SCA Coffee Cupping Protocol

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The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping protocol is the global standard for evaluating coffee quality, used by green coffee buyers, roasters, Q-graders, and barista competition judges worldwide. It establishes the conditions, methodology, and scoring rubric for coffee assessment in a format that is reproducible, calibrated, and internationally recognised. The SCA cupping form scores 10 attributes on a 6-point scale (each attribute scored 6–10, with 6 being the floor of 'good'), producing a total quality score out of 100 points. Coffees scoring 80+ are classified as specialty grade. The Q-grader certification — administered by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) — is the professional credential for coffee evaluators and requires passing 22 separate exams covering cupping, grading, sensory triangulation, and green coffee assessment. Q-graders must be recertified every three years through calibration cupping. The Q-grader is to coffee what the Master of Wine is to wine: the highest professional evaluation credential. Cupping is distinct from brewing: the protocol strips away brewing variables (grind consistency, extraction pressure, brew ratio variation) to evaluate the coffee as a commodity. Ground coffee is steeped in hot water in an open bowl; crust is broken at a specific moment; the liquid is tasted with a cupping spoon, slurped loudly to aerate the coffee across all taste receptors simultaneously.

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