Tasting coffee is a skill, but learning to communicate what you taste intentionally and consistently is what turns that skill into a shared language. This class is structured around two cuppings of the same coffees, with a sensory calibration activity between them to help refine their own perceptions and evaluations of those coffees.

This course introduces participants to the long and essential industry practice of coffee cupping, exploring its purpose, process, and importance within the specialty coffee industry. Students begin by tasting and evaluating a selection of coffees to establish their initial sensory and communication skills before being introduced to the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel and sensory lexicon.

Through guided flavor and aroma exercises, students develop reference points that help connect the SCA sensory terminology to real foods and examples. Participants then return to the same coffees for the second cupping, applying their newly developed vocabulary and references to identify, evaluate, and communicate flavor with greater precision and intention.

The session concludes with a collaborative discussion comparing final cupping notes, exploring differences and similarities in their interpretations of what they are tasting, and emphasizing the importance of open communication and calibration among peers. By the end of the workshop, guests hopefully leave with greater confidence in their palate or the mentality behind developing a more intentional approach to tasting, and the ability to communicate coffee more effectively with coworkers, customers, and peers.