The Evolution of Coffee Evaluation.

The way we assess coffee quality has undergone significant transformation over the years. In the early 1800s, coffee was primarily judged based on its physical attributes, such as bean size, color, and visible defects. As the global demand for coffee grew, the limitations of this physical evaluation method became apparent. By the late 20th century, the introduction of cupping marked a pivotal shift. This technique allowed coffee professionals to focus on the intrinsic qualities of coffee—like flavor, aroma, acidity, and body—paving the way for a more detailed and standardized assessment.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) of United States established its first official cupping protocol in 1999, which became a widely adopted standard in the industry. While it offered a more structured way to assess coffee quality, it was not without its flaws. Cupping scores could be influenced by personal preferences, cultural differences, and other subjective factors. As a result, there was a growing need for a more holistic and inclusive evaluation system. This is where the SCA Coffee Value Assessment system comes in—a new approach that expands on the previous cupping model by incorporating a more comprehensive range of attributes.

What Was Previously Available to Assess Coffee?

Before discussing about the new Coffee Value Assessment system, it is important to understand the traditional methods that were used to evaluate coffee. Historically, coffee assessment was focused on the following:

1.Physical Inspection: Evaluators judged the beans based on size, shape, and visible defects such as insect damage, discoloration, or chipped beans.

2.Cupping: As mentioned, cupping emerged as the primary method to evaluate a coffee’s sensory profile. Professionals would score coffees based on attributes like fragrance, flavour, body, acidity and aftertaste. This method, though widely respected, focused heavily on intrinsic qualities, without much consideration for factors outside the cup.

3. Grading and Certifications: Coffee would often be classified according to specific grading systems, such as Colombia’s quality grading based on bean size (e.g. Supremo, Excelso). Certifications like Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance were considered extrinsic indicators of a coffee’s value, but they were often evaluated separately from the cupping process.

While these methods provided useful insights, they did not capture the entire picture of what makes a coffee truly valuable in today’s market.

​What’s New in the Coffee Value Assessment?

The new Coffee Value Assessment system builds on the traditional cupping method by integrating both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, offering a more rounded view of coffee quality. Here is a breakdown of what is new:

1.A Holistic Evaluation

Unlike the traditional system that focused almost exclusively on sensory attributes (what’s in the cup), the new assessment takes into account extrinsic attributes such as traceability, farming practices, sustainability, and certifications. This means that coffee is no longer judged purely by its taste but also by factors like how it was produced, its environmental impact, and its ethical standards.

2. Four Distinct Assessments

The system is now broken down into four main assessment categories:

• Physical Assessment: This still includes evaluation of the bean’s appearance, including size, defects, and moisture content.
• Descriptive Assessment: This focuses on the intrinsic sensory characteristics of the coffee, such as flavor, aroma, and body.
• .Affective Assessment: This allows cuppers to provide subjective feedback on the overall quality or impression of the coffee, though it is separated from the descriptive assessment to avoid bias.
• Extrinsic Assessment: Factors like sustainability practices, geographic origin, and certifications now play a crucial role in determining the coffee’s value.

3. New 9-Point Scoring Scale

The quality scale has expanded from a 6-10 range to a 1–9-point scale, offering more flexibility to score a coffee accurately across the quality spectrum. This allows for finer distinctions between different levels of coffee quality, especially at the higher and lower ends of the spectrum.

4. Standardized Language

A key feature of this new system is the SCA’s push towards developing a common language. By providing a standardized set of terms and definitions, the SCA ensures that coffee producers, buyers, and sellers are on the same page when describing and assessing coffee. This reduces the risk of miscommunication in international coffee trade.

5. Emphasis on Sweetness

Sweetness, a critical component of high-quality coffee, has now been given its own dedicated scale in the new system. Previously lumped into broader flavor categories, sweetness now has a more prominent role in the evaluation process.

What We Like About This New System

1.Holistic View of Coffee

By incorporating both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, the Coffee Value Assessment system paints a more complete picture of a coffee’s value. It acknowledges that a coffee’s worth extends beyond its flavor profile, recognizing the importance of sustainability, ethical practices, and traceability.

2. Objective and Subjective Separation

The clear separation between descriptive (objective) and affective (subjective) assessments ensures that cuppers can give unbiased evaluations of the coffee’s sensory characteristics. This leads to more reliable and consistent scoring, even when personal preferences come into play.

3.Global Standardization

The use of standardized language and scoring helps create a unified framework for coffee professionals around the world. This makes it easier to communicate coffee quality, regardless of where the coffee is grown or consumed.

What Could Be Improved?

1.Subjectivity in Affective Assessment

While separating affective assessments from descriptive assessments helps, there is still some room for inconsistency when it comes to subjective scoring. The human factor means that different cuppers, with different preferences, may still score coffees differently, even when following the same guidelines.

2.Access to Resources

The system’s emphasis on technology and digital tools for scoring could be a challenge for regions where access to such resources is limited. Some producers or cuppers in developing countries may find it difficult to keep up with these tools, potentially leading to a digital divide.

Conclusion: A Step Forward in Coffee Evaluation

The SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment system represents a significant step forward in how we evaluate and appreciate coffee. By expanding beyond traditional cupping and taking into account both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, the new system provides a more holistic and accurate way to assess coffee’s value. While there are still challenges to overcome, this updated framework offers a clearer, more standardized path for coffee professionals at every stage of the supply chain.

In the next part of this series, we will explore how to practically apply the Coffee Value Assessment system, with detailed insights into how each of the four assessments can be integrated into your coffee evaluation process.

Disclaimer : This article is a summary, critique, and analysis based on our own readings of the new SCA Coffee Value Assessment system. We do not claim any rights to the content of the system itself. The views expressed here are our own and not affiliated with or representative of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Always refer to SCA New Coffee Value Assessment for authoritative information.

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