Prepping Palate for Cupping

Beginner and pro baristas share tips and tricks for making espresso.
nickthorpie
Posts: 38
Joined: 8 years ago

#1: Post by nickthorpie »

There is tons of coverage on the internet about cupping practice, however amongst all of the guides, they all begin at the weighing and grinding process. I know that your ability to taste coffees is drastically altered depending on what you drink in the time before enjoying a cup. For example, Benjamin Put even during the 2015 Canadian Championships served his espresso in two parts, preparing the judges' palate with distilled and then carbonated water.

With that in mind, what do you do in the minutes or hours before cupping to control any unexpected variables?

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[creative nickname]
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Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by [creative nickname] »

I try not to cup if I've just eaten or drunk something with strong flavors. I also usually drink some mineral water beforehand as a kind of reference background taste, and also take sips of that if I'm switching between bowls during a session to avoid palate confusion.
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Sideshow
Posts: 380
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#3: Post by Sideshow »

A sip or two of seltzer is pretty standard and always worked for me.

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Boldjava
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#4: Post by Boldjava »

I don't brush my teeth that morning; rather just rinse my mouth with tap water. I stay away from cheeses and my beloved tuna fish. I try to watch the onions, hot peppers, curries and garlic the night before.

Don't over think or over do this.
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another_jim
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#5: Post by another_jim »

Boldjava wrote:I don't brush my teeth that morning; rather just rinse my mouth with tap water.
Ditto, I try to do my serious cupping first thing in the morning; ones smell and taste are at their most acute then.

If you're cupping later, milk is actually a god palate cleanser, as is a low key cappa.
Jim Schulman