The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scoring system is a 100-point scale used by trained Q graders to evaluate green coffee quality. It is the industry standard for grading specialty coffee and the basis for almost all formal coffee competitions.
The 10 attributes
Each coffee is scored on 10 attributes, each from 6.00 to 10.00.
Fragrance/Aroma: the smell of the dry grounds and the wet grounds.
Flavor: the primary taste experience while drinking.
Aftertaste: the lingering taste sensations after swallowing.
Acidity: the brightness and liveliness; quality, not just intensity.
Body: the mouthfeel weight and texture.
Balance: how the attributes fit together as a whole.
Uniformity: consistency across the multiple cups in the cupping (5 cups standard).
Clean cup: absence of negative interfering tastes.
Sweetness: the perceived sweet sensations.
Overall: the grader’s holistic judgment of the coffee.
How scoring works in practice
A Q grader cups the coffee in a standardized way (specific water temperature, ratio, grind size, cupping bowls) and scores each attribute on a printed form. The 10 scores are summed. Defects in any cup result in deductions.
Multiple graders typically score the same coffee and the scores are averaged or discussed. For competition coffees, panels of graders score formally and the averages are used.
The score ranges
Below 80: Commercial grade, not specialty.
80-84.99: Specialty. Good coffee, baseline for the term.
85-89.99: Excellent. Common range for third-wave single origins.
90-94.99: Outstanding. Microlots and competition coffees.
95+: Exceptional. Rare, premium prices.
Limitations
The system is intentionally objective and trained to specific descriptors. It captures technical quality well but does not predict whether you personally will love a particular cup. A 92-point Ethiopian natural with intense fermented strawberry notes might be technically excellent and not to your taste at all.
Scores also vary across graders and across grading sessions. The same coffee scored by different panels often shows 1-3 point variation.
Why it matters
Despite limitations, the system provides a common language for the industry. Roasters can communicate with green buyers about quality, producers can demonstrate the value of careful work, and consumers can use scores as one signal of quality (alongside origin, processing, and roaster reputation).