Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Protocols
Equipment necessary
Roasting Preparation Environment Cupping Preparation
Sample Roaster Well lighted Balance (Scale)
Agtron or other color Clean, no interfering Cupping glasses with lids
reading device aromas
Grinder Cupping tables Cupping spoons
Quiet Hot water equipment
Comfortable temperature Forms and other paperwork
Limited distractions (no Pencils and clipboards
phones, etc.)
Cupping Glasses: The type of glass recommended by the SCAA is a 5 or 6 ounce
Manhattan or "rocks" glass. The cups should be clean with no apparent fragrance and at
room temperature. Lids can be of any material.
Sample Preparation
Roasting:
• The sample should be roasted within 24 hours of cupping and allowed to rest
for at least 8 hours.
• Roast profile should be a light to light-medium roast, measured via the M-
Basic (Gourmet) Agtron scale of approximately 58 on whole bean and 63 on
ground, +/- 1 point (55-60 on the standard scale or Agtron/SCAA Roast tile
#55).
• The roast should be completed in no less than 8 minutes and no more than 12
minutes. Scorching or tipping should not be apparent.
• Sample should be immediately air-cooled (no water quenching).
• When they reach room temperature (app. 75º F or 20º C), completed samples
should then be stored in airtight containers or non-permeable bags until
cupping to minimize exposure to air and prevent contamination.
• Samples should be stored in a cool dark place, but not refrigerated or frozen.
To determine measurement:
• The optimum ratio is 8.25 grams per 150 ml of water, as this conforms to the
mid-point of the optimum balance recipes for the Golden Cup.
• Determine the volume of water in the selected cupping glass and adjust weight
of coffee to this ratio within +/- .25 grams.
Cupping Preparation:
• Sample should be ground immediately prior to cupping, no more than 15
minutes before infusion with water. If this is not possible, samples should be
covered and infused not more than 30 minutes after grinding.
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
• Samples should be weighed out AS WHOLE BEANS to the predetermined
ratio (see above for ratio) for the appropriate cup fluid volume.
• Grind particle size should be slightly coarser than typically used for paper
filter drip brewing, with 70% to 75% of the particles passing through a U.S.
Standard size 20 mesh sieve. At least 5 cups from each sample should be
prepared to evaluate sample uniformity.
• Each cup of sample should be ground by running a cleansing quantity of the
sample through the grinder, and then grinding each cup's batch individually
into the cupping glasses, ensuring that the whole and consistent quantity of
sample gets deposited into each cup. A lid should be placed on each cup
immediately after grinding.
Pouring:
• Water used for cupping should be clean and odor free, but not distilled or
softened. Ideal Total Dissolve Solids are 125-175 ppm, but should not be less
than 100 ppm or more than 250 ppm.
• The water should be freshly drawn and brought to approximately 200º F
(93ºC) at the time it is poured onto the ground coffee.
• The hot water should be poured directly onto the measured grounds in the cup
to the rim of the cup, making sure to wet all of the grounds.
• Allow the grinds to steep undisturbed for 3-5 minutes before evaluation.
Sample Evaluation
Sensory testing is done for three reasons:
• To determine the actual sensory differences between samples
• To describe the flavor of samples
• To determine preference of products
No one test can effectively address all of these, but they have common aspects. It is
important for the evaluator to know the purpose of the test and how results will be used.
The purpose of this cupping protocol is the determination of the cupper’s preference.
The quality of specific flavor attributes is analyzed, and then drawing on the cupper’s
previous experience, samples are rated on a numeric scale. The scores between samples
can then be compared. Coffees that receive higher scores should be noticeably better than
coffees that receive lower scores.
The Cupping Form provides a means of recording 11 important flavor attributes for
coffee: Fragrance/Aroma, Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, Balance, Uniformity, Clean
Cup, Sweetness, Defects, and Overall. The specific flavor attributes are positive scores of
quality reflecting a judgment rating of the cupper; the defects are negative scores
denoting unpleasant flavor sensations; the Overall score is based on the flavor experience
of the individual cupper as a personal appraisal. These are rated on a 16-point scale
representing levels of quality in quarter point increments between numeric values from 6
to 9. These levels are:
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
Quality scale:
6.00 - Good 7.00 - Very Good 8.00 - Excellent 9.00 - Outstanding
6.25 7.25 8.25 9.25
6.50 7.50 8.50 9.50
6.75 7.75 8.75 9.75
Theoretically the above scale ranges from a minimum value of 0 to a maximum value of
10 points. The lower end of the scale (2 to 6) is applicable to commercial coffees, which
are cupped primarily for the assessment of defect types and intensities.
