French Theory, a home away from home for baristas
So what exactly is coffee cupping?
French Theory, a home away from home for baristas
Dry fragrance, clean cup, flavour and aftertaste, aroma, body, sweetness and bitterness were just some of the pretty strange terms being bandied about on December 2nd in the Coffee Shop Coffee Shop at French Theory, where a group of enthusiasts had been invited by the network of French baristas (RBF) for a cupping. It was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the third place of French barista Alex Gagnaire at the Word AeroPress Championship, (a global coffee-making contest) a few days earlier and to taste different coffees brought back from the event in London. The French Theory coffee shop team, themselves members of the RBF and passionate about coffee, were more than pleased to host the event.
So what exactly is coffee cupping?Good question !
Paradoxically, the English term “cupping” designates a coffee tasting technique that was formalised in Brazil and first used solely by professionals. It involves describing a cup of coffee according to an ultra-precise protocol and giving the coffee a mark. The coffee must be prepared in a particular manner; it is neither filtered nor percolated (contrary to one of our famous neighbours) but infused (usually within 15 minutes of grinding), thereby allowing the many subtle nuances of its aroma to be fully appreciated.
©Lansy Siessie
If the grading form used to evaluate the coffee according to a global standard looks at first glance more like something a lab assistant would use, the times when baristas get together are really convivial. It’s all deadly serious, but discovering new varieties of coffee is also a pleasurable moment for one and all.
Whether you’re a professional coffee taster or not, don’t wait until the RBF comes visiting again to spend some time in our Coffee Shop. Come along and taste one of our flat whites, americanos or espressos made using blends supplied by Coutume, a Parisian coffee roaster founded in 2010.