"Coffee cupping" is a lot like the process of wine tasting. It means you're taking your time to analyze the coffee you're drinking. In fact, you probably don't want to think of it as "drinking" your coffee. Many professional cuppers prefer to think of each sip as a bite. First, smell the coffee, then go ahead and slurp it. You may even want to chew it a bit and let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds before you swallow.

It goes without saying that you want to start with a well-brewed cup of black coffee. Clearly, you don't want to add milk or sugar or this would detract from the entire process itself.

One of the first things to look for is flaws - off flavors caused by spoiled beans, poor storage or poor roasting. When coffee is “flawed” you should notice the sour flavor, papery/burlap, or bitterness.

If the coffee is not flawed, then there are two basic positive elements to how a coffee cups (tastes): acidity and body

Acidity is the descriptor of how bright and lively the coffee tastes to you -- basically your first impression. It is a good quality, not a reference to sourness or bitterness, both of which are bad qualities.

Body refers to the fullness or richness of a coffee. It is the secondary impression, often called the “finish.” A heavy-bodied coffee will taste full, thick and syrupy, even “chewy” on the tongue, and the impression will be lasting.

The elements of a coffee are usually a combination of these two categories. The first evaluation is usually “light,” “medium,” and “heavy.” Therefore, you will commonly hear a coffee being referred to as “heavy bodied, with medium acidity,” “light bodied, with good acidity,” etc.

Finally there are the taste and aroma descriptors.  

To the left is a flavor wheel created in 1997 by the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), the Colombian Coffee Federation, and Jean Lenoir.  It's part of the poster called, "The Coffee Tasters' Flavor Wheel" that you can buy on the SCAA website.    It will help you describe the tastes and aromas you experience.  Does the coffee taste sweet, tangy, or mild?  Do you taste and small hints of chocolate, vanilla, smoke, or cinnamon? The possibilities are endless. Of course if you want more powerful flavor, then can you order flavored coffees. But these are not the same as a coffee that displays hints of such flavors.

Why not try ordering a handful of non-flavored, trial size coffees, brew them up in a French press, and have a cupping session yourself!