Coffee Cupping 101: How to Taste Coffee Like a Pro
- small beanz coffee co.
- Jan 20
- 4 min read
Coffee cupping is the simplest, most consistent way to taste coffee and understand what you are actually drinking. It is how roasters evaluate new coffees, check roast consistency, and compare origins side by side.
The best part: You do not need fancy gear. You just need a few cups, a spoon, and a repeatable process.
What is cupping (and why it works)
Cupping is a standardized tasting method where coffee steeps in hot water, then you taste it with a spoon. Because the method is simple and consistent, it helps you focus on the coffee itself instead of getting distracted by variables like pour technique or filter type.
Cupping helps you:
Compare coffees fairly (origin vs. origin, roast vs. roast)
Identify tasting notes more clearly
Spot defects or roast issues
Dial in brewing by understanding what flavors are available to extract
What you need (simple setup)
You can cup at home with basic kitchen tools.
2–6 identical cups or bowls (6–10 oz is ideal)
A kettle (any kettle works)
A scale (helpful, but not required)
A timer
A spoon (a soup spoon works fine)
Fresh coffee (whole bean is best)
A grinder (burr grinder preferred)
Water you actually like drinking
Optional but helpful:
A notebook (or notes app)
A flavor wheel (great for building vocabulary)
The golden ratio (easy and repeatable)
A classic cupping ratio is: 8.25 g coffee / 150 g water
That is about 1:18.
If you want a simpler version:
8 g coffee
150 g water
Keep the ratio the same for every cup so your comparisons are meaningful.
Step-by-step cupping process
1) Label your cups
If you are tasting multiple coffees, label each cup so you do not mix them up.
2) Grind the coffee (medium-coarse)
Grind slightly coarser than a typical drip grind. You want an even grind so the coffee steeps cleanly.
Add your ground coffee to each cup.
3) Smell the dry grounds (dry aroma)
Before adding water, smell each cup.
Ask yourself:
Does it smell fruity, chocolatey, floral, nutty, spicy?
Does anything smell papery, musty, or flat?
Write a quick note. Even one word helps.
4) Pour hot water and start your timer
Pour water just off boil (or very hot) directly onto the grounds until you hit your target weight.
Do not stir yet.
5) Wait 4 minutes
This is the steep time. A crust of grounds will form on top.
6) Break the crust (and smell the wet aroma)
At 4:00, use a spoon to gently push through the crust 2–3 times.
Put your nose close to the cup as you break it. This is one of the most aromatic moments in the entire process.
Write down what you smell now. It often becomes clearer than the dry aroma.
7) Skim the foam and floating grounds
After breaking, skim off the foam and any floating grounds with your spoon. This makes tasting cleaner.
8) Start tasting (when it cools a bit)
You can taste around 8–12 minutes in, but cupping gets more revealing as it cools.
Taste multiple times as the coffee cools:
Hot: structure and intensity
Warm: sweetness and balance
Cooler: clarity, finish, and specific notes
How to taste like a pro (the slurp)
Yes, you should slurp.
Slurping sprays coffee across your palate and sends aroma up into your nose (retronasal smell). That is where a lot of “flavor” actually comes from.
How to do it:
Scoop a small amount with a spoon
Slurp quickly so it aerates
Let it coat your tongue
Spit or swallow (either is fine)
What to evaluate (simple tasting checklist)
You do not need fancy descriptors to cup well. Start with these categories.
Fragrance/aroma
What do you smell – dry and wet?
Acidity
Not “sour,” but brightness and liveliness.
Citrus-like
Apple/pear-like
Berry-like
Winey
Sweetness
Does it taste like:
Honey
Caramel
Brown sugar
Chocolate
Ripe fruit
Body
How does it feel?
Tea-like and light
Round and silky
Heavy and syrupy
Flavor and finish
What stands out, and how long does it last?
Clean finish (pleasant, crisp)
Dry finish (astringent)
Bitter finish (over-extracted or roast-forward)
Balance
Do sweetness, acidity, and body feel in harmony?
A simple note-taking template
If you want an easy structure, copy this:
Coffee:
Dry aroma:
Wet aroma:
Acidity:
Sweetness:
Body:
Flavor notes:
Finish:
Overall impression:
Over time, your notes will get more specific. The goal is consistency, not perfection.
Common cupping mistakes (and quick fixes)
Water is too cool: Use hotter water for better extraction and clearer flavor.
Grind is too fine: Go coarser to reduce muddiness and bitterness.
Different cup sizes/ratios: Keep cups identical and use the same ratio.
Tasting too hot: Wait until it cools. Notes become easier to identify.
Only tasting once: Taste at multiple temperatures. The story changes.
How to build your palate faster
If you want to improve quickly, do these three things:
Cup coffees side by side. Differences pop more when you compare.
Use a flavor wheel. It gives you words when your brain says “I know this.”
Connect coffee to real foods. Smell fruit, chocolate, nuts, spices, and describe them.
Try this at home: a mini cupping flight
Pick 3 coffees with clear differences:
A washed coffee (clean, crisp)
A natural coffee (fruit-forward)
A different origin or roast level
Cup them using the same ratio and process. Then rank them by:
Sweetness
Brightness
Body
Your favorite overall
The bottom line
Cupping is not about being fancy. It is about consistency. With a simple, repeatable method, you can learn to taste coffee more clearly, choose coffees you actually love, and brew with more confidence.
If you want to taste coffees side by side with guidance (and learn what you are tasting in real time), join a hands-on class at small beanz coffee co. and explore our current coffees at smallbeanzcoffeeco.com.
Comments