Why every coffee enthusiast should go to cupping events

It is 6pm in Berlin, Neukölln. In a big room, there are people gathered waiting and looking at a guy who is scaling and grinding coffee beans, putting them on a cup, and repeating the process. Then pour boiling water on all the cups and set a timer. After the timer was ringing, his next step was to break the crust from the coffee, which was forming at the time. Removing the foam from the surface was the next step that I saw him doing. Alongside, all people are preparing themselves with a cup and a spoon, waiting in line to taste the coffee. The first person who was taking a zip was making a loud slurping sound, which would be disgusting in a coffee shop, but not here and today, Welcome to a Cupping Event! Where people drink or taste coffee at a late hour just for the aromatic flavor notes coffee can have and not for caffeine.

In this blog post, I want to show you why you should go to a cupping event as a coffee enthusiast and the experience I gained from it. As described at the beginning, a Cupping Event or Coffee Tasting is a globally standardized method for evaluating the qualities of coffee. It is a ritual held by every contributor to the coffee supply chain: producers, importers/exporters, roasters and baristas (quelle).

One reason I go cupping is to improve my palate or sensory skills. Every morning, a Barista like me has to calibrate the grinder and pull espresso shots, and then taste the espresso. After he is satisfied with the results, he can serve the coffee to the customer. This is his decision about what a good or bad espresso is. To know what a good espresso is is also dependent on one’s sensory skills. One sign of a good Barista is to know how to calibrate the grinder and to have a good sensory perception of coffee. Basically, what I am doing at a cupping event is to slurp the coffee and try to identify its flavor notes. I also explain to my friend what I can taste and if he tastes the same flavor notes from the coffee, to know if we are on the same page.

On all Cupping Events, I had participated are 10 to 40 coffees presented with different flavors, origins, varieties, and processes. A Paradise for Coffee Enthusiasts and the best place to try interesting coffees like Panama Geisha or Jamaica Blue Mountain. The first time I tried a Geisha was at this Event, and I was really surprised by how intense and fruity the Geisha was. In addition, brewed coffee contains more than 1000 aromatic compounds that contribute to flavor. Wine has less than 300. When I talk about how different coffee tastes, they are not made up.

Another reason to go to these kinds of events is to meet people like you, who are passionate about coffee. Sometimes you, as a Coffee Enthusiast, are alone with your hobby or your friends do not have time, then there is no reason not to go to an event like this. At this event, I met so many cool baristas, roasters, and shop owners with whom you can speak. For my friend, it was interesting to meet people who were in the same field as him to connect with, because he had opened a coffee shop and roastery. It can benefit his business by talking about their experiences and knowledge.

In the end, it is a nice experience as a coffee enthusiast to go to a Cupping Event, whether just to try different coffees and talk to interesting people or convincing your friend that coffee can/have so many flavor notes (fruity) and a cupping event is the best place to introduce newcomers to the world of coffee. If you ever find yourself at a cupping event, do not hesitate to speak with me, for a nice chat. My name is LUKO, and I am a full-time Barista at KAWA Kaffeemanufaktur.