What Is Cupping? A Quick Breakdown
Cupping is the universal language of coffee quality. Here's how we do it at Civil:
Dose & Grind: Each coffee is measured precisely—usually 8.25g to 12g—and ground medium-coarse, just before evaluation.
Smell (Dry Fragrance): Before any water touches the coffee, we inhale the aromas to detect fruit, florals, spice, or roast character.
Wet & Bloom: Hot water is poured to steep the grounds. This activates the coffee’s volatile compounds and forms a crust.
Break the Crust: After 4 minutes, we break the crust of coffee grounds with a spoon, releasing more aroma for evaluation.
Clean the Top: We skim away foam and floating particles to create a clean surface for tasting.
Cool & Slurp: Once cooled to ~130°F, we slurp with force to spray the coffee across our palate, unlocking flavor, body, and finish.
Discuss: This is where the magic happens—our team compares notes, digs into preferences, and discusses sourcing decisions or roast tweaks.
It’s a group effort. Each session builds our shared understanding—and respect—for what it takes to make a coffee truly sing.
