Why not be a coffee taster? You will enjoy the nice aroma and more

Betty Gakii, a coffee taster at the Central Mills Services in Nyeri. PHOTO|JOSEPH MACAHRIA|NATION

What you need to know:

  • Cupping is a method of evaluating different characteristics of a particular coffee.
  • This is important information that helps us to understand where different coffees should be slotted into blends
  • Green coffee is graded and classified for export with the ultimate aim of producing the best quality and thereby securing the highest price
  • In Kenya, we use “double fermentation” process in which the beans soak in fermentation tanks twice (12–24 hours each time)

Tell us what coffee tasting is all about?

It is about quality control; working in the labs to grade and cup the coffee beans.

Cupping..... what is that?

Cupping is a method of evaluating different characteristics of a particular coffee. This allows us to compare and contrast one coffee against the other, getting better understanding of the origin of each.

Why is cupping coffee important?

We cup so that we can understand basic tastes of coffee. This is important information that helps us to understand where different coffees should be slotted into blends. It also makes us look at coffee in its basic form and appreciate some of its finer points. This is a fantastic evaluation tool since coffee comes from different farms, regions, countries and varieties. The coffees are tasted to compete on the basis of their own intrinsic merits.

How do you do cupping?

I get coffee samples that have come from the wet mill to measure the moisture content before milling. If they have a moisture content of about 10-12 per cent, I do a light roast. This allows the delicacies or the faults to stand out and not get complicated by roast type tastes.

I then grind the coffee to a ‘coarse jug type grind’ in a small bowl. Then I add nearly boiling water. I allow the grinds to infuse for around three to four minutes. I then break the crust of the bowl to get an insight of what is to come. It is always good to take time to smell the coffee for the hints on the kinds of things to be looking for when tasting.  

I start slurping when the infusion is clear of grinds. This involves taking a deep spoon and filling it with the infusion.  I then bring the spoon up to my mouth, and “inhale drawing the coffee to the roof of the mouth to tickle the tongue and then fall into the back of the mouth. This creates a coffee “vapour” to stimulate my sense of smell. Then I spit out the coffee.

What do you look for when slurping?

During this time, I measure aspects of the coffee’s taste, specifically the body (the texture or mouth-feel such as oiliness, sweetness, acidity (a sharp and tangy feeling, like when biting into an orange), flavour (the characters in the cup), and aftertaste. In this I attempt to identify the coffee’s origin.

Green coffee is graded and classified for export with the ultimate aim of producing the best quality and thereby securing the highest price. However, there is no universal grading and classification system – each producing country has its own which it may also use to set (minimum) standards for export.

The grades we have in Kenya include E, which is the largest of all in size and TT, which is composed of light beans.

What you do seems interesting, at the same time complicated, why did you choose a career in coffee?

I knew I would work in coffee sector since I was young. My parents were coffee farmers, thus, I grew up loving the crop. When I came across a brochure from Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri on Coffee Technology and Quality Management as a course, I knew this is where I belong. I applied and was admitted for the degree course.

What subjects and grade does one need at KCSE to get into the course?

A minimum of C and above since the course is offered from certificate level. One should also have good grades in all sciences and agriculture plus in the languages for communication.

Is the career well-paying?

At the moment it is paying since we have few coffee tasters.

What qualities does one need to succeed in the industry?

All the sense organs must be functioning well. Apart from that, you need patience since on job-learning and hands-on-experience is what makes a coffee taster. You must be ready to learn.  

Why is Kenyan coffee rated among the best in the world?

Because of its very unique processing techniques. In Kenya, we use “double fermentation” process in which the beans soak in fermentation tanks twice (12–24 hours each time). This system requires a lot of resources and its labour-intensive. We have one of the cleanest, most intense, longest-lasting coffee process in the world, in addition favourable altitude where the coffee is grown and varieties.

Any challenges in the career?

First, this profession requires experience. I am still in the learning process. The other challenge I get is explaining my profession to my friends. They always ask, “So where do you get a job?” They don’t understand. There are few graduates in this field and one can be employed in many fields associated with coffee.