Day 1: Introduction, coffee history and market trends. Specialty coffee and sensory evaluation of quality. General physical inspection, roasting, brewing (water quality and temperature, extraction ratio), and review cupping protocols and standards. Physical inspection and grading systems. Odor, color and homogeneity, shape, size, moisture content and drying quality, density, and grading.

Day 2: Chemistry of aroma precursors in coffee and their role in flavor integration. Practice with aroma vials and descriptors. Calibration in intensity and complexity of fragrance-aroma and use of aroma descriptors. Theory and practice of aromatic taints and defects. Theory of taste precursors; origin, perception threshold and taste dynamics. Identification of 5 basic tastes and calibration on intensity and quality. Taste modulation theory and exercises. Theory and practice of texture. Flavor modulation by polyphenols and fats in coffee.

Day 3: Review SCA cupping protocols and format. Cupping tutoring using the SCA format by stages and sharing descriptors (not scores). Cupping different processing methods (naturals, washed, honeys; fermentation types and times; drying technologies and temp.) and different species, improved catimor hybrids and Arabica varietals. Cupping skills testing: precision (finding the right grade), calibration (deviation from the group), consistency (scoring the same sample consistently), spread (save cupping) and defect detection.

The Level 2 is suitable if you are already part of the industry, working in the field covered by the module, and have a firm knowledge of the basic skills.

Pre-requisite: Sensory Level 1 (recommended only)

Torch Coffee Lab Yunnan China