Ever wondered how the coffee experts in Costa Rica and around the world know good café when they taste it?
When visitors come to Costa Rica from all over the world to they come in part to have a cup of this world-famous coffee. But do you know about one of the most important aspects of the coffee process called cupping?
Coffee Cupping involves grinding, smelling, brewing and then slurping (yes, slurping) coffee. When done correctly, the slurping pulls the coffee evenly across the tongue. This lets cuppers taste the sweet, sour, bitter and savory flavors. It also lets the cupper get a better sense of the coffee’s aroma.
Glen Arce, a barista at Viva Café in San José’s Barrio California, gave The Tico Times a step-by-step cupping demonstration.
Although this article first appeared in 2016 with the Costa Rica Cup of Excellence but cupping process is still the same today as it was back then.
