Introduction to Coffee Cupping Workshop
Hosted at Pacific Coffee Research – Friday March 20 9 am - 11 am
In this hands-on workshop, you’ll dive into the world of professional coffee tasting, learning that evaluating coffee is about more than just labeling it "good" or "bad". We’ll focus on how to use the Specialty Coffee Association's (SCA) Cupping Form from 2004—a globally recognized standard for objectively evaluating coffee quality—and practice it in real time while cupping a range of coffees.
This 3-hour class is designed for anyone wanting to refine their tasting skills and better understand how professionals evaluate coffee. You'll not only explore the SCA’s formal cupping procedure, but also gain an understanding of the sensory elements involved in tasting. From aroma to aftertaste, we'll guide you through each step of the process.
The SCA Cupping Form, developed in 1984, was the first 100-point system for grading coffee quality and has since become the go-to tool for cupping worldwide. While the form has evolved over the years, it remains the benchmark for describing and communicating coffee flavor profiles.
🌟 What You’ll Learn:
Learn the detailed cupping protocol used by Q Graders.
Introduction of the Heritage SCA Cupping Form to evaluate multiple coffees.
Discuss your sensory experiences, learning how to articulate what you taste and smell.
Receive your own SCA Cupping Form and Coffee Flavor Wheel to use during the workshop.
No experience necessary! This class is designed to help you hone your palate, get comfortable with tasting coffee more deliberately, and understand the language used to describe coffee flavors. By the end, you'll be equipped to replicate this cupping process at home or in your business, and be more confident in evaluating coffee quality intentionally.
