You may drink coffee every day, but you may not always really taste it. The World Coffee Research’s Sensory Lexicon identifies 110 flavor, texture, and aroma attributes for coffee – how many could you identify?

Coffee cupping is a tasting technique used to evaluate a coffee’s aroma and flavor profile. While taste (and preference) is subjective thing, and changes from person to person, a trained palate can pick up on the milk-chocolate notes of a Guatemalan, or the berry-like acidity in an Ethiopian natural-process.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy great coffee. Join Stephen Schulman, Licensed Q Grader Lacas/Dallis Bros. Coffee, at the NCA 2018 Convention in New Orleans to try a sample an exciting selection of specialty coffees from around the world. The points indicated below show the ratings these coffees received, ranked on a scale of 80 (good) to 90 (outstanding).

Beginners

Never cupped before?  Join us at our “First Cup Tables”, we will be gentle.  You will embark on a journey starting with the basic protocols of the cupping ritual.  Individual attention with no pressure or judgements.  In a short time, you will feel confident to explore our advanced specialty tables.

Advanced Specialty Tables

Experienced cuppers, importers, roasters and coffee lovers, come in and explore our offerings at your own pace.  We will have great coffees to sample either cupped or Chemex. (Water, grinder, cups and pour overs available)

The focus of the cupping will be to allow participants to take a journey through the supply chain at different levels of quality and sustainability.

Cupping Tables:

The focus of the cupping will be to allow participants to take a journey through the supply chain at different levels of quality and sustainability.

First Cup Tables

1-3 – Lacas / Dallis Bros. Coffee – Fair Trade and Organic Colombian 80pts.

Advanced Specialty Tables

4 – Zephyr / Louis Dreyfus New Orleans coffee Importer - Specialty – 80-85pts (Specialty to Scale)

5 – Caravela Importers - Specialty -  86-90+ pts (Small Producer Sustainability Model)

6 – Twin – Specialty with comprehensive measurable sustainability initiative