Cupping is "a method by which professional tasters perform a sensory evaluation of coffee."
Essentially, hot water is poured over ground coffee and left to extract. The taster samples the aroma and then tastes the coffee by the ever-recognizable slurping from a cupping spoon.
Cupping is used to evaluate different coffee by using the exact same brewing parameters each and every time. Eliminating the variables in the brewing process means the taster is able to identify the characteristics and qualities of the various coffees and compare them objectively.
The process of cupping is both intricate and personal. Standard cupping follows a set of procedures that include roasting, fragrance assessment, brewing, breaking the crust, "the scrape," tasting and profiling.
An integral skill to any barista, cupping is one of the six tasks that competitors must complete to proceed to the next round of Coffee Masters NYC, taking place at the festival. To understand the full process of cupping, and to see it in action, check out this fast-paced, multi-disciplined global barista tournament on the second level of the event.
No competition is set without the right gear; enter Espresso Parts, proud sponsors of Coffee Masters™ NYC 2017. Supplying the competing baristas with all the beautiful cupping bowls & kits, cappuccino, flat white and demi cups any coffee aficionado could ask for, their products are completely customizable from the color to the ability to add a personal logo. So go on, get your bold ideas turned into a personalized cup!
Check out their collections here!