Cupping forms and scoring

Cupping Forms

• Purpose: Provide structured evaluation of coffee aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance, and aftertaste.
• SCA Form:
• Scores coffees on a 100-point scale.
• Categories: fragrance/aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness, overall.
• Specialty grade typically ≥80 points.
• CQI/Q Grader Forms: Similar structure, more detailed notes for professional evaluation.

Scoring Process

• Assign points for each attribute (e.g., 6–10 scale).
• Add up to a total score reflecting overall quality.
• Record descriptive notes alongside numerical scores for context.

Practical Workflow

1. Break crust and smell aroma.
2. Slurp coffee to aerate and spread across palate.
3. Score categories while noting flavors, defects, or strengths.
4. Compare across multiple samples for calibration.

Best Practices

• Standardize water, roast, and grind size for all cupped coffees.
• Blind cup to reduce bias.
• Use multiple cuppers for calibration and consistency.

Summary

Cupping forms and scoring systems provide a consistent framework for evaluating coffee quality, enabling objective comparisons and communication across producers, roasters, and buyers.

• Tags:
• Best Practices
• Grind Size
• Coffee Quality
• Acidity Body
• Specialty Grade
• Aroma Flavor
• Producers Roasters
• Consistency Summary
• Clean Cup
• Body Balance
• Flavor Acidity
• Break Crust
• Practical Workflow
• Flavor Aftertaste
• Fragrance Aroma