Relevant

For a long time we've felt that our traditional cupping score tables have done you a disservice and  really didn't provide you with the information you wanted to make a decision about whether to try a new coffee.  Since we only deal in specialty grade coffees, all of the scores for the coffees we offer are going to be in the 88+ range.  Besides, what exactly is the difference between 90.8 and 91.2 anyway?

The scoring system we used was developed by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.  It was intended to bring standardization to an arcane system that was really not a system at all, and to allow comparison between two or more coffees from the same origin (or even the same farm).  This was a valuable tool for roasters and coffee brokers to use in deciding which lot to buy.  But actually it is only useful  for allowing an individual cupper to compare two like coffees and then pick one.  Even using this system between two or more cuppers will lead to disagreements and averaging.   Using this system to compare a Colombia Popayan Supremo and an Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is like using the same taste standard to compare apples and oranges, chicken and steak, or pizza and oatmeal.  Pizza and oatmeal?!?  Oh, well, you get the idea.  The system itself is so flawed a cupper is required to "add 50 points" to a score just to give it a 1-100 range.  And why?  What's "magic" about 100?

We also felt like the numbers could be biased.  It is one thing for a buyer to score the coffee (that is as it should be) and quite another for the seller to do so.  The tendency to inflate the numbers in order to sell coffee, even when trying (or at least telling yourself you are trying) to be honest is very real, and very subconcious.  Although we passed the numbers on to you that we arrived at during our cupping trials prior to purchase, it still always seemed like inflation could creep in, and thus place our credibility at issue.  What if you cupped a coffee we had rated a 93.7 and, because of various factors (your roaster might be different than ours, you may have chosen a different profile, you may have cupped or brewed it differently-and on and on) you only thought it deserved an 85?  Would you trust our opinion again?  And to a large degree, that is what those numbers are--opinion.  They are incredibly subjective with almost no scientific measurement involved. 

So we are slowly (and since Denny will be doing most of it, we mean S-L-O-W-L-Y) changing over to a verbal description of the coffee.  We are adding info we think you'd like to have like the arrival date of the coffee (how fresh is it?), bean size (important to Behmor and Fresh Roast Plus 8 users) chaff content (important to Gene Cafe users), and bean density/hardness (for you dark roast lovers).  We are still letting you know the taste attributes, and providing our opinion on the body and finish, a suggested starting point for your roasting trials, and suggestions about the type coffee drinker that might like a particular coffee.  We are passing along all the info we can get on growing conditions, processing, and environmental concerns.

Here is where you come in.  Since the whole concept is to help you, then we need to ask:  Do you find it helpful?  Do you prefer the numbers?  What are we not giving you that will help?  What would you like to see us change?  If you have any thoughts or comments, drop us a note at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we'll certainly consider it.   Thanks!

Blessings,

Priscilla & Denny