Somewhere in the last twelve months or so London went and got all geeky with its coffee. There are now more cafe's than ever and in true London fashion there is healthy competition between them all for the titles of most interesting blend, best atmosphere, tastiest food and of course the best brew.
I attribute much of this growth to my fellow countrymen (and maybe a few Aussies), tired of the overheated bitter sludge offered up around the capital, they have have sought to import a small bit of the vibrant Cafe culture back home, roasting and brewing their socks off to improve coffee standards in the UK.
Latching onto this enthusiasm, ex Tapped and Packed manager and all around knowledgeable chap Victor Frankowski has teamed up with colleague Rob Dunne to offer Cupping and Brewing classes to Coffee Enthusiasts from all around London under the title 'The Sunday Club'.
The club exists to 'attract like minded people who love coffee, food and flavours for a fun and educational experience'. Being a bit of a wine person myself, the idea of understanding a little more about tasting Coffee really appeals to me. As I stood outside the door to the Disappearing Dining Club, I felt a little daunted by the face that I had no idea whatsoever about how to actually taste coffee.
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| Notes |
Having run the club for a good few months now, Victor has refined the experience into a laid back, but extremely informative two hour session which covers the origins of Coffee, palate calibration and tasting tutorial along with the actual cupping session.
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| Aroma test |
Following a short introduction to Coffee, where and how it is made and its origins, we were invited to enliven our noses, identifying the contents of three glasses of liquid - Cinnamon, Vanilla and Aniseed - all found in the nose of a good blend.
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| Sensitivity |
Next up was the sensitivity test, where we shut off our noses and relied on our tongues to ascertain yet more anonymous liquids in glasses. The identification of acidity, sweetness and bitterness are all key components in wine tasting which are regularly used when judging the balance and quality of a wine. Vic did a good job of stripping back these sensations making us drink lemon water, salty water, coke and soy to identify where they landed on the tongue.
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| Flavour |
Using the knowledge gleaned from the first two tests, the class was then directed to graze from the platter of delights in the centre of the table to assist our flavour profiling. Consuming food in this way is key to training ones palate, and not at all a chore!
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| Texture |
More unidentified liquids followed as we turned our attention to texture and weight. Closing our noses, we focused on viscosity and palate weight by trying skim, full fat and condensed milk.
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| Cupping |
Finally, we were ready for the Cupping session. Measuring the coffee in grams and the brews in seconds, cupping is a precise exercise which takes place in complete silence over the course of 20 minutes. Since coffee evolves as it cools, the practice requires participants to taste and re-taste, noting the aromas, flavours and textures which emerge and decline as time passes.
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| Crust |
A key component to ensuring that the brews are consistent is to ensure that each example has equal amounts of exposure and extraction (hence the timing and the weighing). Once a few minutes have passed, and the liquid has cooled and extracted sufficiently the tasting begins. This is done with large spoons, spitoons and loud sips followed by much contemplation and further slurping.
The Cupping was definitely one of the most unique events i've been to in London so far and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you get the chance I really recommend that
you check them out. You'll leave a changed person.
To take a look at the full set of photos, use the slideshow above or
use this link
For more information visit
The Sunday Club London where full details of all forthcoming tastings and sessions are posted along with timings and prices.
The Sunday Club
held at
Disappearing Dining Club
31 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 2BJ
Nearest tube: Old Street
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