Evaluation Procedure
Samples should first be visually inspected for roast color. This is marked on the sheet and
may be used as a reference during the rating of specific flavor attributes. The sequence
of rating each attribute is based on the flavor perception changes caused by decreasing
temperature of the coffee as it cools:
Step #1 – Fragrance/Aroma
1. Within 15 minutes after samples have been ground, the dry fragrance of the
samples should be evaluated by lifting the lid and sniffing the dry grounds.
2. After infusing with water, the crust is left unbroken for at least 3 minutes but not
more than 5 minutes. Breaking of the crust is done by stirring 3 times, then
allowing the foam to run down the back of the spoon while gently sniffing. The
Fragrance/Aroma score is then marked on the basis of dry and wet evaluation.
Step #2 – Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, and Balance
3. When the sample has cooled to 160º F (about 70º C, 8-10 minutes from infusion),
evaluation of the liquor should begin. The liquor is aspirated into the mouth in
such a way as to cover as much area as possible, especially the tongue and upper
palate. Because the retro nasal vapors are at their maximum intensity at these
elevated temperatures, Flavor and Aftertaste are rated at this point.
4. As the coffee continues to cool (160º F - 140º F), the Acidity, Body and Balance
are rated next. Balance is the cupper’s assessment of how well the Flavor,
Aftertaste, Acidity, and Body fit together in a synergistic combination.
5. The cupper’s preference for the different attributes is evaluated at several
different temperatures (2 or 3 times) as the sample cools. To rate the sample on
the 16-point scale, circle the appropriate tick-mark on the cupping form. If a
change is made (if a sample gains or loses some of its perceived quality due to
temperature changes), re-mark the horizontal scale and draw an arrow to indicate
the direction of the final score.
Step #3 – Sweetness, Uniformity, and Cleanliness
6. As the brew approaches room temperature (below 100º F) Sweetness, Uniformity,
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
and Clean Cup are evaluated. For these attributes, the cupper makes a judgment
on each individual cup, awarding 2 points per cup per attribute (10 points
maximum score).
7. Evaluation of the liquor should cease when the sample reaches 70º F (16º C) and
the Overall score is determined by the cupper and given to the sample as
“Cupper’s Points” based on ALL of the combined attributes.
Step #4 - Scoring
8. After evaluating the samples, all the scores are added as describe in the “Scoring”
section below and the Final Score is written in the upper right hand box.
Individual Component Scores
On some of the positive attributes, there are two tick-mark scales. The vertical (up and
down) scales are used to rank the intensity of the listed sensory component and are
marked for the evaluator’s record. The horizontal (left to right) scales are used to rate the
panelist’s preference of the particular component based upon their perception of the
sample and experiential understanding of quality. The attribute score is recorded in the
appropriate box on the cupping form.
Each of these attributes is described more fully as follows:
Fragrance/Aroma: The aromatic aspects include Fragrance (defined as the smell of the
ground coffee when still dry) and Aroma (the smell of the coffee when infused with hot
water). One can evaluate this at three distinct steps in the cupping process: (1) sniffing
the grounds placed into the cup before pouring water onto the coffee; (2) sniffing the
aromas released while breaking the crust; and (3) sniffing the aromas released as the
coffee steeps. Specific aromas can be noted under “qualities” and the intensity of the dry,
break, and wet aroma aspects noted on the 5-point vertical scales. The score finally given
should reflect the preference of all three aspects of a sample’s Fragrance/Aroma.
Flavor: Flavor represents the coffee's principal character, the "mid-range" notes, in
between the first impressions given by the coffee's first aroma and acidity to its final
aftertaste. It is a combined impression of all the gustatory (taste bud) sensations and retro
nasal aromas that go from the mouth to nose. The score given for Flavor should account
for the intensity, quality and complexity of its combined taste and aroma, experienced
when the coffee is slurped into the mouth vigorously so as to involve the entire palate in
the evaluation.
Aftertaste: Aftertaste is defined as the length of positive flavor (taste and aroma)
qualities emanating from the back of the palate and remaining after the coffee is
expectorated or swallowed. If the aftertaste were short or unpleasant, a lower score
would be given.
