In specialty coffee, the SCA score isn’t just a number – it’s a global benchmark that reflects quality from farm to cup.
📏 What is the SCA score?
The SCA score is awarded by the Specialty Coffee Association after a professional tasting process called cupping.
Traditionally, a sample needed to score at least 80 out of 100 points to be classified as specialty coffee. In November 2024, the SCA officially replaced its 2004 cupping protocol with the new Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), which evaluates coffee across physical, descriptive, affective, and extrinsic dimensions rather than a single number. The 80-point benchmark remains the reference most widely used across the industry today, and the CVA's own Physical Assessment is still built on the 2004 green-grading criteria.
🧑⚖️ Who grades the coffee?
Certified Q Graders evaluate each coffee under standardized conditions. They assess:
-
Flavor clarity
-
Acidity (quality and intensity)
-
Natural sweetness
-
Body
-
Balance
-
Aftertaste
-
Presence of defects
🧮 Score ranges:
-
80–84.99 – good specialty coffee
-
85–89.99 – excellent specialty coffee
-
90–100 – outstanding, rare and premium quality
🧠 Why does it matter?
The SCA score is the only internationally recognized standard for specialty coffee evaluation. It helps you:
-
Choose based on flavor profile
-
Understand pricing and value
-
Compare coffees from different origins
📚 Conclusion
The SCA score is your guide to quality, transparency, and trust in the world of specialty coffee. Look for it on the label – it tells a deeper story about what’s in your cup.