I am the programme leader for the SCAE Gold Cup. I got involved in 2006 and co-wrote the brewing presentation which was launched in Antwerp in 2007. I have continued to learn more and more at each course I run.
I now head up the Gold Cup Research Group (GCRG), which has set out a very ambitious task to re-confirm the basis for the Gold Cup Programme for today’s coffee world.
This re-confirmation is overdue, as the Gold Cup standard is derived from scientific analysis which dates back over 50 years.
To either validate or modify the current SCAE Gold Cup standard to reflect today’s technologies and palates can only be a good thing.
In 1952, the Coffee Brewing Institute (CBI), an entity of the Pan American Coffee Bureau and National Coffee Association was founded by Dr. E.E Lockhart, who led the CBI as director from 1952–1964. He took responsibility for conducting technical and scientific programs around filter coffee and published results. While the CBI dissolved in 1964, it laid the groundwork for Gold Cup. I love this promotion video from 1961:
The defunct CBI was immediately replaced by the Coffee Brewing Center (CBC), where focus was shifted to the foodservice industry / HORECA market. The CBC developed several programs that promoted good brewing practices, including the first iteration of the Gold Cup Award. The CBC also produced its hugely influential Coffee Workshop Manual.
CBC Coffee Workshop Manual 1965
The Coffee Brewing Center’s work provided a scientific basis for understanding complex inter-relationships of coffee cupping, roasting and brewing. This work remains the foundation of today’s SCAE Gold Cup presentations.
The Coffee Brewing Control Chart, which is central to the Gold Cup was developed by the CBC.
Coffee Brewing Control Chart 1965
While the CBC closed in 1975, its learnings have been carried on through the Norwegian Coffee Association (NCA), the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and most recently by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE).
There has been no significant published research since the CBC on correct extraction of filter brewed coffee.
In the intervening 50 years, we have seen significant cultural and technological advances in all aspects of coffee production and preparation from seed to cup. Everything from coffee varietals, husbandry, processing, transport to storage has advanced in green coffee, while the technological advancements in roasting, grinding and brewing have grown apace. Finally, the measurement apparatus available in the 1950’s and 1960’s is very different to those measurement systems available in the digital world of 2010.
The SCAE launched its Gold Cup programme in Antwerp, Belgium in 2007. In the intervening years, it has become clear that this 50 year old research is still valid. However its relevance to the new world of global coffees deserves re-examination.
Very Interesting to hear that age old theories and practices are still true. But we are still doing the same tests. I am curious if we are still not doing the right tests. I still feel like we are missing something.
Also the fact that filter brewing is very uneven extraction. how do we incorporate full submersion brewing with filters?
That huge gold drip brewer is actually kind of brilliant. I’m gonna build one of those.
Hi Paul.
You say:
“There has been no significant published research since the CBC on correct extraction of filter brewed coffee.”
Why do you ignore the work that Vince Fedele from Terroir Coffee did on ExtractMojo and the Espresso Refractometer? He established new standards of accuracy for portable, inexpensive instrumentation, and also corrected errors in the original 50 year old charts.
If you can’t MEASURE extraction properly, you certainly aren’t going to publish “significant research” on extraction.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the comment. I am a big fan of what Vince and Terroir have done with Extract Mojo and I don’t ignore it. I was responsible for introducing Extract Mojo to the SCAE Gold Cup kit. However, I believe the data that went into the development of the Extract Mojo is proprietary and not published. If it’s in the public domain, great, and I’ll ammend my statement accordingly.
You also asked about what measurement devices will be used. This is not yet fixed but most probably we will use Terroir’s Refractometer and Extract Mojo chart, backed up by the laboratory drying method to compare/verify findings.
Paul
I think we risk mixing up three related but separate technologies:
1. An instrument that accurately measures TDS of coffee and/or espresso,
2. A software system that efficiently calculates extraction yield, given the appropriate coffee, water and TDS inputs,
3. A recommended “Region of Interest”: that finite area — defined by TDS and Extraction Yield boundaries — where acceptable coffee and espresso is found.
In my opinion, the Terroir refractometers cover #1 nicely. With laboratory drying equipment and some effort on your part, you should be able to confirm their accuracy. But as long as the accuracy is good, any proprietary aspects of the instrumentation are irrelevant to the user.
The ExtractMojo software covers issue #2 thoroughly. Again, the fact that it is a proprietary technology is irrelevant to the user (except one has to pay for it).
As an additional feature, ExtractMojo makes its own updated suggestions for #3 (the “GHCC regions of interest”). You state that the Gold Cup Research Group intends to independently develop a region of interest for brewed coffee. That is a worthy and important task. But it is a task that is separate from #1 and #2.
What might be even MORE worthy and important for the SCAE would be to develop an independent “region of interest for espresso coffee.” After all, a large number of Europeans drink espresso almost exclusively. Because there is so little data on this, it would be very significant contribution.