Acidity: Acidity is often described as "brightness" when favorable or “sour” when
unfavorable. At its best, acidity contributes to a coffee's liveliness, sweetness, and fresh-
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
fruit character and is almost immediately experienced and evaluated when the coffee is
first slurped into the mouth. Acidity that is overly intense or dominating may be
unpleasant, however, and excessive acidity may not be appropriate to the flavor profile of
the sample. The final score marked on the horizontal tick-mark scale should reflect the
panelist’s preference for the Acidity relative to the expected flavor profile based on origin
characteristics and/or other factors (degree of roast, intended use, etc.). Coffees expected
to be high in Acidity, such as a Kenya coffee, or coffees expected to be low in Acidity,
such as a Sumatra coffee, can receive equally high preference scores although their
intensity rankings will be quite different.
Body: The quality of Body is based upon the tactile feeling of the liquid in the mouth,
especially as perceived between the tongue and roof of the mouth. Most samples with
heavy Body may also receive a high score in terms of quality due to the presence of brew
colloids. Some samples with lighter Body may also have a pleasant feeling in the mouth,
however. Coffees expected to be high in Body, such as a Sumatra coffee, or coffees
expected to be low in Body, such as a Mexican coffee, can receive equally high
preference scores although their intensity rankings will be quite different.
Balance: How all the various aspects of Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity and Body of the
sample work together and complement or contrast to each other is Balance. If the sample
is lacking in certain aroma or taste attributes or if some attributes are overpowering, the
Balance score would be reduced.
Sweetness: Sweetness refers to a pleasing fullness of flavor as well as any obvious
sweetness and its perception is the result of the presence of certain carbohydrates. The
opposite of sweetness in this context is sour, astringency or “green” flavors. This quality
may not be directly perceived as in sucrose-laden products such as soft drinks, but will
affect other flavor attributes. 2 points are awarded for each cup displaying this attribute
for a maximum score of 10 points.
Clean Cup: Clean Cup refers to a lack of interfering negative impressions from first
ingestion to final aftertaste, a “transparency” of cup. In evaluating this attribute, notice
the total flavor experience from the time of the initial ingestion to final swallowing or
expectoration. Any non-coffee like tastes or aromas will disqualify an individual cup. 2
points are awarded for each cup displaying the attribute of Clean Cup.
Uniformity: Uniformity refers to consistency of flavor of the different cups of the sample
tasted. If the cups taste different, the rating of this aspect would not be as high. 2 points
are awarded for each cup displaying this attribute, with a maximum of 10 points if all 5
cups are the same.
Overall: The “overall” scoring aspect is meant to reflect the holistically integrated rating
of the sample as perceived by the individual panelist. A sample with many highly
pleasant aspects, but not quite “measuring up” would receive a lower rating. A coffee that
met expectations as to its character and reflected particular origin flavor qualities would
receive a high score. An exemplary example of preferred characteristics not fully
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
reflected in the individual score of the individual attributes might receive an even higher
score. This is the step where the panelists make their personal appraisal.
Defects: Defects are negative or poor flavors that detract from the quality of the coffee.
These are classified in 2 ways. A taint is an off-flavor that is noticeable, but not
overwhelming, usually found in the aromatic aspects. A “taint” is given a “2” in intensity.
A fault is an off-flavor, usually found in the taste aspects, that is either overwhelming or
renders the sample unpalatable and is given an intensity rating of “4”. The defect must
first be classified (as a taint or a fault), then described (“sour,” “rubbery,” “ferment,”
“phenolic” for example) and the description written down. The number of cups in which
the defect was found is then noted, and the intensity of the defect is recorded as either a 2
or 4. The defect score is multiplied and subtracted from the total score according to
directions on the cupping form.
Final Scoring
The Final Score is calculated by first summing the individual scores given for each of the
primary attributes in the box marked “Total Score.” Defects are then subtracted from the
“Total Score” to arrive at a “Final Score.” The following Scoring Key has proven to be a
meaningful way to describe the range of coffee quality for the Final Score.
Total Score Specialty Description Classification
95-100 Exemplary Super Premium Specialty
90-94 Outstanding Premium Specialty
85-89 Excellent Specialty
80-84 Very Good Premium
75-79 Good Usual Good Quality
70-74 Fair Average Quality
60-70 Exchange Grade
50-60 Commercial
40-50 Below Grade
<40 Off Grade
Specialty Coffee Association of America Cupping Committee April 2005
