Cupping

The standardised protocol for evaluating coffee. Grounds are placed in identical bowls, hot water is poured over them, a crust forms and is broken with a spoon, and tasters slurp the coffee from spoons in silence — scoring it on a 100-point scale.

Why it matters — Cupping is how coffee is graded at origin, how roasters quality-control their batches, and how buyers compare lots. It's the closest thing to a universal language in specialty coffee.

Good to know

• Coffee scoring 80+ on the SCA scale is "specialty." Most cafés serve coffees rated 82–87. Competition lots can score 88+.
• The protocol matters because it removes variables — same dose, same water, same brew time. The only difference is the coffee.