Coffee Cupping at Victrola

Earlier today we headed up the hill to take part in a very nifty and highly caffeinated exercise. The great people at Victrola held an informal introduction to coffee cupping, part of their Public Cupping series started back in August.

According to Victrola's website the public cuppings are an attempt to help educate our customers and the wonderful culinary community that surrounds us about the worlds finest coffees. 

At least three single-origin varietals from three different countries (Brazil, Ethiopia and Sumatra) were sampled using traditional cupping methods and exploring some of the characteristics that define unique coffees.

We sniffed the various coffees, hot water was poured over them and then timed to exactly four minutes to allow a crust to form. We took turns skimming the top of the crust with a spoon and experiencing the strongest hit of coffee imaginable, in its purest, most intense form.

What followed was a quick slurp and inhale of some of the fruty, berry-like, tobacco, mud and bing cherry undertones in all three coffees. All delicious, all different.

The event was not only very interesting but as coffee lover, it was loads of fun to be surrounded by coffee tastes and smells, take a tour of the back room, where all the roasting, training and sampling magic happens and play with fellow coffee enthusiasts in a totally welcoming and user friendly atmosphere.

It was a great way to start our day. The owners and staff at Victrola Coffee are not only a delightful, knowledgeable bunch but also coffee experts in the business of roasting, selling and serving the highest quality coffee possible all the while supporting sustainable coffee farming and education.

Even in a coffee focused city like Seattle there is still a lot of things to learn about the bean and even more to learn on how to be a better, more educated coffee consumer. Gatherings like this, that are geared to "all, from novice Folger’s drinkers to intolerable coffee snobs" are wonderful to attend.

They have more coffee cuppings planned in the near future. I highly recommend these. For more information, visit their website and sign up for their monthly newsletter and/or email Victrola at info@victrolacoffee.com.

Victrola Coffee & Art
411 15th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
206.325.6520
5:30-11:00
7 days a week