Cupping

Cupping is how green buyers, roasters, and Q-graders compare coffees. A standard protocol calls for 8.25 g of coffee in a 150 ml cup, hot water, a four-minute steep, breaking the floating crust with a spoon, then slurping samples loudly off a deep spoon to aerate the coffee across the palate. The cupper scores aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance, aftertaste, sweetness, and uniformity on the SCA form. Brooklyn roasters like Sey and Partners host public cuppings as both training and customer events.