What is a Q Grader?

CERTIFIED Q GRADERS ARE PROFESSIONALS SKILLED IN SENSORY EVALUATION OF GREEN AND ROASTED COFFEE. 

In some ways, good coffee is subjective. After all, coffee needs to taste good to you. However, there are objective standards that measure coffee quality. Certified Q Graders have received rigorous training and testing to evaluate coffee and assign a score to the coffee. Scores are awarded based on defects, sweetness, acidity, balance, mouthfeel, and flavor. 

Certified Q Graders are employed throughout the coffee industry- from the farm level to importers to coffee roasters. 

WHY ARE INDUSTRY STANDARDS IMPORTANT?

The criteria used to score green coffee set global expectations for both buyers and sellers. It’s a common language and understanding of coffee to make sure we’re all on the same page. Using these criteria, certified Q Graders can reliably score coffee in sync with a global network of calibrated tasters. This collaboration builds trust between producers and consumers. With a common language, this network can provide tangible steps to improve the quality of coffee throughout the supply chain.

HOW ARE THESE SCORES USED?

Coffees are scored on a 100 point scale, and here’s the breakdown:

65-80: Commodity Coffee- Used for grocery stores, gas stations, fast food restaurants.

80+: Speciality Coffee- Used by speciality coffee roasters (like us!) 

FLORIN HAS ITS VERY OWN Q GRADER!

We are proud to announce that Hans has completed the Q Grader course and earned his Q Grader certification! We’re excited to put his skills to use as we evaluate future coffees and tweak our current offerings.

       Photos from the week long Q Grader course.