Even alone, cupping is a joy to me. I love practicing and refining my mouth-to-brain perception skill set.

I rather enjoyed this Colombian. Good chocolate, various permutations of carmelized sugars; and some killer aromas. I went though this bag while the Kenyan beans sat there quietly weeping.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe: light, tealike body, subtle notes of tomato, lemon, savory undertones.

Christina, at her last Volta cupping before heading up to Chicago.

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Nope. Does not look any better like this. *stuffs fists into mouth*

Cupping coffee at the Mill in Las Sabanas, Nicaragua

Edwin Martinez of Finca Vista Hermosa representing United States in the World Cup Tasting Championship

I felt as if I was at some disadvantage, having little exposure to coffees from Rwanda, so I listened closely to what Brian (left) had to say on the subject. I don't know that he knows a lot about these coffees either, but I respect the fact that he's been cupping coffees for a great long while.

I have several pictures around this moment, but I thought this more accurately captured "Cupping Face."

Aufeya and Volta barisat Shem Fleenor both picked Danielle's competition blend as their favorites on the table.

The business end, it wasn't all bike rides and beer, I love cupping and love it even more in competition, the pressure is so intense. this is the final top ten table of the whole week. This was the culmination of over 500 bowls of coffee I cupped.

A great table

Cupping the new coffees from Catalina that Brendan Mailed to me in Belfast

Lars from BFT came in second place!

thanks kara and des

Cupping coffees from El Salvador with Alistair. Photo by Aaron Delazzer.

a fair few of these judges had never done a cupping before.

www.uecoffeeroasters.com

... at the Stumptown Annex on SE Belmont. Went to a "cupping" there on July 26th, '08

6 different roasts. 2 of them were defects - phenol and unripes... oh man that woke us up for sure.. bad bad bad

Yemen Mokha Mattari, ready for the crust to be broken

This is a cupping I've done at home, evaluating the same Kenyan coffee with different roast- dates and profiles. For home, I use small traditional Indian soup bowls that I bought in Vrindavan some years back. They maintain the heat well too!

Fix your appointment today at Caruso Acupuncture Clinic in Cleveland for the most tested therapy in the world.

Russ and John getting a table ready to cup.

Wednesdays @ 11