# Cupping - how much difference does the spoon make?



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

There was an interesting article in the Guardian earlier in the week about spoon science - 'zinc for fizz, steel for saltiness, gold for mango sorbet...the right type of spoon can blow your taste buds away...' (or not). There is much forum interest in the difference that water can make (along with much interest in just about everything else). I have enjoyed and learnt much from the cupping events that I've been to but this article set me thinking about the extent to which what I was tasting was influenced by the spoon. What do you think?

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jan/26/how-spoons-are-changing-gastronomy-cravings-science-museum


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Heard the same on Guardian radio aka Radio 4 - I'm saving up for a gold one


----------



## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

^ As did I. The Kitchen Cabinet, hosted by Mr Jay Rayner, covered the topic of spoon choice recently. Here's the link to the episode - http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/kc/kc_20150117-1100a.mp3

It answer to the OP, it would seem that the spoon would make a difference.


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I use a ceramic spoon, or spoon into a shot glass & taste. Definitely noticed bittering flavours from steel spoons.


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks for the above... but a gold spoon might only work for mango sorbet or 'subtle, creamy foods'. It sounds like you have been doing some experimenting of your own Mark. Do you get a sense of what difference a ceramic spoon makes brings out? I was also wondering about the extent to which heat conduction might play a part. I suspect, given my unsophisticated palate and impaired sense of smell, I wouldn't notice a whole lot of difference but I'd still be interested in a cupping event that used different spoons and methods (like your decanting method). Maybe the London Coffee Festival?


----------



## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Ceramic sushi soup spoons are pretty good and don't taint any flavour.


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

To be honest, I haven't done a great deal of testing of spoons, I noticed a common theme with the spoon I usually used & bought a ceramic spoon in the hope that it would be more neutral, seems so, but I don't know what the datum would be for 'neutral', been looking for a suitable glass spoon, not found one yet.

Transferring to a shot glass, yes, definitely the glass acts as a heatsink, so not so good for hot samples. I find this handy for evaluating a steeping brew, to get the temp of the sample down to preferred drinking temp (a tip I picked up from a Starbucks video of all places).

I try and avoid brewed coffee coming into contact with unplated metal, seems logical to me to follow that through with a spoon? I'm not against metal brewers, Swissgold seems fine & Hario Cafeor, but some can shift the flavour (moka pots, maybe even the Sowden is a culprit), sometimes for the better, other times not.


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Scotford said:


> Ceramic sushi soup spoons are pretty good and don't taint any flavour.


 Sounds like there is a mini-consensus on ceramic - presumably based on experience. If they are the spoon of choice, then, why are metal ones commonly used?


----------



## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

Cost, I would imagine.


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

MWJB said:


> I try and avoid brewed coffee coming into contact with unplated metal, seems logical to me to follow that through with a spoon? I'm not against metal brewers, Swissgold seems fine & Hario Cafeor, but some can shift the flavour (moka pots, maybe even the Sowden is a culprit), sometimes for the better, other times not.


Mmmmm, thanks Mark - this opens up another line. I hadn't thought about the use of metal in relation to brewing (only recently started using Sowden and the Cores gold, which should be fine if the spoon research can be generalised). A metal filter is the filter of choice for an Aeropress although so far as I'm aware, the discussion about that is how much it improves the drink over paper filters not the effects of the steel).


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Phil104 said:


> Sounds like there is a mini-consensus on ceramic - presumably based on experience. If they are the spoon of choice, then, why are metal ones commonly used?


Ready availability


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> A metal filter is the filter of choice for an Aeropress although so far as I'm aware, the discussion about that is how much it improves the drink over paper filters not the effects of the steel).


Not sure how you can totally differentiate between how much the filter (as in hole/mesh/weave size) affects the taste & the material (metal vs paper)? I have both & use both, the metal is reusable, both being filters affect taste somewhat, sometimes one favours a coffee/extraction, more than the other but I don't think the paper filters have been necessarily superceded.


----------



## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

All this talk about construction material but what about SHAPE?

(semi-serious post)


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Beanosaurus said:


> All this talk about construction material but what about SHAPE?
> 
> (semi-serious post)


 Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Although there has been discussion about the shape of cups


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

MWJB said:


> Not sure how you can totally differentiate between how much the filter (as in hole/mesh/weave size) affects the taste & the material (metal vs paper)? I have both & use both, the metal is reusable, both being filters affect taste somewhat, sometimes one favours a coffee/extraction, more than the other but I don't think the paper filters have been necessarily superceded.


 I agree - and by implication it's a reminder that ultimately it's down to taste and being willing to experiment a little to get the best from a bean.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Beanosaurus said:


> All this talk about construction material but what about SHAPE?
> 
> (semi-serious post)


Definitely not flat for a start


----------



## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Lol shape, again covered in Kitchen Cabinet episode above!


----------



## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Definitely not flat for a start


Does conic provide a better taste profile?


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Just read Guardian article in first post. Interesting. Would love to try out a gold spoon with mango...yummy yummy!


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I'm not sure

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/blap19-cupping-spoons-humour


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

So, apart from well found, 1) Blap had a problem with the translator and 2) they look like gold spoons.


----------



## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Scotford said:


> Cost, I would imagine.





jeebsy said:


> Ready availability


And metal spoons are pretty hardy beasts that'll take an almost endless amount of abuse for.... well pretty well ever.

Whereas ceramic..........


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I think a plastic spoon would be best


----------

