What "Specialty" Means, and the Cupping Score

The term "specialty coffee" was coined in 1974 by Erna Knutsen. The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA, now the SCA) later set the objective bar of "80 points and above (out of 100)," and today it is used industry-wide as a common measuring stick.

What is cupping?

Cupping is a standardized method by which experts evaluate green-bean quality. Coffee brewed with a fixed dose, water temperature and steeping time is scored out of 100 by a trained Q grader (Q Arabica Grader), following a set list of categories.

The 10 categories scored

• Fragrance/Aroma — the intensity and complexity of the smell, of both the dry grounds and the liquid
• Flavor — the integrated impression of taste and aroma the moment it enters the mouth
• Aftertaste — the positive flavor that lingers after you swallow
• Acidity — not simply strong or weak, but the quality of its "brightness and snap"
• Body — weight, thickness, texture
• Balance — whether the elements above are in harmony
• Sweetness — the presence and quality of sweetness
• Clean Cup — freedom from off-flavors and defects
• Uniformity — consistency across the five cups of the same coffee
• Overall — the evaluator's subjective overall mark

Scores and their grades

• 90 and above: Outstanding — world-class, Cup of Excellence level
• 85–89: Excellent — high-grade specialty
• 80–84: Very Good — the lower bound of specialty
• Below 80: Commercial — supermarket and chain-store grade

The relationship with COE (Cup of Excellence)

COE is a contest in which international judges select each producing country's finest beans, and a winning bean usually scores 87 or above. Top COE lots trade at auction for 10–100 times the usual price. More and more Japanese specialty roasters now carry COE beans.

The 2023 overhaul: the SCA's new method (CVA)

Everything above is the traditional "100-point method" (the 2004 cupping form). In fact, in 2023 the SCA announced a new framework, the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), and a gradual transition is underway. Behind it lay long-standing issues: "the evaluator's preference mixes too easily into the score," and "the description of flavor and the judgment of good-or-bad get confused."

The heart of the CVA is to split evaluation into four and separate objective "description" from subjective "liking."

• Descriptive: what the flavor is like. No good-or-bad judgment, just a neutral record of the "features" — flavor, acidity, body
• Affective: how much you like it. Each section is scored in steps, ultimately yielding a 100-point-equivalent score as before
• Physical: measurable properties such as moisture, defect beans and screen size
• Extrinsic: added-value information beyond the cup, such as origin, altitude, variety and certifications

What consumers should know

When a roaster's website or packaging says "cupping score 86," that is the result of a Q grader (or an experienced roaster) evaluating it by SCA standards. That said, reliability depends on whether it was scored in-house or externally. A COE score, or an evaluation by an SCA-certified Q grader, adds objectivity.

FAQ

Is 80 points the same wherever it is measured?

The standard is shared, but it wobbles a little with the evaluator and the setting. A third-party score (COE or a certified Q grader) is more objective than an in-house one. Treat a few points' difference as within the margin, and use "around 85" as a "marker of high quality."

Do Robustas get a score too?

They do. The SCA has also built evaluation standards for "Fine Robusta," scored on a separate yardstick from Arabica. The world of high-quality Robusta has been widening in recent years.

Does a higher score suit me better?

Not necessarily. A score is a "quality guarantee"; preference is a separate axis. An 85-point Ethiopia and an 84-point Guatemala are both excellent, with opposite profiles. Knowing your own flavor tendency helps everyday choices more than the number.

Can I cup at home?

A simplified version is enjoyable at home. Divide grounds of the same particle size into several cups (roughly 1:18 grounds to water), pour hot water and wait 4 minutes, break the crust that forms on the surface with a spoon and smell it, then skim off the foam and slurp from a spoon to taste. Precise scoring like a pro is hard, but lining up several coffees under the same conditions makes the differences clear and helps you put your own preferences into words.

The score is not everything

A high score does not necessarily match your taste. An 85-point Ethiopia and an 84-point Guatemala are "both specialty, but with completely different profiles." A score is a "quality guarantee," nothing more; preference runs on a separate axis. Knowing your own flavor-note preferences is more useful for everyday choices.