In a wonderful write up in the most recent editions of Wired Magazine (vol 19, issue 7), author Frederick Kaufman gets a front row seat in Colombia's most prestigious award- The Cup of Excellence. The competition begins when 513 fincas (or farms) send in the best unroasted beans they have, after several rounds it is paired down to 29, then 14, then 10, and finally a winner.
The judges are some of the finest tasters in the world and come from various coffee boards- some are growers, others roasters, or businessmen...all with a love for coffee. The level of the competition is on par with a wine judging and that's exactly what the judges believe will happen to coffee one day. In the near future they hope that the humble bean becomes a carefully crafted crop that is carefully roasted and brewed to produce a cup of coffee on par with the finest wine. Something that will contain subtle hints of berry, fruit, honey, or spice and that commands a high price due to the complexity of the flavor.
The rigors of the competition and the judging are stiff and extremely controlled, after all, this is more complex then just tasting a glass of wine. First an pristinely clean 6oz cup is used- it cannot contain any hint of fragrance or it will throw off the taste of the coffee. Second, the beans are carefully roasted to a light-medium roast using a colorimeter to assure the perfect roast. 3rd, the beans are ground coarsely immediately prior to cupping- no more than 15 minutes. Here the fist smells of judging are done. 4th- 8.25 grams of coffee per 150 ml of exactly 200 degree water is used to brew the coffee. The water is poured directly on the grounds and allowed to sit for exactly 240 seconds. 5th, the crust that forms on top of the coffee is broken with a special tasting spoon that is stirred in the grounds 3 times and then used to wisk out the grounds in one motion. The aromas of the coffee wet are compared with the coffee dry. 6th, and finally, the coffee is tasted. A small amount is sipped- enough to cover the tongue and upper palate- the coffee is not swallowed but rather spit out. At 150 degrees the acidity and body are graded, at room temps the sweetness and uniformity are graded as is 'clean cup'. Points from 1-8 are given on each mark, so scores can reach into the 90's for exceptional cups.
The final ten cups are judged with a large audience in attendance, from head government officials, TV crews, and the growers themselves. The judging is done in silence as the crowd waits for the verdict on the edge of their seat. After a few hours of tasting, consideration, more tasting, and conferring, the winner is finally chosen. This years winning bean came from a farmer, Arnulfo Leguizamo, who the author described as, "the doppelganger of Jaun Valdez- the icon of Colombian coffee." His bean possessed the acidity of passion fruit with notes of apricot, lemongrass, jasmine, and tamarind. It was creamy, lingering, with a caramel flavor, and hints of honey. It won with a score of 94.05. Soon after being named the winner, Leguizamo is rushed with buyers and roasters from across the world who are willing to pay top dollar for his prize beans, this on top of the cash award for winning the competition. "...and he looks over the teeming crowd, eyes moist with emotion....."Thank God and the Virgin Mary," Leguizamo says, "Now I can pay my debts.""
Will he win again next year? Only time will tell, but for now Leguizamo gets to enjoy the pride of having the best coffee beans in a nation obsessed with coffee.
Tylers Coffee...perhaps a special coffee order is in store?
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