Blog

Back

WHAT IS A Q-GRADER?

Time and again baristas or dedicated coffee drinkers talk about Q-Grading. What is it all about? We shed some light on a supposedly simple topic.

By Pascal Herzog

WHAT IS A Q-GRADER?

ALL POSTS

WHAT IS A Q-GRADER?

Time and again baristas or dedicated coffee drinkers talk about Q-Grading. What is it all about? We shed some light on a supposedly simple topic.

With the Q-Grading programme, the coffee world has defined a standard that determines how the quality of Arabica coffee is assessed. Q-Graders are people who have worked intensively with this procedure and have proven in 22 tests that they can judge a coffee according to this standard.

How does it work?A Q-Grader counts the number of defects in green coffee, roasts the coffee and finally pours it to evaluate the sensory attributes using a standardised form. The outcome is a score that can reach a maximum of 100. Coffee that scores over 80 points is given the “very good” attribute and can be called Specialty Coffee.

You may be wondering whether sensory analysis is not always subjective, and to some extent you are right. Due to certain set, shared standards, the perception of quality among the Q-Graders is very similar and we can assume that the differences are minimal.

Does that mean you prefer coffee with high scores? No. At the end of the day, we all have personal preferences. However, by trying as many different coffees as possible, we develop our own perception of quality.

What is Q-Grading not?The standard says nothing about how coffee was grown. Regardless of whether it is a large or small farm, Kenya or Honduras, the coffees are always tested blindly so that the personal biases of the taster do not play a role.

Do you want to learn more?You can discover more about the process on the Coffee Quality Institute website. Here you can get a good insight into the ViCAFE roaster and the work of our Q- Graders.

You might also like to read

GUATEMALA - ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS

At Finca San Jeronimo Miramar it is said that “Good coffee can energise tired bodies and even inspire weary souls”. During our visit to the Bressani family, we were enchanted by the charm of their coffee farm.

COLONIAL COFFEE TODAY

Colonialism led to the rapid and widespread distribution of coffee and created inhumane socioeconomic systems that continue to fuel inequalities today. In the context of coffee sourcing, we advocate an honest approach to this issue and place human relations at eye level at the center of our efforts.

HOW WE TURN GREEN COFFEE BEANS INTO YOUR ViCAFE

Look, smell, taste: Today we're taking you on an expedition into our world of coffee. A journey in six stages.

VISITING CARLOTTA AND SINAN IN BASEL

We regularly portray people here who are important to ViCAFE. Today we visited our barista's Carlotta and Sinan with their new canine family member Kai in their old apartment in Basel.

TWELVE YEARS OF ViCAFE IN EGLISAU

We are celebrating our birthday. Not a round one, but an even one. Here are eight reasons why it's worth traveling to Eglisau, where ViCAFE originated, this year of all years.

THE MOVIE TO YOUR COFFEE

Mondul Coffee Estate in Tanzania grows sustainable coffee for ViCAFE. We are proud of our partnership with Mondul. Why? We'll show you in our new film.