TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read) or Key Takeaways

• A Q grader is a trained and certified expert who evaluates coffee 
• 90+ point coffees are scored using tools that are internationally recognized
• Coffees are evaluated physically and sensorially on a standardized scale
• The highest scoring coffees have been cultivated with intentionality and quality

What is a Q Grader

Q Grader is a certification given by the Coffee Quality Institute. Q Graders have enough experience to pass 19 in person blind sensory tests including recognizing 36 aromas, determining a roast level of coffee in a blind taste test, naming acidity in coffee, performing accurate triangulations and matching pairs with coffee, and cupping in calibration while also finding specific defects. They also pass a 100 question general coffee knowledge test. A Q grader will be able to grade coffee for contracts between importers and farmers. As a Q grader myself, I evaluate all of our coffees as samples when we receive them for consideration as well as cupping every roast for quality.

What does 90+ point coffee mean?

A 90 plus coffee is given that score based on quality. All of the Special Reserves at Half Mile Coffee achieve this standard. These are extremely rare and limited. The standard of quality is assessed by evaluating the coffee using scales and tools from organizations like the Specialty Coffee Association and the Quality Coffee Institute. These institutions are recognized and respected globally. Some evaluations are physical and some are sensory. I will go through each one. 

Cupping Score Breakdown

The first step is green coffee evaluation. This is a quality evaluation that is a pass/fail test using a small sample of coffee usually around 350g. What we are looking for are defects on the dried green coffee. This will tell us about the quality of farming and processing techniques and conditions. 

The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Defects

Primary defects in specialty coffees are not allowed. Primary defects would be serious damage such as severe insect damage, sour or black beans or foreign objects such as rocks. Even a large number of broken or misshapen beans will disqualify the sample. The impact of the final cup of coffee can be severely degraded by these defects. 

Secondary defects are allowed in very limited quantities. These are very minor defects that might include minor insect damage, but only an extremely small amount per sample. Sometimes there are beans that get broken, or are split into shells. A small amount of these is acceptable because it does not have an effect on the overall cup of coffee in the end. 

Roasting and Cupping for Sensory Evaluation

Once the coffee is graded, we will roast it. We use an Ikawa and use a standard SCA protocol. The roast is automatic which helps us be consistent with the results. No coffee will be roasted more or less than another. Here we look for a consistent roasted color on the bean. We also look for and count quakers which are beans that stay white even after roasting and will alter the flavor of your coffee. If you see them when you grind, you should take them out. A small number of these is acceptable especially in certain regions. Large numbers of quakers will indicate a problem at the farm.

The Cupping Process

The last step for the coffee is the cupping table. We grind in a specific and consistent way and evaluate the coffee in the following categories using either the SCA 2015 form or the new CVA form. These provide us with the 100 point scale we can use to give the coffee a final score. A 90+ coffee will score 8 and above on elements such as: fragrance, aroma, acidity, body, flavor, aftertaste, balance, sweetness and mouthfeel. 

Scoring Categories for Specialty Coffee

At the cupping table, we smell the ground coffee to evaluate the intensity of the fragrance. Then when we put hot water on it we smell it again to score the aroma. After we break the crust that is formed we complete the aroma evaluation. The highest scoring coffees will have a very strong or intense fragrance and aroma. Floral and berry notes are usually scored higher than nutty and roasty notes. Coffees with a weak, less intense presentation will score lower. 

The coffee cools enough to be tasted and using cupping spoons which are pretty conical and deep, we start tasting. Slurping is the standard in order to get the coffee way into our olfactory system. It needs to travel into our nose, mouth and into our sinuses to sense all that is available in the taste and flavor. 

The highest scoring coffees will have high acidity and sweetness. These two categories compliment one another. You cannot have sweetness in a coffee without acidity. Body and mouthfeel let us evaluate how the coffee feels in the mouth and whether it is slick and smooth or rough or if the coffee is thin or thick. It is a very tactile evaluation. Smooth coffees score higher than rough ones. In the flavor category, floral and berry flavors can score higher than chocolaty and nutty because they are more rare. (One tool we use for flavor is the coffee copper’s flavor wheel. There is a fun interactive version available online here. You can try it out yourself.) The intensity of the flavor affects the score as well. Here we will pick out the flavor notes specifically. The last category is balance. High scoring coffees will have a harmony between all the categories especially sweetness and acidity. The overall score should be reflective of the scoring in each category, not much higher or lower. 

Specialty Coffee Defects

Defects are a serious concern for specialty coffee. There are certain defects like the potato defect that show up that cannot be seen in the green or roasted coffee and can only be found in the cup. Because the sample that we are tasting is so small, when we find a defect it is serious. Depending on how many cups in our 5 cup sample this is found the score can lower between 2-4 points per cup in 3 categories. Defects in my experience are really obvious, “in your face” kinds of flavors and extremely unpleasant and unmistakable. 

Super Specialty Coffee: Quality and Intentionality

A 90+ coffee will be excellent in every area. It will be a joy to drink. The only way a coffee gets to this level is through intentional quality assurance and care in every step. Everything has to be right and thoughtful. Harvest has to be at just the right time, processing has to be carefully executed. The beans have to be constantly evaluated, dried, packaged, stored and roasted with the ultimate goal of extreme high quality which is why most of these coffees are microlots. I recommend seeking these out and you can start with our Special Reserves which are our highest scoring and most rare coffees. Shop our special reserves or contact us for a private cupping session. 

Still Curious?

 • Want to try a coffee that scored 90+? Explore our Special Reserve microlots.
 • Wondering how fermentation affects cup quality? Read our guide to coffee processing.
 • Want to understand how we taste and score coffees at Half Mile? Book a private cupping.