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How to Cup(Taste) Coffee at Home by James Hoffmann

I. Equipment Needed​

You likely have most of the necessary equipment at home already:

  • Kettle: Any regular domestic kettle is fine. Fill it with fresh, soft, good-tasting cold water.
  • Weighing Scale: Should be accurate to 0.1 of a gram to weigh both coffee and water.
  • Coffee Grinder: Ideally, one that doesn't retain coffee from previous uses. A hand grinder is a good option.
  • Spoons: Use a dessert or soup spoon. Cupping spoons are not necessary, but you will need a few.
  • Brewing Vessels: Use five or six heatproof vessels of roughly the same size, such as cupping bowls, heatproof glasses, or regular mugs.
  • Coffee Samples: You only need small samples (e.g., 20 grams) of four or five different coffees. The key is variety for comparison.

II. Brewing Method​

The cupping method is chosen because it requires the least amount of human interaction, minimising the impact of brewing technique on the final taste.

  1. Grind: Grind the coffee to the finer end of a medium-fine setting.
  2. Ratio: Use a recommended ratio of 60 grams of coffee per litre of water.
    • For a 240-250ml bowl, use 12 grams of coffee to 200 grams of water.
  3. Prep:
    • Weigh the beans into the vessels you will be brewing in.
    • Before grinding your samples, grind a small handful of other beans to clean out any previous residue from the grinder.
    • Hide the coffee bags and any taste notes to prevent them from influencing your perception.
  4. Pour: Place the vessel on the scale, zero it out, and pour your hot water over the grounds.
  5. Steep: Set a timer for four minutes and let the coffee steep.

III. Tasting Process​

The tasting involves a two-step process to prepare the coffee for tasting and then comparing the samples.

  1. Break the Crust (at 4 minutes): Gently stir the crust that forms on top of the coffee three times to cause most of the grounds to sink.
  2. Skim: Use a second spoon to skim off any remaining floating grounds, leaving a clean bowl of coffee.
  3. Cool: Wait at least 10 minutes to allow the coffee to cool down. The coffee is too hot to taste accurately immediately, and it gets easier to taste as it cools.
  4. Taste: Use a spoon to take a small sample and slurp the coffee. Slurping gently sprays the coffee into your mouth, amplifying the flavours.
  5. Compare and Contrast: Rinse your spoon between bowls and continuously taste the coffees as they cool down to room temperature, as the flavours will change significantly.
  6. Take Notes: Focus on what you like and what you don't like; don't worry about finding dozens of specific descriptors.