What is Coffee Cupping?
Also called Coffee Sensory, it is the industry’s universal language for tasting a coffee. It is mostly followed by a standardised process, by following a shared protocol, it’s used by producers, exporters, importers, and roasters to assess and compare different coffees.
It’s also the way we at Nordic Approach determine quality, select coffees for our offer list and track consistency, and give feedback to producers or work together with them on improevement.
A Step-By-Step Guide
As mentioned above, a standard cupping session follows a clear process. First, the coffee is weighed and ground to a specific ratio and grind size. The dry grounds are smelled to assess their aroma before hot water is added, allowing the coffee to steep for four minutes. Next comes the “break,” where the crust of grounds at the surface is stirred and the wet aroma evaluated. The surface is then skimmed to remove any remaining grounds and oils. Finally, the coffee is tasted by slurping from a spoon, this aerates the brew and spreads it evenly across the palate. To ensure accuracy and catch any inconsistencies or defects, each sample is usually cupped using multiple cups.
What we look for when cupping
We use coffee descriptors to communicate flavour, aroma, and mouthfeel when tasting coffee. They can be broad (fruity, floral, nutty) or very specific (jasmine, blackberry, dark chocolate). Most commonly used descriptors are sweetness, Acidity, Flavour, Body, Balance, Aftertaste, Aroma.
At Nordic Approach, we provide cupping notes with every coffee we sell, ensuring roasters have transparent and reliable descriptors to communicate flavour potential. We use a protocol as a foundation, but we also adapt based on context, sometimes adding our own descriptors, or simplifying sessions depending on the purpose.
Why cupping is important
It is a part on how we make buying decisions, evaluate new lots, and give quality feedback to producers and exporters. It helps ensure transparency and objectivity in the supply chain, especially when coffees are being evaluated by multiple people across different countries.
Coffee Cupping in Specialty vs. Commercial
In specialty coffee, cupping is a core part of quality evaluation and sourcing decisions. Coffees are assessed using the SCA scoring system, with a focus on flavour, balance, acidity, sweetness, and overall cup character. Even small differences in cup profile can influence pricing, lot separation, or buying decisions.
In commercial coffee, cupping is just as important, and often just as frequent, but the focus is different. Instead of scoring, evaluation centres on cleanliness and the presence of defects. For larger contracts, it’s common to cup many bowls from the same lot, sometimes more than in specialty, to assess how many cups show defects and whether the coffee meets contract specifications.
Where Nordic Approach fits in
Cupping is at the core of everything we do. Our buying decisions are largely based on how coffees perform on the cupping table, not just on paper. We cup every lot multiple times, at origin, in transit, and upon arrival, to ensure the quality matches our expectations. We also use it to train our teams, align with producers, and make transparent, calibrated decisions. Check out upcoming coffee tasting events here