Did you know that coffee is the most complex plant-derived substance we consume? Wine has approximately 400 chemical compounds in it, while coffee has at least a whopping 800. This explains all the fuss about blends and roasts and brews that I never quite understood. Don’t get me wrong––I love good, black coffee as much as any connoisseur, but my enjoyment has always been rooted in ignorance. Thankfully, the good folks at the new Brooklyn spot Toby’s Estate offer a crash course in cupping, which is the process of appraising beans much like wine-tasting appraises wine. So I joined a group of curious mug-grippers and opened my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth to the art of cupping. You can try it at home by following these easy steps.
Call it strange, but I had a blast slurping coffee with a bunch of strangers. I learned a lot about coffee (did you know that it's a fruit, or that the caffeine extracted from decaf blends is sold to companies like Red Bull and Coca Cola?). Ultimately, I learned a lot about myself, too––I now know that my prospects of being a coffee connoisseur (or even a knowledgeable enthusiast) are low. But I can, however, embrace the mollified appreciation cultivated by those who drink their coffee black.
Check out one of the awesome classes Toby's offers every week and more OC 'Coffee Chronicles' HERE!
TOBY'S ESTATE
125 North 6th St
Williamsburg, BK, 11211
MAP
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Me sniffing ground coffee. The first test of a coffee cupping is an appraisal of its dry fragrance. You stick your nose in the container, open your mouth, and sniff it to detect the subtleties of the scent. (Of course, it's all subjective and based on individual experiences.) Most of the people in my class detected all sorts of exotic perfumes, while I stray much from "dirt", "earth", and "soil". My sense of smell isn't worth much.
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These are the six different kinds of beans we cupped. They're all carried by Toby's, and include an espresso roast and a sample that will be served in the future. By following the steps of the cupping process, we can determine the characteristics of the beans, as well as how to properly roast and brew them.
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Our awesome teacher Dan ground the beans fresh on the spot.
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Ground coffee with its bag
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Call it strange, but I had a blast slurping coffee with a bunch of strangers. I learned a lot about coffee (did you know that it's a fruit, or that the caffeine extracted from decaf blends is sold to companies like Red Bull and Coca Cola?). Ultimately, I learned a lot about myself, too––I now know that my prospects of being a coffee connoisseur (or even a knowledgeable enthusiast) are low. But I can, however, embrace the mollified appreciation cultivated by those who drink their coffee black.
Check out one of the awesome classes Toby's offers every week and more OC 'Coffee Chronicles' HERE!
TOBY'S ESTATE
125 North 6th St
Williamsburg, BK, 11211
MAP
Me sniffing ground coffee. The first test of a coffee cupping is an appraisal of its dry fragrance. You stick your nose in the container, open your mouth, and sniff it to detect the subtleties of the scent. (Of course, it's all subjective and based on individual experiences.) Most of the people in my class detected all sorts of exotic perfumes, while I stray much from "dirt", "earth", and "soil". My sense of smell isn't worth much.
These are the six different kinds of beans we cupped. They're all carried by Toby's, and include an espresso roast and a sample that will be served in the future. By following the steps of the cupping process, we can determine the characteristics of the beans, as well as how to properly roast and brew them.
Our awesome teacher Dan ground the beans fresh on the spot.
Ground coffee with its bag