Tasting & Cupping
The SCA cupping protocol, the flavor wheel, and how to develop your palate.
Cupping is the standardized method for evaluating coffee quality. It's used by roasters, importers, and Q Graders worldwide to assess and compare coffees objectively.
The SCA Cupping Protocol
Equipment Required
- Cupping bowls (250ml / 8oz)
- Freshly ground coffee (8.25g per 150ml water)
- Water at 93°C (199°F)
- Timer
- Two cupping spoons
- Scoring sheets
The Process
1. Fragrance (dry) Assess the aroma of the dry grounds. Note intensity and quality.
2. Aroma (wet) Pour water at 93°C and assess the steam rising from the crust. Time: 0–4 minutes.
3. Break the crust At 4 minutes, push the crust with a spoon in three forward strokes. Deeply inhale the released aromas.
4. Skim Remove floating grounds and foam from the surface.
5. Taste Begin tasting at 8–10 minutes (when the cup has cooled to ~70°C). Aspirate coffee vigorously from the spoon — the spray coats your entire palate.
6. Score Continue tasting as it cools. Flavors evolve significantly as temperature drops.
The best flavors often emerge at 45–55°C. Be patient — don't judge a coffee only at tasting temperature.
SCA Scoring Attributes
Each of the 10 attributes is scored 6–10 (with increments of 0.25):
| Score Range | Quality Level |
|---|---|
| 6.00–6.75 | Good |
| 7.00–7.75 | Very Good |
| 8.00–8.75 | Excellent |
| 9.00–9.75 | Outstanding |
Attributes: Fragrance/Aroma, Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, Balance, Uniformity, Clean Cup, Sweetness, Overall.
Total possible: 100 points. Coffees scoring 80+ are specialty.
The SCA Flavor Wheel
The SCA Flavor Wheel (2016 revision, developed with World Coffee Research) organizes coffee descriptors into a taxonomy:
Outer ring → Inner ring → Center
Examples:
- Fruity → Berry → Blackberry / Raspberry / Blueberry
- Floral → Black Tea / Jasmine / Rose
- Nutty/Cocoa → Chocolate → Dark / Milk / Cocoa
- Sweet → Vanilla / Caramel / Molasses
- Roasted → Tobacco / Pipe / Acrid
The flavor wheel is a communication tool, not a scoring rubric. Use it to find vocabulary for what you're experiencing.
Developing Your Palate
Triangulation
Brew three cups — two identical, one different. Try to identify the odd one out. This trains your sensitivity to small differences.
Reference Tasting
Taste the things you expect to taste in coffee:
- Citric acid (lemon) vs. malic acid (green apple) vs. phosphoric acid (tropical brightness)
- Caramel vs. toffee vs. molasses
- Fresh berries alongside your coffees
Keep Notes
Write down descriptors every time you taste. Even if you're wrong, the habit builds pattern recognition over time.