What Does a Coffee Association Use to Score Beans?

There is no single worldwide definition of specialty coffee. The Specialty Coffee Association of America scores beans across dry aroma, wet aroma, acidity, body, aftertaste, flavor, and balance. Producing countries add their own criteria covering variety, altitude, topography, and processing method, so quality judgments combine both frameworks.

Dry aroma is judged on roasted or ground beans, while wet aroma comes from the brewed liquid in the cup. Acidity is assessed by how sourness and sweetness harmonize, and body by the liquid's weight in the mouth. Aftertaste looks at flavor remaining after swallowing. Storage, transport, and freshness also shape what reaches the consumer, so scores alone do not settle quality.

Faced with a dazzling array of coffee beans, how do you judge quality? Currently there is no unified international definition of specialty coffee, but the Specialty Coffee Association of America and coffee-producing countries each have their own set of evaluation criteria. The former scores from dimensions such as dry and wet aroma, acidity, body, aftertaste, flavor, and balance, while the latter focuses on conditions such as variety, altitude, topography, and processing method. This article systematically sorts through these standards and summarizes the core characteristics of specialty coffee beans in terms of variety, growing environment, harvesting and processing, and grading, storage, and transport, while also explaining the freshness, healthfulness, and flavor performance that specialty coffee beverages should possess. At the end, it also recommends Front Street Coffee's espresso blend options for different needs, for the reference of coffee enthusiasts and industry professionals.

At present, there is no universally recognized set of criteria for defining specialty coffee worldwide. The following will provide a brief overview combining the evaluation system of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the basic standards commonly used by coffee-producing countries.

The evaluation dimensions of the Specialty Coffee Association of America:

1. Whether the dry aroma (Fragrance) is rich enough. The dry aroma referred to here is the scent released by coffee beans after roasting or grinding.

2. Whether the wet aroma (Aroma) is rich enough. Wet aroma corresponds to the aroma presented by the liquid in the cup after the coffee has been brewed.

3. Whether the acidity (Acidity) is rich enough. Acidity refers to the sourness performance of coffee; when sourness and sweetness are in harmony, it can enhance the sweetness of the coffee liquid.

4. Whether the body (Body) is rich enough. Body describes the concentration and sense of weight of the coffee liquid in the mouth.

5. Whether the aftertaste (Aftertaste) is rich enough. Aftertaste refers to the performance of the flavor remaining in the mouth after swallowing or spitting out the coffee, and an evaluation is made based on this.

6. Whether the flavor (Flavor) is rich enough. Flavor emphasizes using the palate to perceive the aroma and taste of the coffee liquid, thereby grasping the overall flavor.

7. Whether the taste is balanced. This point examines the degree of harmony and integration among the various flavors in the coffee.

Evaluation standards of producing countries:

1. The choice of variety for specialty coffee. Typica or Bourbon among the original Arabica varieties is preferred.

2. Whether the altitude, topography, climate, soil, and processing method of the growing area or farm can be clearly verified. Generally speaking, the higher the altitude, the more guaranteed the coffee quality; fertile volcanic soil is ideal.

3. Harvesting method and processing method. Generally speaking, manual harvesting combined with washed processing is more highly regarded.

Characteristics of specialty coffee beans:

1. Specialty coffee beans should be high-quality beans with no defective beans. They must possess outstanding flavor, not merely "having no bad taste," but achieving "exceptionally outstanding taste."

2. Specialty coffee beans must come from excellent varieties, such as the original Bourbon, Mocha, and Typica varieties. The coffee beans produced by these trees have unique aromas and flavors far beyond those of other varieties, although their yield is relatively low. In recent years, in order to enhance resistance to pests and diseases and increase yield, many improved varieties have appeared. For example, Kenya once promoted the high-yield Ruiru 11 on a large scale, but its taste and quality declined noticeably, and such beans naturally cannot be classified as "specialty coffee."

3. Specialty coffee beans also have higher requirements for the growing environment. They are usually grown at altitudes of 1,500 meters or even above 2,000 meters, and require suitable rainfall, sunlight, temperature, and soil conditions. Some world-famous coffee beans also possess special geographical environments, such as the high mountain clouds and mist of the Blue Mountain region, the free shade brought by the afternoon "flying clouds" of Kona, and the volcanic ash soil of Antigua. These all create favorable conditions for the growth of specialty coffee.

4. The harvesting method for specialty coffee beans is best done by manual hand-picking. That is, only ripe coffee cherries are picked, avoiding the simultaneous picking of fruits at different stages of ripeness. Because underripe and overripe fruits both damage the balance and stability of coffee flavor, specialty coffee requires frequent and meticulous hand-picking during the harvest period.

