Hawaii Coffee Association Announced the Cupping Results
July 1 - 2021
Coffee Geography Magazine
A total of 70 entries were judged in HCA’s inaugural remote
cupping event in late June with a Maui farm taking top honors.
The top-scoring coffee was produced by Olinda Organic Coffee of
Maui with a washed red Catuai variety receiving a score of 86.63. Awards were
also presented to the top coffees produced in state Department of
Agriculture-recognized growing regions located throughout the islands, and to
the top 10 highest scoring coffees.
The highest scoring entries from participating growing districts
were Hula Daddy Kona Coffee’s washed SL34 variety and the Ka‘u’s Miranda Farms
with a natural red Catuai variety. Each of these coffees earned a tying score
of 86.60.
Top honors in the Hawaii District was earned by Waimea Coffee
Farm with a washed Guatemala Typica/Jamaican Blue Mountain hybrid earning
84.50. Sakoman Farm placed first in the Hamakua District with a washed Caturra
variety posting 81.38 and Waialua Estate Coffee was the sole Oahu entry with a
washed Typica earning 81.00.
“This year’s competition showcased a wide selection of varieties
and processing methods with the highest scores we have seen in this competition
yet,” noted Brittany Horn, HCA cupping committee chair. “Complex and unique
entries from across the state are represented in the top scoring coffees and we
also saw the tightest scores, making 2021 a very competitive competition for
growers.”
Kona-based Pacific Coffee Research organized the competition
utilizing a judging panel comprised of local licensed Q graders led by Brittany
Horn and Madeleine Longoria Garcia, co-owners of PCR. Horn is an authorized
Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) trainer in coffee sensory analysis, green
coffee and sustainability. Longoria Garcia, who served as head judge for the
HCA cupping, competed in the U.S. National Brewers Cup and educates local
baristas and producers as a sensory specialist.
Judges included Marc Marquez of Savor Brands, Honolulu; Max
Maemori, coffee consultant, Hilo; and David Hall of Small Kine Coffee
Consulting, Maui. In addition to Horn, lab facilitators were Tyra Waipa of
Savor Brands, Elijah Wright of Drift Coffee and Mayu Maemori.
To process cupping remotely, entries were cupped in three
elimination rounds. Coffees advancing into the second and third rounds were
organized into five “tables” or groups and shipped to cuppers for analysis in
their own cupping labs. Judging at each location was performed simultaneously
with deliberations among cuppers conducted via Zoom. Final scores for winning
coffees were determined by the average scores from the semi-final and final
rounds.
“Nothing beats evaluating coffee together in the same space, but
utilizing video conference and screen sharing technology allowed the panel to
effectively deliberate and communicate our scores and notes with each other,”
Marquez said of the cupping format.
The panel employed the standard Specialty Coffee Association’s
cupping methodology and scoring format. Coffee cupping is a combination of art
and science where coffees are evaluated and scored based on a variety of subtle
characteristics: flavor, aroma, acidity, aftertaste, body, balance, overall cup
experience, presence of sweetness, lack of defect and uniformity.
“This year’s entries were incredible as this competition
represents the collective efforts of our local producers, scientists,
researchers and professionals who continue to elevate the quality of coffee
grown here in the State of Hawaii,” added Marquez. “Our coffee community should
be very proud.”
Complete results for the cupping competition are posted at
https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/Cupping-Competition. Watch videos of conference
presentations at https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/page-1771716.
The cupping competition was held in conjunction with the
association’s first virtual conference, June 24 and 25.
The program featured topics relating to COVID relief and the
response to the introduction of coffee leaf rust in Hawaii, which the
organization has initiated semi-weekly, multi-agency conference calls with
various state and federal agencies and stakeholders.
Keynote speaker Emilio Lopez, a seventh-generation coffee farmer
and the managing director of Odyssey Coffees, an agro-industrial organization
based in El Salvador, shared his experience in a segment titled “Living with
Coffee Leaf Rust” and stressed the importance of tree health and pruning
techniques.