Specialty Coffee Association of America
SCA Standards are tools for the coffee industry as they are trusted reference instruments established by knowledgeable subject-matter experts.
The SCA sets standards for specialty coffee at every stage of the coffee production, including allowable defects in green beans, water standards, and brew strength. The SCA also sets clear standards on the coffee Grading process.
SCA Protocols
Attributes of Coffee
- Fragrance
- Flavour
- Aftertaste
- Acidity
- Body
- Balance
- Sweetness
- Clean Cup
- Uniformity
- Overall
- Defects
Total Score Quality Classification
- 90-100 - Outstanding - Specialty
- 85-99.99 - Excellent - Specialty
- 80-84.99 - Very Good - Specialty
- < 80.0 - Below Specialty Quality - Not Specialty
Coffee Quality Institute CQI & Q Graders ( Q is built on SCA Protocols )
Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) is a non-profit organization working internationally to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of those who produce it.
Certified Q Graders are professionals skilled in sensory evaluation of green coffee, and are employed throughout the industry.
A Q Grader is basically the wine sommelier equivalent to the coffee industry; they are licensed professionals who are capable of scoring the quality of roasted coffees. In order to get this license, you have to pass a series of rigorous tests that measure your sensory abilities.
Through Q Arabica and Q Robusta, the Q Program has become a tool of the trade, bringing specialized skills to coffee professionals around the world. By setting global expectations Q Standard helps both buyers and sellers benefit through a shared understanding of quality coffee.
Elements of the Q Grader Exam
Triangulation - Triangulation is an activity in the coffee world in which, between three coffees, you have to guess the "odd one out." During the Q Grader test, you must do this with coffees from two regions—Africa and Asia. You must also differentiate between natural and washed processed coffees.
- Cupping Tests - Examines cup and score four flights of six coffee samples alongside other coffee professionals.
- Organic Acids Matching Pairs - Subjects identify four different types of acids that are commonly found in coffee.
- Sample Roast I.D. Skills - Spot the different types of errors found in roasted coffee samples. Utilize the rules explained in the SCAA cupping protocol roasting directions.
- Green coffee grading - Grading three un-roasted coffee samples.
- Olfactory tests - You will recognize 36 common aromatic scents that are commonly in coffee. Several of these are blind samples, and others are labeled amongst a series of groups.
- Sensory skills - Determine the strength of three different solutions of sweet, salt, and sour on their own, then mixed together.
- Coffee knowledge - Lastly, the Q Grader test will ask 100 multiple-choice questions about roasting, harvesting, cupping grading, growing, and processing.
Final Notes: How is it different from Indian Specialty Coffee as per Coffee Board of India?
Coffee Board of India, classify coffees based on Size of the Beans and not cup profile, hence Coffee Board India Grading Should not be confused with Global Coffee Grading.
Eg. Two Farms can produce AAA ( 7.5mm & Above) Coffee Beans, it doesnt necessarily mean that either of coffee falls in the specialty section of SCA Cupping Standard.