The history of coffee cupping runs deeper than the San Francisco brokers who get the credit. From Yemen’s merchant trade routes to Clarence E. Bickford’s cup tests, Ted Lingle’s handbook, and the SCA’s 100-point scale, this is the story of how taste became a market mechanism – and whose taste got to count.
The SCAA cupping protocol, the industry’s evaluation standard since 2004, was officially replaced by the SCA Coffee Value Assessment in 2024. The new CVA system separates descriptive intensity from affective liking scores, eliminating the halo effect bias that compromised the legacy single-form approach used by Q-graders and green-coffee buyers worldwide.
Coffee cupping is the standardized sensory evaluation method the specialty coffee industry uses to score, compare, and communicate quality across the entire supply chain. From Q Graders in origin countries to roasters in Berlin, the SCA protocol turns subjective taste into measurable data – and you can run it in your own kitchen.
Malaysia specialty coffee reaches a new milestone as Nas Jaafar wins the 2026 World Brewers Cup—raising expectations for a fast-rising competition scene.
Malaysia specialty coffee hits World Brewers Cup peak Read More »
Kenya coffee exports gain a premium foothold in Italy at over $9.50/kg, but how far can one Trieste shipment carry its wider European ambitions?
Brazil coffee harvest delays and a stronger real pushed arabica up 16.2% in a day, even as forecasts signal big surpluses. Will volatility follow surplus?
Brazil Coffee Harvest Delays Drive 2026 Price Shock Read More »
Soluble coffee EUDR inclusion closes a major regulatory gap but raises new traceability burdens for EU coffee trade. How will robusta-heavy supply chains adapt?
World Coffee Championships’ shift from Taiwan to Chinese Taipei has triggered a traceability and identity dispute. Will records—and names—be restored?
USTR’s coffee tariff exemption shields key Brazilian instant coffee exports and a supply the US says it can’t easily replace. Will a 12.5% duty still loom?
IEEPA tariff refunds coffee importers are crediting roasters, but little relief reaches consumers. How far will Supreme Court–driven refunds really travel?
Coffee competitions are judged professional events where baristas, roasters, and tasters perform under strict rules scored by trained panels. Organized by the Specialty Coffee Association through World Coffee Events, these contests set industry standards, launch careers, and drive the innovations that eventually land in your local café.
Coffee Competitions: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter Read More »
Signature drink coffee competition success isn’t built on creativity alone. The World Barista Championship’s scoring rules, your coffee’s origin data, and a suite of sensory discrimination tests determine whether your concept wins or collapses. Here’s how to engineer one that survives the judge’s table.
How to Build a Winning Signature Drink for Coffee Competitions Read More »
