Cupping
Cupping is a professional coffee tasting method used to evaluate coffee quality and characteristics. It's similar to wine tasting but for coffee. Coffee professionals use this standardized tasting process to assess different coffee beans, determine their quality, and identify their unique flavors and characteristics. When you see this term on a resume, it indicates that the person has specialized knowledge in coffee quality assessment and can help ensure high-quality coffee offerings in a cafe or coffee-related business.
Examples in Resumes
Conducted daily Cupping sessions to evaluate new coffee bean shipments
Led weekly Cupping workshops to train barista team in flavor identification
Developed coffee buying strategies based on Cupping scores and feedback
Typical job title: "Coffee Cuppers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Coffee Cuppers
Professional Organizations
Online Communities
Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you set up a cupping program to train new staff members?
Expected Answer: Should explain their approach to teaching others about coffee tasting, including setting up regular sessions, creating evaluation forms, and developing a structured learning program that builds from basic to advanced coffee characteristics.
Q: How do you handle quality inconsistencies in coffee shipments?
Expected Answer: Should describe their process for documenting issues, communicating with suppliers, making purchasing decisions, and ensuring quality standards are maintained.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What's your process for evaluating a new coffee sample?
Expected Answer: Should be able to explain the basic steps of cupping including fragrance/aroma assessment, tasting for flavor, acidity, body, and creating clear notes about their findings.
Q: How do you identify common coffee defects during cupping?
Expected Answer: Should describe common issues like fermented flavors, staleness, or processing defects, and explain how these impact coffee quality.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the basic steps of a cupping session?
Expected Answer: Should be able to list the main steps: grinding, smelling the dry grounds, adding hot water, breaking the crust, tasting, and taking notes.
Q: What are the main characteristics you look for when tasting coffee?
Expected Answer: Should mention basic elements like acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste, showing understanding of fundamental coffee evaluation concepts.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-1 years)
- Basic coffee tasting techniques
- Understanding of main coffee characteristics
- Knowledge of coffee brewing methods
- Basic sensory evaluation skills
Mid (1-3 years)
- Detailed flavor identification
- Quality control procedures
- Training other staff in basic cupping
- Understanding of coffee processing methods
Senior (3+ years)
- Advanced sensory analysis
- Coffee buying decisions
- Program development and training
- Quality assurance management
Red Flags to Watch For
- Unable to identify basic coffee characteristics
- No formal coffee training or certification
- Lack of experience with different coffee origins
- Poor sensory evaluation skills
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