December Cupping

Hello coffee drinkers!

Over the weekend we had a cupping. We had some new samples to try out and also wanted to get a more thorough set of cupping notes for the coffees we have now. (Even though we’ve cupped them in the past.)

Green coffee samples waiting to be roasted.

Until we started the business, I had never had the privilege of participating in a coffee cupping. (For those of you who are not complete coffee nerds, this link has a good explanation: http://coffeegeek.com/guides/beginnercupping.) It’s really an interesting process. We do it pretty casually, discussing each coffee as we go. I find the more I cup, more I am able to understand and evaluate the different characteristics of the coffee. I like seeing what the coffee tastes and smells like on its own, knowing how different it may taste or smell once it’s been roasted, blended and made into espresso or drip coffee.  

Here are the notes on our current offerings:

Brazil Cerrado: Muted, slightly spicy aroma with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Initial flavors are earthy, woody, nutty, with cocoa notes coming out as it cools. A good “basic” coffee with nice sweetness, moderate acidity and medium-full body.

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe: A bright and complex coffee. Lemon, tea, hints of other citrus and berry come to mind, with almond and butter also coming through in the aroma.

Kenya Karatina: Wine, orange, and caramel are the primary flavors of this tangy coffee. Sweetness increases as it cools. This Kenya also features a buttery aroma, smooth aftertaste and light-med body.

Peru Organic Swiss Water Process Decaf: A clean, almost minty aroma, followed by some nutty flavors and earthiness. Overall an enjoyable decaf, with a muted lemon tea flavor, minimal sweetness, and medium body.

I’ll save the other notes until we've decided what we’re ordering for sure. Keep your eyes open, because soon we will have Fair Trade and Organic coffees added to our offerings!

We’d love to hear what you think about cupping:

Have you done it? What parts of the process interest you? What flavors do you look for in coffee? Leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions about cupping.

Happy Holidays!

-Jessamyn at Voyage Coffee Roasters