Brewing Senses & Brewing Smarts

Curiosity and coffee came together on February 21 as Intuit Coffee hosted Brewing Senses and Brewing Smarts, an afternoon dedicated to learning, tasting, and friendly competition.

The event began with Brewing Senses, a guided cupping session that introduced participants to the fundamentals of sensory evaluation. Led by Dr. Emmanuel “Mel” Garcia, Project Lead of the DLSU–FWI Coffee and Cacao Research initiative, the session walked guests through the basics of coffee tasting. Participants explored aroma, acidity, body, and flavor while learning how professionals assess coffee. Through the cupping activity, attendees trained their senses and discovered how subtle differences in origin, processing, and roasting can shape the character of a brew.

A highlight of the session was the mystery international bean, which participants analyzed together. Guests compared tasting notes, shared observations, and discussed what made the coffee unique, turning the cupping table into an open space for curiosity and conversation.

After the sensory exploration, the energy shifted as the event moved into Brewing Smarts, a lively coffee trivia competition. Participants formed teams and faced off in elimination rounds that tested their knowledge of coffee brewing, origins, processing methods, and coffee culture. The trivia showdown brought out both competitive spirit and laughter as teams raced to answer questions and outbrew the competition intellectually.

From tasting to thinking, the afternoon celebrated coffee not just as a drink, but as a craft and a field of knowledge. Brewing Senses and Brewing Smarts showed how learning about coffee can be just as exciting as drinking it, bringing together enthusiasts who share the same curiosity for what happens behind every cup.