I’m a firm believer that understanding is developed through the act of comparison. Learning to talk about the character of a coffee from a particular origin requires that one have some frame of reference, and if the goal is to figure out what makes a coffee from Kenya great it is important to know what makes it different than other coffees.
It is important to remember, though, that dogma has no place in coffee tasting. Every time I think I’ve got a region figured out, a coffee comes along that shatters my expectations. Keeping an open mind and sense of curiosity is absolutely essential to becoming an accomplished taster.
The cupping process was conceived as a means for evaluating and comparing different coffees on a level playing field. Because the differences between great coffees can be very delicate, observations about the characteristics of those coffees (flavor, body, finish…) can be easily influenced by small variations that occur as part of most brewing methods. By eliminating some of these variables, a carefully prepared cupping allows the coffees being tasted to compete on the basis of their own intrinsic merits.
Here’s one more tip for you. In my main espresso room, I have a Mazzer Super Jolly that I found on eBay almost brand new - but not branded as a Mazzer Super Jolly; it had been rebranded as an Astoria “Manual” and used less than a month. The portafilter fork was pristine, the burrs were practically new. and I paid only $275, including shipping. The tip is this: find out under what names the Mazzers are rebranded, and search often on eBay for those names. The one I bid on didn’t mention “Mazzer” once, and that kept the price low.
Tags: astoria, burrs, coffee, different coffees, dogma, ebay, Espresso, firm believer, frame of reference, intrinsic merits, mazzer super jolly, shipping, variations