Cupping
This method is used by coffee professionals to taste and rate coffees for quality. For the at home coffee geek and every coffee lover out there, this is a fun brewing method for experiencing a coffee unaltered by paper filters or brewing error.
Step 1.
Weigh out 8.25g of coffee and grind it as fine as table salt (similar to a drip brewer grind). Toss the grounds into your cup. You will want to use a shallow, 4oz, wide mouth cup for this!
Step 2.
Take your water off the boil (about 205*) and with your kettle, quickly wet the grounds and fill your glass to the brim. Set a timer for 4 minutes.
Step 3.
Prep two small cups of hot water and have two wide spoons handy. When the timer beeps, use one of your two spoons to “break the crust” by dipping into the bed of grounds starting at nearest rim of the cup. Get close and inhale deeply to experience the aroma of the crust breaking. This moment is the only time you will get that bold, unique aroma.
Step 4.
Use both spoons together to scrape along the surface of the brew and scoop any grounds that have not settled to the bottom. Toss them into one of your hot water cups. Use the other cup of hot water as a clean rinse between sips. Do not disturb the grounds that have fallen.
Step 5.
Slurp spoonfuls of the brew to quickly disperse it over your tongue, cooling it and allowing your whole pallet to taste the nuanced flavors. As the coffee cools, the flavors change drastically. Wait a few minutes, then begin slurping again to compare. Flavor wheels are available online for reference with tasting note suggestions to complete the cupping experience!