Evolved Q Grader Course
The Q Grader course provides an opportunity for experienced coffee professionals to sharpen their theoretical understanding and practical application of Coffee ValueAssessment (CVA). Using research-informed, industry-standard tools and techniques,
course participants will use physical, descriptive, affective, and extrinsic assessments to identify attributes and evaluate coffees from a variety of perspectives. Through rich discussions and a rigorous series of hands-on activities, this course centers real-world applications of CVA, equipping the experienced coffee professional with a comprehensive set of skills that can be applied in a variety of industry contexts. Course participants who pass all assessments become licensed Q Graders, a key achievement for any professional seeking to demonstrate their excellence in coffee evaluation.
After completing this course, learners will be able to…
- Explain key theoretical concepts in Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) and advise on the implementation of CVA in professional settings.
- Conduct physical, descriptive, affective, and extrinsic assessments to comprehensively identify and document attributes in coffee.
- Apply a high level of self-awareness and a knowledge of market preferences to evaluate a coffee’s value from different perspectives.
The target audience for this course is coffee professionals with prior experience in cupping, sensory assessment of roasted coffee, and evaluation of green coffee. Before enrolling in the course, learners should already have:
• Prior experience with Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), including the assessment
mechanics and use of the CVA Physical Form, CVA Descriptive Form, CVA Affective Form, and CVA Extrinsic Form.
• A high level of sensory acuity, including the ability to detect differences among samples and accurately describe the sensory profiles of coffees.
This is a 6 day intensive course with practical exams and an end of the course written exam. You will have 2 opportunities to pass all exams and there is no path to retest after that. If you fail the course you must repeat the entire course.
