Samples of coffee beans ready for grinding and evaluation by Q-graders at the 2018 National Coffee Cupping Competition.

Sixty-Seven Arabica coffee samples will be assessed for their quality in cup and taste at the 2018 PNG Coffee Industry Corporation’s National Coffee Cupping Competition to be held in Port Moresby next week.

The tasting or cupping is a closed-door event at the Holiday Inn Hotel on September 10-14, 2018.
Seven international coffee judges are arriving this week to partner with five experienced local cuppers including two certified Q-graders to select top 10 coffees from the 67 samples provided by grower groups from far and wide of PNG.

The samples passed the recent Regional Coffee Cupping contest with a score of 82 and above. The regional contest was held at the National Sports Institute in Goroka last month.

“Initially we anticipated top 60 coffees with a score of 80 and above to proceed to the national challenge. Interestingly the results actually shows the increase in the quality of coffees produced by our smallholder growers,” said CIC’s senior quality control officer Rose Romalus.

The quality in coffees is objectively examined and a score is given based on their many attributes such as acidity, body, flavour, aftertaste, uniformity, balance, sweetness etc. to ensure all participants are identifying flavour characteristics in the same way. Q Cupping is the only certification in the industry that is based on quality.

Ms Romalus added that 110 coffees entered the regional competition and with two rejects from physical inspection they tasted 108 samples.

“After round one of all the tasting we have to repeat again to confirm the final 67 samples for the national contest. This is a remarkable achievement in terms of quality coffee compared to previous years.”

Eastern Highlands Province has once again dominated this year’s entrees with 29 groups making it to the national event, followed by Morobe with 20 groups, Jiwaka-11, Enga- 3, Madang-1, Central -1, Western Highlands -1, and Simbu -1

The Chief Executive Officer of CIC Charles Dambui acknowledges the high level of interest shown by all 110 smallholder grower groups who took part in this year’s regional competition.

*This article was developed by the PNG Coffee Industry Corporation which partnered with PHAMA for the 2018 National Coffee Cupping Competition.

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