Coffee is the new wine. To appreciate the subtle flavors, texture and body of the coffee brew, coffee cupping is newest fad on the block.
Tasters use spoons to slurp the brew, noting their impressions of taste, acidity, aftertaste, and body. The Northwest region of United States - Portland and Seattle - has various coffee cupping venues where you can learn 'How to taste coffee'.
When I first started drinking coffee, the only difference was that it did not taste like masala tea, drinking chocolate or a malt drink. Nescafe or Bru, regular or premium, they all tasted 'well' with enough sugar and frothed milk. Barista, back them a premium chain was no better than Cafe Coffee Day, except it meant we were acting classy in the former rather than hanging with the gang.
That first filter coffee from my aunt opened a door to coffee which has over the years made me appreciate (not snooty) what coffee should taste like. I no more drink 2-3 cups of espresso each day, or even every week, which means each cup is savored that much more. After a long walk in Downtown Portland, I picked a glass of iced latte from Peets on my way to the bus stop. It was brown sugared cold water, with not even a hint of coffee; it wasn't even decaf! With Starbucks long left behind in the race for 'enjoying a cuppa', Dutch Bros and Black Rock are the only steadfast options I can count on each time.
Tasters use spoons to slurp the brew, noting their impressions of taste, acidity, aftertaste, and body. The Northwest region of United States - Portland and Seattle - has various coffee cupping venues where you can learn 'How to taste coffee'.
When I first started drinking coffee, the only difference was that it did not taste like masala tea, drinking chocolate or a malt drink. Nescafe or Bru, regular or premium, they all tasted 'well' with enough sugar and frothed milk. Barista, back them a premium chain was no better than Cafe Coffee Day, except it meant we were acting classy in the former rather than hanging with the gang.
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| One of the daily coffee cuppings at the Stumptown Coffee Annex in Southeast Portland, Oregon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
