Here in Kaldigo, we strive to understand coffee by measuring your taste profile.
To understand coffee, we need to talk the same language: cupping scores.
We follow the Specialty Coffee Association of America‘s coffee cupping guidelines to help you grade each cup of coffee you drink.
This is the groundwork for your Coffee Footprint.
1 Aroma
How complex and rich does the coffee smell
“The olfactory perception of the gases released from ground coffee and the vapors released from brewed coffee.” –SCAA
Grading | 1 – 10
6 – 10 | Good to Outstanding
1 – 5 | Very Poor to Average
2 Acidity
How intense is the acidity taste (acid like lemon)
“Acidity is the corporeal gustatory perception of the hydrogen ions present in the brew.” –SCAA
Grading | 1 – 10
10 | Very Bright
7 | Very Sharp
5 | Slight Sharp
3 | Very Soft
1 | Very Flat
3 Flavor
How the flavor and aroma play together for a pleasant taste
“The perceived combination of aroma and taste, with the modulation of the basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, achieving a distinctive cup characteristic.” –SCAA
Grading | 1 – 10
6 – 10 | Good to Outstanding
1 – 5 | Very Poor to Average
4 Body
How oily, dense and gritty the coffee physically feels
“The sensory perception of the mouthfeel of the brew. It is a combination of the fats, oils, and sediment swept off the surface of the freshly ground coffee particles and suspended in the unfiltered brew.” –SCAA
Grading | 1 – 10
9 | Heavy
6 | Full
4 | Light
2 | Thin
5 Aftertaste
How pleasant is the flavor of coffee after drinking it
“The perceived flavor sensations lingering in the back of the palate after the coffee has been swallowed.” –SCAA
Grading | 1 – 10
6 – 10 | Good to Outstanding
1 – 5 | Very Poor to Average
6 Balance
How well does everything fit together
“The overall liking for the harmonious integration of the total sensory impact of the five primary sensory attributes of Aroma, Acidity, Flavor, Body, and Aftertaste.” –SCAA
Grading | -5 – 5
1 – 5 | Good to Outstanding
-5 – 0 | Very Poor to Average
Overall
The SCAA provides an overall score for a coffee by summing the six metrics above and plus 50 points.
Grading | 50 – 100+
90 – 100+ | Specialty
80 – 89 | Premium
70 – 79 | Exchange
60 – 69 | Below Standard
50 – 59 | Off Grade