Coffee Cupping, or Coffee Tasting, is the practice of observing the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee.

When we cup at Loxley Coffee we use a ratio of 1.6 grams of coffee per fluid ounce of water.

To begin pour a freshly ground coffee sample directly into the bottom of the cup giving that a little smell to get just the aromas of the ground beans. After, pour on water (1 oz. per 1.6 grams of coffee.) heated to right around 200 degrees fahrenheit soon a "crust" will form. The crust is a layer of ground coffee that forms at the top of the cup. After 3 mins or so with a nose close to the cup gently break the crust with a spoon releasing more and different aromas inhaling through the nose as it's broken. After another couple minutes remove the layer of visible “foam” on top with a couple spoons. That foam is the insolubles that will cause a very bitter taste in the coffee. After the layer of foam is removed begin tasting when the coffee cools enough and becomes palatable so all of the flavors, sweetness, acidity, and bitterness can be found. All the beautiful things that make coffee, coffee. It's common to sip a small amount of coffee violently off a clean spoon to aspirate the coffee and evenly spray vapor across the tongue and into the throat, the louder the better. If you want a little grit in your teeth, drink it straight out of the cup. They call it Cowboy Coffee.

Cupping is easy to setup and do, and you don't have to be a pro to taste coffee. If you want to try don't worry about following any instructions to the letter. You just need to get a few friends together and sample some fresh beans, preferably ours. Pour it directly into a cup or get a french press if you and your friends want a full cup instead of a slurp off a spoon.

Click below to return to our method or find out more about coffee!