For the longest time, cupping bowls have looked befitting of their name: round and cup-like but sized like a small bowl. Despite slight inconveniences in usage, cupping bowl designs have seemingly been without change for the longest time in the coffee industry.
However, the new cupping bowl from Origami brings a breath of fresh air to the monotony of cupping bowl designs. Innovative, aesthetic, and multi-functional, the Origami cupping bowl has made an immediate impact on our everyday cupping experience. Specially designed in collaboration with Cup of Excellence, its thoughtful design aspects allow for nothing less than the highest standards for cupping, and is a sight to behold as well – I mean, just look at that!
Official cup of excellence cupping bowl
The Cup of Excellence (CoE) is an annual competition in various coffee producing countries to discover the best coffees grown in that country, and the quality of the coffee beans that come through to the competition demand them to be judged by the highest standards.
Designated as the official cupping bowl for the competition, it is used to judge coffees by the strictest of cupping guidelines. For this, the Origami cupping bowls undergo a rigorous and strict production process, which has crafted durable cups that are as identical to the next as possible.
The edgy aesthetic of the cupping bowl is not just all good looks as well, for it also provides a useful function of being able to be stacked securely.
When compared to our existing cupping bowls which are notoriously difficult to stack in large amounts, the Origami cupping bowls’ external ridges allow for easy stacking, which in turn makes transporting multiple samples from the grinder to the cupping table a great ease. The secure fit of the cupping bowls on top of one another also helps to retain the dry aroma of the freshly ground coffee, preventing the quick loss of these volatile chemicals before the cupping session.
No more crying over split coffee
To ensure that all samples have the same amount of water, conventional cupping bowls required them to be filled to the brim. At the recommended 1:18.1 ratio for cupping, we would use approximately 12g of coffee samples and 220g of water to fill the bowls. However, as the cups would all be filled to the top with water, any form of agitation during the cupping (such as breaking the crust) might cause the water in the bowls to spill, creating a mess that we would have to clean up later.
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The new Origami cupping bowls have two grooved lines on the inside that demarcate 150ml and 200ml levels, allowing replicable amounts of water to be added without needing to fill the cupping bowl to the brim, preventing spillage while ensuring accuracy across cups.
With less water used for the Origami cupping bowls, less coffee will also be used for each cupping session. It is always dear to see the cupping bowls being emptied at the end of each session – as much as cupping is necessary, it pains us as coffee lovers to see perfectly drinkable coffee being thrown away.
When cupping with the Origami cupping bowls, we use 8.3g and 11g of coffee when filling water to the first and second grooves respectively, effectively reducing the amount of coffee we use for each cupping when compared to our current process. This benefit is extended to home brewers as well, where cupping will be less costly as smaller amounts of coffee is required.
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If you have been cupping at home and find that your set needs an upgrade, or are just in the process of starting to learn about cupping, these cupping bowls from Origami are guaranteed to withstand a long time of use, and can be wonderfully versatile as well — they make for good teacups, as well as saucers for side dishes at the dining table.
Using the Origami cupping bowls has made cupping much more efficient, and made us rediscover an enjoyment for this daily routine of cupping at Homeground.
