How does a coffee cupping work?
A cupping follows the SCA protocol: 8.25 g of coarsely ground coffee per bowl, covered with 150 ml of water at 93 °C, steeped for four minutes without stirring. Tasters break the crust with a spoon while inhaling the rising aromas, skim the surface, then slurp the cooled coffee to score ten attributes on a 100-point scale.
Cupping is the worldwide reference method for evaluating coffee objectively, from the origin farm right through to the roaster's cupping room. Its protocol was formalised by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and is so tightly standardised that two certified Q-graders — one in Brazil, the other in Antwerp — will produce comparable scores on the same sample. The gear is intentionally minimal: identical 200-250 ml bowls, deep soup spoons, a glass of hot water for rinsing, and a grinder set coarser than filter — calibrated so that 70 to 75 % of particles pass through a US 20 sieve.
The ratio is strict and non-negotiable: 8.25 grams of coffee for 150 ml of water, or 1:18.2. Water sits between 92 and 94 °C, mineralised to roughly 150 ppm TDS. Before pouring, the taster assesses fragrance — the aromatics of the dry grounds — by leaning over the bowl for about fifteen seconds. Water is then poured in one confident stream to saturate the bed evenly. A crust forms on top: oils, gases and particles rise and trap the aromatic compounds beneath a natural brown foam lid.
After exactly four minutes, the central ritual begins: breaking the crust. The taster pushes the back of the spoon through the bowl in three gentle strokes, nose just five centimetres above the surface to catch the escaping vapours — the wet aroma, often the most expressive moment of the session. Residual grounds and foam are then skimmed off using two spoons. The coffee rests until it drops to around 70 °C, then the taster loudly slurps it off the spoon — the famous slurp — which atomises the liquid as a fine mist across the palate so retronasal olfaction can work in full.
Scoring covers ten attributes, each on a 6-to-10 scale graded in quarter-points: fragrance/aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness and overall. A total of 80 or higher earns the specialty-grade label. In Belgium these sessions happen at specialty roasters who run weekly cuppings to validate their green lots and calibrate roast curves — a demanding exercise that 20hVin and La Cave du Lac occasionally stage as discovery tastings for their more curious guests.
The chronological steps of an SCA cupping
| Time | Action | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| T-1 min | Weigh 8.25 g of coarsely ground coffee per bowl | Grind uniformity, dry fragrance |
| T-0 | Pour 150 ml of 93 °C water in one stream | Full saturation, crust formation |
| T+4 min | Break the crust with three gentle strokes | Wet aroma, vapours 5 cm above the bowl |
| T+5 min | Skim foam and grounds with two spoons | Sensory clarity before tasting |
| T+8 min | First slurp, coffee at ~70 °C | Flavour, acidity, body, sweetness |
| T+12 min | Second pass, coffee lukewarm | Balance, aftertaste, defects |
| T+20 min | Final pass, coffee at room temperature | Overall, final score out of 100 |