A little about Cupping

It occurred to me that it might be valuable to explain a little bit about what “cupping” is and why having a Sip n’ Spin Table would be important.

Here is a fairly comprehensive definition of what “cupping” is:

The accepted method of tasting coffees is standardized and adheres to a specific set of guidelinnes so that empirical observations can be repeated from Budapest to Baltimore. The process is called “cupping.” Cuppers are trying to determine “cup quality,” how good a coffee tastes. The process involves rigorous attention to details; coffee grind, quantity, water temperature, etc. There are special spoons, cups, spitoons and other instruments used in the procedure.

Cupping

Roughly, 1/4 ounce (7.25 grams) of each coffee to be compared is roasted to a City roast, ground and put in little cups. First the cupper evaluates dry aroma of the grounds. Then 150 ml of 195 degree water is added and the coffee is allowed to infuse for 4 minutes. The grounds float to the top of the cup and are pushed downward (called “breaking the crust”) with the spoon while the cupper sniffs for aroma. In the second step the cupper raises the spoon to their mouth and takes in the coffee and a lot of air, essentially spraying the coffee all over their mouth. The cupper judges all the coffee’s character at this time; acidity, body, flavor… then they spit it out and try to sense the aftertaste. When the coffee cools they repeat the second step.

A few examples of Sip n’ Spin Tables

Why is having a table that spins important? Because there are usually a few people cupping at the same time, all sampling out of the same cups.  A round table that turns enables the cuppers to remain in one spot for better efficiency. In addition, a round table can be more space efficient and offer a better display surface. That is what the Sip n’ Spin Table has to offer, a great surface that turns very smoothly on skateboard wheels and looks cool at the same time.