According to coffee scores, they are categorized as follows: Coffee with scores below 80 points: non-specialty commercial coffee. These are the coffee commonly found in supermarkets.
Aroma/Fragrance:
Fragrance is the scent released by the ground coffee when still dry,
while aroma is the scent of the coffee infused with water. Aroma is
one of the most noticeable attributes of coffee, as it is the smell that
emanates at the moment of its preparation, indicating the origin of
the bean. Coffee can have fruity, floral, or herbal aromas.
Aftertaste:
It refers to the flavour that remains on the palate after tasting the coffee. It encompasses the lingering taste on the palate after consumption. It is also defined as residual flavour. Depending on the duration of its presence on the palate, it is measured as high, medium, or low.
Flavour:
The main attribute of coffee, from the aroma and acidity to the aftertaste perceived together by the tongue and nose. Flavour is the taste that explodes in the mouth and lingers on the palate for a while. It can be described as smooth, sweet, acidic, fruity, pronounced, high, and typical of coffee.
Acidity:
It is perceived in the first sip of coffee and is characterized by a vibrant and fresh taste reminiscent of fruit, typical of coffee. This contrasts with a sour and unpleasant taste.
Generally, naturally processed coffee has more body and fruity notes because the drying process occurs with the coffee beans inside the cherry. Meanwhile, coffee that have undergone a washed process exhibit more acidic flavour and lighter bodies.
Body:
Refers to the texture of the coffee in our mouth, especially when it is between the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
The mouthfeel largely depends on the preparation method and the sediments carried from the ground coffee during infusion. For example, French press coffee gives a full-bodied mouthfeel, while coffee prepared witha filtered method has a lighter body...
Balance:
The perfect balance in a cup of coffee is defined when evaluating its flavour aftertaste, acidity, and body, which complement or counterbalance each other. All these attributes must complement each other to provide a perfect contrast and balance.
Sweetness:
Refers to the full and pleasant flavour of coffee, as well as its sweet notes due to the presence of carbohydrates, contrasting with the bitter and astringent taste of poor-quality coffee. Arabica coffee
variety contains more sugary components. This difference is influenced by the altitude at which the coffee is grown and the ripening process. The slower the coffee cherries mature, the higher the sugar content they will have.
Clean Cup:
Occurs when there are no negative impressions from the first sip to the aftertaste. This is achieved when the coffee is made from high-quality beans that are not green, overly ripe, or damaged.
Uniformity:
Manifests the consistent flavour of all the coffee cups analyzed in a sample during the cupping (typically 5 cups prepared with the same coffee). The uniformity of characteristics in all cups is assessed. If they have very different qualities or leave very different sensations, they score poorly in this attribute.
Cupping score:
t is the appreciation of each taster regarding the drink. The overall rating they give is based on how pleasant or unpleasant the sample they tasted was. A coffee that reflects the qualities of its origin and roast receives a high rating. Many of these attributes depend
on some factors inherent to the plant and the natural environment in which it is grown, as well as how the coffee farmer carries out the production process.