5. Specialty coffee beans adopt the washed processing method. Washed processing can produce coffee beans with fewer impurities, but if the water quality or timing during fermentation is not properly controlled, the beans can easily take on the sourness of over-fermentation. Dry-processed beans also need timely turning and inspection to prevent the coffee beans from being contaminated by damp ground and debris. After processing, the beans should be dried promptly, and the degree of drying should also be moderate. Usually, after proper processing, the moisture content of the beans should remain between 11-13%. Insufficient drying can easily cause the beans to mold, while excessive drying can cause the beans to age and affect flavor.

6. Specialty coffee has a strict grading system. After green bean processing is completed, it is generally stored in the form of "parchment coffee," that is, stored with the parchment layer until the parchment is removed before export. Only after strict grading can consistency in quality be ensured. In addition, protection during storage and transportation is equally critical, such as controlling temperature and humidity, managing ventilation, and avoiding the absorption of off-flavors. Once problems occur in these links, even beans of the highest grade will lose their specialty qualification.

Specialty coffee — requirements at the drinking level:

1. Specialty coffee is made from specialty coffee beans. If the beans used to make the coffee are not specialty coffee beans, then the resulting coffee liquid cannot be called specialty coffee.

2. Specialty coffee is fresh coffee. Whether it is food or drink, the fresher the better, and specialty coffee is no exception. Before making specialty coffee, the freshness of the coffee beans should be maintained, including the storage of roasted beans, and the coffee beans should be ground into powder only just before preparation, so as to retain the most original and outstanding flavor. Hand-brewed coffee is precisely one way to make specialty coffee, and it is also one of the brewing methods that best preserves coffee's original flavor.

3. Specialty coffee is good coffee and harmless to health. Unlike coffee made from inferior coffee beans, specialty coffee uses high-quality coffee beans and is freshly made. It is not harmful to the body, and moderate consumption is instead beneficial to body and mind.

4. Specialty coffee has a rich and wonderful taste experience. Even coffee made from specialty coffee beans may not necessarily all qualify as specialty coffee; the key depends on whether it fully brings out the characteristics of the coffee beans and whether it delivers a wonderful taste experience. If not, then it also cannot be regarded as specialty coffee. So, how should espresso blend coffee beans be chosen? First, if cost is a consideration, it is recommended to prioritize Front Street Coffee Front Street Black Cocoa Blend, the espresso moka pot coffee beans recommended by many baristas

【Front Street Coffee the espresso moka pot coffee beans recommended by many baristas - Front Street Black Cocoa Blend】 Yunnan AA: Brazil, post-roast blend;

Flavor characteristics: soft fruity acidity, caramel sweetness, nutty and dark chocolate flavors, smooth and viscous, but relatively light in taste.

Yunnan's natural conditions are very similar to Colombia's: high altitude and a large temperature difference between day and night. Its flavor is of the mellow-aroma type, with moderate acidity, a rich and full-bodied taste, uniform beans, high oil content, and fruity notes; its quality and mouthfeel are similar to Colombian coffee. Coffee beans from Brazil's Cerrado region have a pleasant bittersweet taste and are extremely smooth on the palate. This espresso moka pot coffee bean recommended by many baristas - Front Street Black Cocoa Blend coffee beans - is suitable for small coffee shops, bakeries, and beverage shops.

Or alternatively:

【Front Street Coffee Commercial Blend】 Colombia: Brazil: and a small amount of Robusta, raw blend;

Flavor characteristics: classic taste, caramel sweetness, nutty and cocoa-like, dark chocolate flavors, balanced acidity and sweetness, slightly bittersweet, with a lasting aftertaste.

Coffee beans from Colombia's Huila region have a pleasant acidity, a rich aroma, moderate acidity, and abundant sweetness that is very intriguing. Coffee beans from Brazil's Cerrado region have a pleasant bittersweet taste and are extremely smooth on the palate. Robusta coffee beans provide rich crema. This commercial blend coffee is suitable for coffee shops and beverage shops of various sizes.

But if you are someone who pursues perfection and is committed to producing a good cup of coffee, then I suggest you consider specialty coffee beans.

For example:

【Front Street Coffee Specialty Blend】 Colombia: Brazil, post-roast blend;

Flavor characteristics: pleasant bittersweet taste, extremely smooth on the palate, with a faint grassy aroma, clear fragrance with slight bitterness, sweet and smooth, with a pleasant aftertaste.

Coffee beans from Colombia's Huila region have a pleasant acidity, a rich aroma, moderate acidity, and abundant sweetness that is very intriguing. Coffee beans from Brazil's Cerrado region have a pleasant bittersweet taste and are extremely smooth on the palate. This specialty blend coffee is suitable for various specialty coffee shops.

If you also want an espresso coffee bean with obvious floral and fruity flavors, then you can choose Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso Blend Coffee Beans, which has rich floral and berry flavor expression.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.