I'd like to know whether I should sift the grinds for cupping. I have researched on the internet, but I haven't seen a consistent response.
Here's my background:
I've been practicing and learning cupping -- it's deceptively simple, and so far, still having a lot of challenges identifying flavors and defects, but it's funny how I actually prefer the taste of coffee brewed cup style versus any other method (I gently pour it through a swissgold filter a couple minutes after breaking the grounds).
I use a B. vrituoso as my grinder, set at 37 (out of 40) for cupping grounds, same as for french press. A few months ago, the allmighty internet turned me onto sifting the coffee before brewing french press (I actually do it pull style), if you don't have one of the cool commercial with ditting or similar bursets. In blind taste tests (I like blind, keeps one more honest), I chose the sifted coffee pretty much every time as the winner across four different beans. My sifting removes anywhere from 5-20% by weight at the same grind setting across different beans and roasts.
With cupping, I don't seem to have a preference between sifted and not -- however, I'm not sure which one leads me to the "correct" results. The sifted beans usually taste more "round" and have a smoother flavor, whereas the unsifted are sharper and give me a twang in my cheaks (not sour, more like a very mild jolt when you lick a battery). With unsifted, I can kind of discren a beanier flavor, too (which eminds me of goat pee, don't ask).
I hope to get one of those proper grinders later this year if this new roasting hobby develops into something more :) It seems to me that to mimic the commercial grinders, sifting is the right way to do it. But in the meantime, I'd like to check with you all.
I say for cupping, foremost, be consistent. Second, I don't sift- but weather or not to do so may be more grinder-dependent. I haven't used your grinder, but I used to have a Cuisinart burr grinder and it was horribly inconsistent at any grind setting.
CHAD
Don't put the cart before the horse. Put the horse in the cart and listen to him say "weeeee" all the way down the hill.
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