Sensory Sanctuary
A well-managed and thoughtfully designed cupping environment is fundamental to the discipline of sensory evaluation. By controlling these external factors – from sound and smell to visual cues and procedural consistency – you empower everyone to deliver their most focused and genuine perceptions.
Ultimately, respecting these environmental details allows the true, unadulterated character of each coffee to shine through, leading to more accurate insights, better purchasing decisions, and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of specialty coffee.
Content based on established best practices in sensory evaluation for coffee.
1 comment
So well put, this is absolute must. Basic etiquettes that everyone should follow for a healthy inclusive environment