What Is Coffee Cupping? A Beginner’s Guide to Tasting Coffee Like a Pro

What Is Coffee Cupping? A Beginner’s Guide to Tasting Coffee Like a Pro

Ever wondered how coffee professionals evaluate a coffee’s flavor, aroma, and overall quality? The answer is cupping — a sensory ritual used around the world to uncover the true character of a coffee.

At Brewista, we believe understanding your coffee is just as important as brewing it right. Whether you're a barista, roaster, or a curious home brewer, learning how to cup coffee is a rewarding way to deepen your appreciation for what’s in the cup.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what coffee cupping is, how it works, and how you can try it yourself—even at home.

What Is Coffee Cupping?

Coffee cupping is a standardized method of evaluating coffee based on its aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and finish. It’s used by coffee professionals to grade green coffee, develop roast profiles, and ensure quality. But it’s not just for industry insiders—cupping is also a powerful way for anyone to train their palate and taste coffee more intentionally.

Think of it as wine tasting, but for coffee.

Why People Cup Coffee

Cupping serves many purposes:

  • Roasters cup to evaluate green coffee quality before buying.

  • Baristas cup to dial in flavor notes and better describe brews to customers.

  • Home brewers cup to explore how origin, processing, and roast affect flavor.

  • Brands like Brewista cup to develop new products and test consistency.

Ultimately, cupping helps us move beyond “bitter” or “strong” and into a world of nuanced descriptors—like honeydew, bergamot, or roasted almond.

What You Need for Coffee Cupping

Here’s a basic setup you can use at home:

  • Freshly ground coffee (medium-coarse grind, like raw sugar)

  • Hot water just off boil (~200°F / 93°C)

  • Cupping bowls or small wide-mouthed cups (6–8 oz)

  • Cupping spoons (or deep-bowled soup spoons)

  • Scale (for accuracy—something like the Brewista Smart Scale works great)

  • Timer

  • Grinder (preferably burr for consistent particle size)

Optional: Spittoon or empty cup for rinsing/spitting during tasting

How to Cup Coffee: Step-by-Step

  1. Weigh & Grind
    Use about 8.25 grams of coffee per cup (or 1 gram per 15–17g water). Grind the coffee medium-coarse and place it in each cupping bowl.

  2. Smell the Dry Grounds
    Take a moment to deeply inhale the dry aroma. What do you smell? Floral, nutty, chocolatey, earthy?

  3. Add Hot Water
    Pour 150 ml (or ~5 oz) of hot water into each bowl, saturating the grounds evenly. Start your timer.

  4. Break the Crust (At 4 minutes)
    After 4 minutes, use a spoon to gently push back the layer of grounds (“crust”) floating on top. As you do, lean in and inhale. This is the most intense aroma moment.

  5. Skim and Cool
    Use your spoon to skim off floating grounds and foam. Wait until the coffee cools to about 130°F (55°C) before tasting.

  6. Slurp & Taste
    Slurp from your spoon like you're trying to spray the coffee across your tongue. This aerates the brew and helps you perceive flavor, acidity, and body. Take notes as you go.

What to Look (and Taste) For

When cupping, focus on these five key attributes:

  • Fragrance/Aroma – dry vs. wet smell

  • Flavor – the overall impression of taste

  • Acidity – brightness or liveliness (not sourness)

  • Body – texture and weight of the brew

  • Finish – the aftertaste that lingers

You might notice fruity brightness in an Ethiopian, buttery body in a Colombian, or deep cocoa tones in a Sumatran. Each cup tells a story of where and how it was grown.

Can You Cup Coffee at Home?

Absolutely. Cupping at home is one of the best ways to develop your sensory skills. Try tasting different origins side by side, or the same origin with different roast levels. Over time, you’ll start to build a flavor vocabulary and discover the types of coffee you truly love.

Cupping Is for Everyone

Cupping isn’t just for Q-graders and roasters. It’s for anyone who cares about the craft of coffee—and at Brewista, we’re all about making that journey accessible.

Whether you’re brewing your morning cup or experimenting with new coffees, cupping can unlock an entirely new appreciation for what’s in your mug.

Want to try it for yourself? We recommend starting with our curated selection of drippers, grinders, and precision kettles designed to bring out the best in every brew.

Final Sip

Cupping is a celebration of coffee’s complexity—and a reminder that there’s always more to discover. So grab your spoons, invite a friend, and taste your way around the world.

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