Coffee Tasting 101: A beginner’s guide to cupping and sensory evaluation.

First Sip

A beginner’s guide to cupping and sensory evaluation.

Steam curled from the cups as we leaned in, spoons in hand, each of us quiet for once. The kitchen smelled like citrus, chocolate, and something floral none of us could quite name. We broke the crusts, slurped loudly, then looked at each other, wide-eyed someone said “peach,” another guessed “jasmine.” It wasn’t about being right; it was about finding the words, chasing the flavors. We laughed at our guesses, compared notes, and poured another round. For a moment, it felt like we were discovering coffee - and each other - all over again.

If you think all coffee tastes the same, you’re missing the good stuff. Real coffee tasting what the pros call “cupping”—is a skill anyone can develop. And once you do, your morning brew will never be boring again.

This guide walks you through the basics of coffee tasting and sensory evaluation so you can start picking up on the flavors, aromas, and textures that separate a flat cup from a phenomenal one.

What Is Coffee Cupping?

Cupping is the standardized method professionals use to evaluate coffee. It strips away variables like milk, sugar, and brewing gear to help you assess the beans on their own terms. It's the wine tasting of the coffee world.

During a cupping session, you’ll smell, slurp, and score different coffees. You're looking for clarity of flavor, complexity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. The goal? Train your palate to detect the subtle differences in origin, roast, and processing.

Why Learn to Taste Coffee Properly?

Most people don’t know what their coffee tastes like. They’re tasting roast level, or the sweetness of creamer, or the bitterness of over-extraction. Tasting coffee correctly helps you:

Appreciate high-quality beans,

Choose coffees that match your taste preferences,

Understand what you’re buying,

Improve your brewing skills,

Sound like a total badass at your local café,

What You'll Need for a Basic Cupping Setup

You don’t need a lab to start tasting coffee like a pro. Just grab these essentials:

Freshly ground coffee (medium-coarse grind, similar to sea salt),

Hot water (around 200°F or 93°C),

Cupping bowls or small glasses (same size for consistency),

Cupping spoons (or soup spoons),

Scale (for precision),

Timer,

Notebook or cupping form,

Pro tip: Use filtered water and a quiet environment. Sensory clarity starts with focus.

Step-by-Step: How to Cup Coffee

1.    Smell the Dry Grounds

Start with your nose. Stick it right into the cup and inhale. This is the dry aroma, and it can give clues about what’s to come: floral, nutty, earthy, fruity.

Write down what you smell. Don’t overthink it. Use terms that make sense to you: chocolate bar, apple pie, pencil shavings. The more personal, the better.

2.     Add Hot Water

Pour 200°F water over the grounds (usually in a 1:16 coffee to water ratio, like 12g coffee to 200ml water).

Let it sit untouched for 4 minutes.

3.     Break the Crust

After 4 minutes, a crust of grounds will float to the top. Take your spoon, gently break the crust while sniffing the rising steam. This is the wet aroma, and it’s often more intense and revealing.

4.     Skim and Clean

Use your spoon to skim off the remaining grounds and foam. You want a clear brew to taste.

5.     Taste by Slurping

Once the coffee cools a bit (around 10–12 minutes after pouring), take a spoonful and slurp it hard and loudly.

You want it to spray across your entire tongue, so all your taste receptors get involved.

Focus on these key categories:

Aroma: What does it smell like now that it’s brewed?

Acidity: Not sourness—think brightness or crispness. Like citrus or green apple.

Body: The texture or weight. Thin like tea? Thick like cream?

Flavor: The main notes. Fruity, nutty, chocolaty, spicy?

Aftertaste: What lingers? Is it clean, dry, sweet, or bitter?

Tips for Training Your Palate

Your palate isn’t a fixed skill. Like any muscle, it gets stronger with practice. Here’s how to improve:

1.    Taste Mindfully

Drink coffee with full attention. Focus on its qualities rather than just the caffeine hit.

2.    Compare Coffees Side by Side

Cupping two or three coffees at once sharpens contrast and helps you notice subtle differences.

3.    Use a Flavor Wheel

SCAA’s Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel is a great reference. Don’t memorize it—use it to put words to what you taste.

4.    Eat with Curiosity

Try fruits, spices, herbs, and nuts with intention. Build your memory for flavors so you can recall them during cupping.

5.    Keep a Coffee Journal

Write down everything. Even if your notes feel silly, over time you’ll spot patterns in what you like.

Common Flavor Notes and What They Mean

To decode your cup, here are a few common flavor profiles:

Citrusy & Bright (like lemon or grapefruit): Often found in African coffee

Nutty & Chocolatey: Common in Central American beans

Fruity & Wine-like: Typical of natural-processed coffees

Spicy or Earthy: Often in Indonesian or Sumatran coffees

     These aren’t rules, just tendencies. Let your own taste be the guide.

Final Sip 

Tasting Is About Experience, Not Perfection

There’s no wrong way to describe what you taste. The goal isn’t to impress. It’s to understand and enjoy coffee more deeply. The best tasters aren’t snobs; they’re curious, honest, and open-minded. Grab a spoon, pour some hot water, and start slurping. You might be surprised by what you’ve been missing in your daily cup.

Quick Reference Table