With a new motivation to rediscover Charlotte, my first goal as Charlotte Style Scene and Heard writer was to find a hidden gem beneath the towering lights and steel skyscrapers. After glancing through a local publication, I noticed an ad for a coffee Cupping. I hadn’t the slightest clue what Cupping actually was, but if it dealt with my favorite form of caffeine, I assumed it would be fabulous.
Thankfully, my assumption was correct. Although driving down West Morehead was slightly nerve wracking, I finally made it to the Grinnell Water Works building. I took an elevator to the second floor, stepped onto wooden floors and a mod-decorated room with an inviting aura and top of the line equipment.
Within the first few minutes, I discovered that Cupping is another word for a Coffee Tasting, which is a 100 year old tradition in many parts of the world. Counter Culture Coffee offers the Cuppings every Friday morning at 10am. It is nation wide at the various locations, and it is completely free and open to the public. The staff members are welcoming, creative, and passionate about their jobs, as well as eager to share their knowledge and coffee with the Charlotte area.
During the blind tasting, attendees sample three different international flavors and record their first impressions. I approached the third sample and dipped my spoon. I did it carefully so I wouldn’t drop it into the coffee cup. I savored it in order to appreciate every rich flavor, and the first thing I was shocked to taste was chicken—grilled chicken, to be exact. I laughed off what I considered to be a fleeting whim and wrote down a generic flavor instead. Ten minutes into our Cupping discussion, I was pleasantly surprised to hear one of the crew mention that he also tasted grilled chicken. Apparently I was not the only one with a keen sense of taste, and the crew was widely accepting of all smells and tastes discovered in the international coffee brands which included: BBQ pork, marshmallow, and even Grandma’s moldy attic.
After discussing our impressions, the various origins of the coffee samples were revealed and tasting techniques were discussed. After the hour long session, the crowd dwindled. My cousins and I, we were the only people left. So, we had great conversation with the coffee crew who showed us coffee art and let us sample the espresso, and at 11:00am we closed out our Friday morning.
I am still elated that I was able to find this small treasure in the outskirts of downtown Charlotte. I hope that this article will interest you, the reader to enjoy the same, exquisite coffee experience that I will be enjoying many more Friday mornings at 10:00am with the Counter Culture Coffee crew. I look forward to Cupping with you.
