Aug 19, 2008 10:54 am US/Eastern
Tasty Trend: Coffee Cupping
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Coffee cupping may resemble a wine tasting, as the aroma and flavor of a cup of joe is carefully enjoyed.
CBS
Something's brewing at coffee shops around the country. A special experience once practiced only by coffee connoisseurs is now open to your average Joe, as CBS 3's Pat Ciarrocchi shows us.
Listen carefully and you'll hear the sounds: sniffing and sipping. This isn't a wine tasting. It's a coffee cupping, a trend that's percolating across the country.
Ric Rhinehart of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (or SCAA) explains, "Coffee cupping is the assessment tool that professional coffee tasters use to determine quality of any particular coffee."
Now, roasters and retailers are opening their private world to the public.
Cindy Chang has been a cupping leader for nearly ten years, and she says everyone from first-time tasters to java junkies are giving it a go.
Damon Brown is one of them. "It certainly was a new experience for me," said Brown.
Each cupping starts with putting hot water directly on the pre-measured coffee grounds. Each cup of joe is then smelled, spooned and sampled in a blind taste test. Cuppers take note of the various aromas and flavors.
"Most people think coffee is just coffee, but you can taste a lot of different things," said Brown.
Chang has heard brew described with words like cookie dough, warm toast and toasted almond.
"Everybody's opinion is more than welcome because taste is subjective and we're learning from everybody else as much as they're learning the process," said Chang.
After getting a taste of the cupping experience, drip drinkers like Brown can't wait to come back for more.
"It's educational and it's fun," said Damon.
The best way to find a local cupping is to look for a roaster or coffee retailer that brews a great cup of joe. Most of the time, public cuppings are free and take place weekly.
LINKS:
Area Coffee Cuppings Specialty Coffee Association of America
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