The Brew Blog

How to cup coffee like a judge: dose, grind, 93°C water, the four-minute crust break, slurp technique, and how to evaluate aroma, acidity, body, and flavor.

The SCA cupping protocol step by step: 8.25g per 150ml dose, 93°C water, four-minute steep, crust break, slurp at three temperatures, 100-point scoring.

Set up a home coffee cupping: equipment list, dose calculations for 200–250ml cups, coffees to contrast, full step-by-step procedure, and note-taking.

Common off-flavors in coffee: ferment, phenolic, rubbery, musty, papery, grassy, baggy, woody, scorched, baked. What each tastes like and what causes it.

The coffee flavor wheel explained: 110 descriptors organized from broad categories (fruity, floral, roasted) at the center to specific notes at the edge.

Train your coffee palate at home: weekly cupping, single-attribute sessions, blind triangulation, reference foods for descriptors. A 3–6 month progression plan.