testing coffee is to compare the appearance of the
green bean of a chop with a sample of known standard value for that
particular kind of coffee. The next step is to compare the appearance
when roasted. Then comes the appearance and aroma test, when it is
ground; and finally, the most difficult of all, the trial of the flavor
and aroma of the liquid.

Naturally the tester gives much care to proper roasting of the samples
to be examined. He recognizes several different kinds of roasts which he
terms the light, the medium, the dark, the Italian, and the French
roasts, all of which vary in the shadings of color, and each of which
gives a different taste in the cup. The careful tester watches the roast
closely to see whether the beans acquire a dull or bright finish, and to
note also if there are many quakers, or off-color beans. When the proper
roasting point is reached, he smells the beans while still hot to
determine their aroma. In some growths and grades, he will frequently
smell of them as they cool off, because the character changes as the
heat leaves them, as in the case of many Maracaibo grades.

After roasting, the actual cup-testing begins. Two methods are employed,
the blind cup test, in which there is no clue to the identity of the
kind of coffee in the cup; and the open test, in which the tester knows
beforehand the particular coffee he is to examine. The former is most
generally employed by buyers and sellers; although a large number of
experts who do not let their knowledge interfere with their judgment,
use the open method.

In both systems the amount of ground coffee placed in the cup is
carefully weighed so that the strength will be standard. Generally, the
cups are marked on the bottom for identification after the examination.
Before pouring on the hot water to make the brew, the aroma of the
freshly ground coffee is carefully noted to see if it is up to standard.
In pouring the water, care is exercised to keep the temperature constant
in the cups, so that the strength in all will be equal. When the water
is poured directly on the grounds, a crust or scum is formed. Before
this crust breaks, the tester sniffs the aroma given off; this is called
the wet-smell, or crust, test, and is considered of great importance.

Of course, the taste of the brew is the most important test. Equal
amounts of coffee are sipped from each cup, the tester holding each sip
in his mouth only long enough to get the full stre