Thank you for purchasing a cupping kit from Prodigal!

Coffee Scoring Kit

Each kit contains samples of three different coffees. Each coffee is vac-sealed inside an outer bag, which you can then store the opened sample in after you break the seal. We've kept the identities of each coffee hidden so we could offer you a truly "blind" tasting experience. After you complete the cupping, reveal the coffee identities and basic stats by opening the included envelope. There is enough material for 3x 10-gram cuppings of each sample.

Separate from roast quality, scores are heavily influenced by numerous factors such as green coffee quality, water quality and quaker percentage, among others. Additionally, as the coffee ages, a "tight" coffee may open up and express more fruit flavor, perhaps gaining a quarter point. Conversely, if the coffee is a touch too dark, the flavor may degrade more rapidly, dropping the score somewhat. Consequently, if you think the score is a quarter point on either side of our score, consider yourself calibrated with us!

Roast Defect Kit

This roast defect kit features our washed Colombia La Pelota pink bourbon. We put this kit together periodically to help roasters and consumers compare the different flavors produced by "underdeveloped", "baked", and "good" roasts.

The kit consists of three 100-gram samples: 

• The “good” roast is what we consider to be “just right”: juicy, acidic, balanced, and transparent. 
• The “baked” sample has rougher flavors, is less round and juicy, and hollows out as it cools.
• The “underdeveloped” sample is borderline “nordic” but has notes of hay, grass, and twig. The fruit is less expressive, and the cup is very tea-like. 

Below is a cupping protocol in case you need instructions or would like to know how we cup at the roastery. 

We hope you enjoy the experience!
- The Prodigal Team

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How To Cup Coffee  — A Protocol
Prodigal recommends this procedure for cupping:

• Heat sufficient water to 95C-97C / 203F-206F
• Use a cup or bowl that holds between 120ml - 200ml*
• Use a 17:1 ratio of water : grounds
• Weigh the beans for each bowl
• Grind slightly finer than you would for a pourover**
• Flush the grinder with a few grams of the same coffee before grinding the bowl of corresponding coffee
• Grind each bowl and weigh to ensure ground dose is within 0.1g of the target amount
• Start a count-up timer from zero, and begin the following:
• Pour each bowl swiftly on a scale, to ensure water quantity is within a few grams of the target
• At 4:00, break the crusts (in order of your pour) with the back of your cupping spoon. Take notes on the aroma of each cup
• Skim the bowls clean by skimming the surface with two spoons in a scissoring motion
• When the coffee is warm-but-comfortable to slurp, begin slurping. We usually begin around 13:00
• Limit your slurps to two or three per bowl. Excessive slurping can cause palate fatigue, so focus carefully when slurping
• Take notes on each bowl before moving on to the next
• Repeat slurping and note taking when the coffees have cooled, usually between 25-30 minutes after pouring

*We use Barista Hustle Cupping Bowls with 10g grounds and 170g water
**Coarser grinds used to be more common, and coarser grinds will often decrease perception of green and roast defects. That may sound desirable, but we recommend using a finer grind in order to magnify defects. The purpose of cupping is critical analysis, not maximum enjoyment.