Just Released: The New Coffee Sensory and Cupping Handbook Is Now In the SCA Store
The new Coffee Sensory and Cupping Handbook, your approachable and practical guide to the complexity of coffee and sensory science, is now in the SCA Store!
Print and digital editions are available.
The handbook brings together 30 years of scientific advancements in the field of sensory science—which seeks to understand human perceptions of smell, taste, and mouthfeel—and combines these with cupping practices developed by the SCA and new advances in flavor language exemplified by the recent revision of the Coffee Tasters' Flavor Wheel. It is the most complete and well-researched work on this topic to date, and is intended to provide an approachable and practical guide to the complexity of coffee and sensory science, to any and every coffee professional.
In reading, you will learn:
How to apply sensory science and techniques to coffee using the most researched and up-to-date tools and techniques.
The history of sensory analysis and how it became a key component of the specialty coffee industry.
About coffee’s taste, odor, and texture perception from a chemical, physiological, and neurological perspective.
How bias and error affect sensory perception, and how to factor that into your own sensory analysis practice.
“It is no exaggeration to say the specialty coffee industry is founded on the concept of flavor. And since flavor is perceived by the senses of smell and taste, the concept of sensory evaluation, communication, and understanding is critical to the skill set of any coffee professional and is essential to any coffee business.”
Make sure to pick up your own digital or print version of the Coffee Sensory and Cupping Handbook from the SCA Store today! We hope you enjoy an insightful new guide on your sensory journey.
About the Authors
Dr. Mario R. Fernández-Alduenda
From a coffee producing family in Mexico, Mario R. Fernández-Alduenda has tried to understand coffee for almost 30 years, under the light of food science. He has played many roles along the chain, from processor to coffee shop owner, but has mostly focused on the study of coffee flavor, how it is perceived and appreciated, and how it is formed. He is the Technical Officer of the SCA, which he joined in 2020.
Peter Giuliano
Peter Giuliano is the Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation and Chief Research Officer of the Specialty Coffee Association. With more than 30 years’ experience in the coffee trade, his focus now is on promoting research and scientific inquiry on coffee, and bringing evidence-based insights to the coffee industry.