Brew Guide
How to Cup Coffee
Cupping is the simplest way to understand a coffee. It removes the distractions of brew method and brings you closer to the character of the bean: aroma, sweetness, acidity, body, balance and finish.
At Asteri, cupping is part of how we assess, profile and release coffee. At home, it can become a quiet ritual of discovery. A way to compare origins, notice flavour more clearly and understand what makes each coffee distinct.
What You Need
A simple home setup
Fresh coffee
Ideally whole bean, ground just before cupping.
A grinder
Use a medium-coarse grind, similar to cafetière.
Cupping bowls or small cups
Use identical bowls if comparing multiple coffees.
Hot water
Just off the boil, around 92–96°C.
A spoon
A deep spoon works best, but any clean spoon will do.
A timer
To keep the process consistent.
A notebook
For aroma, flavour and impressions.
The Asteri Cupping Method
Seven quiet steps
You do not need a professional lab to begin. What matters is consistency: same dose, same grind, same water, same time.
Weigh and grind
Use around 10g of coffee to 180g of water. Grind medium-coarse and place the dry grounds into your cup or bowl.
Smell the dry aroma
Before adding water, take a moment to notice the dry fragrance. Look for florals, fruit, cocoa, spice, nuts, sweetness or earthier notes.
Add hot water
Pour hot water directly over the grounds, making sure all the coffee is saturated. Start your timer.
Let it steep
Allow the coffee to steep undisturbed for around 4 minutes. A crust will form on the surface.
Break the crust
Gently break the crust with your spoon and smell the aroma as it releases. This is often one of the most expressive moments in cupping.
Clear the surface
Skim away the floating grounds and foam from the top of the cup.
Taste as it cools
Begin tasting once the coffee is cool enough to sip. Taste it at different temperatures. Many coffees reveal more sweetness, acidity and complexity as they cool.
Cupping Timer
4:00, let the crust form
4:00
What to Look For
Six things to notice
Aroma
What do you notice first? Florals, fruit, chocolate, caramel, spice, nuts, herbs or something wine-like?
Sweetness
Does the coffee feel naturally sweet? Is it like brown sugar, honey, ripe fruit, caramel or chocolate?
Acidity
Is the brightness crisp, soft, juicy, citrus-like, berry-like or wine-like?
Body
Does the coffee feel light and tea-like, creamy, syrupy, round or heavy?
Balance
Do the flavours sit together calmly, or does one element dominate?
Finish
What remains after you swallow? A clean finish, lingering sweetness, cocoa, fruit, spice or dryness?
Cupping Multiple Coffees
Difference teaches the palate
Cupping becomes most useful when you compare coffees side by side. Try tasting a bright Ethiopian next to a chocolate-led Brazilian, or a washed coffee next to a natural process.
Keep everything else the same. Dose, grind, water and time. So the coffee itself is what changes.
Asteri Tasting Language
A small vocabulary
Floral
Jasmine, rose, orange blossom, elderflower.
Fruit
Citrus, berry, stone fruit, tropical fruit, apple.
Sweetness
Honey, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate.
Depth
Cocoa, toasted almond, spice, molasses.
Structure
Clarity, acidity, body, balance, finish.
Why We Cup
At the heart of the Standard
Cupping is where a coffee begins to show us what it wants to become. Some coffees reveal clarity immediately. Others need time to rest. Some ask for a lighter roast to protect florals and acidity; others need more development to bring out sweetness, body and depth.
This is why cupping sits at the heart of the Asteri Standard. Before a coffee becomes Signature, Reserve or Black Label, it must first prove itself in the cup.
Begin with curiosity
Taste slowly. Compare often.
You do not need to find the "right" tasting note. Begin with what you notice. Taste slowly, compare often, and let the coffee change as it cools. Over time, cupping becomes less about judging coffee and more about understanding it.
Coffees to Cup at Home
A starter flight
Yirgacheffe Halo
For floral and citrus clarity.
Huila Lantern
For sweetness, fruit and balance.
Cerrado Glow
For chocolate, nut and body.
Nyeri Aurora
For berry acidity and elegance.