If you frequently buy specialty coffee beans, you have surely seen the letters "COE" on packaging labels. What exactly do they stand for? Why are beans bearing the COE mark often more expensive? This article will give you a comprehensive understanding of COE—from its origins and founding organization, to its specific differences from the SCA cupping scoring system, and then to the three-stage competition format of the Ethiopia COE, breaking it all down one by one. It will also explain the difference between COE auction lots and national winner lots, as well as the difference between "same-lot" beans on the market and true auction lots, helping you more accurately understand and select coffee beans. [more…]

In the world of specialty coffee, the SCAA and COE are two authoritative systems that cannot be overlooked. The former established industry standards and cupping protocols, while the latter selects top-tier green beans through rigorous competitions. How do their scoring logics differ? And why are COE and SOE often confused? This article will trace the development and operational mechanisms of the SCAA, CQI, and COE, explain in detail the differences in cupping score sheets, and use the example of the 22nd-place sun-dried Typica that Front Street Coffee bid for at Ethiopia's first COE competition in 2020 to present the complete story from origin to cup. [more…]

If you want to become a professional barista, cupping is a core skill you can't avoid. This article systematically sorts out the scoring standards of the two major cupping systems, COE and SCAA, analyzing the scoring points and deduction rules one by one, from aroma, cleanliness, sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel, flavor, aftertaste to balance. It also explains in detail the tools needed for cupping, the coffee-to-water ratio, and the operating process, and uses [Front Street Golden Mandheling] as an example to compare the cupping performance of three roasting curves. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast or a practitioner, you can learn from it the scientific method of judging coffee quality and understand the true meaning of COE competition level. [more…]

COE (Cup of Excellence) is the most authoritative competition in the global specialty coffee field. Since its founding by ACE in Brazil in 1999, it has always represented the highest standard of coffee quality evaluation. This article systematically reviews CoE's origins and background, competition format and process, scoring system, and its profound impact on the coffee industry, while also explaining the score grading standards from commercial beans to competition level. For enthusiasts who follow specialty coffee development and auction trends, this is a complete guide not to be missed. Front Street Coffee will also continue to bring you competition news and bean selection references. [more…]

Cupping is the primary step for verifying coffee quality after roasting. By standardizing grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, and steep time, it objectively reveals a bean's truest flavors. This article systematically outlines the purpose of cupping, the required equipment, and standard parameters, walks step by step through the complete process of pouring, smelling, breaking the crust, and slurping, and takes an in-depth look at the eight scoring categories on the CoE cupping form and how they differ from the SCA scoring system. It also compiles common descriptive terms from the flavor wheel and includes a high-resolution 2023 flavor wheel wallpaper resource, making it a handy reference for coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike. [more…]

In the specialty coffee world, the Cup of Excellence (COE) is regarded as the most prestigious green coffee competition, and the top-ranked beans on its annual list often become the focal point of auctions. This competition, launched by ACE in Brazil in 1999, now covers more than a dozen producing countries, selecting the top 30 with cupping scores above 87 for a global auction. This article will outline the origins and scoring system of the COE, and focus on reviewing the story of the 22nd-place natural Typica that Front Street Coffee won at auction when Ethiopia first joined the COE in 2020—from West Arsi, grower Adem Banta Sute—as well as the processing, roasting, and brewing details of this bean. [more…]

Whether a cup of coffee can be crowned with the name "specialty" is by no means decided by cupping alone. From the origin of the green beans, screening and processing, to roasting and brewing, every stage requires careful control, so that the flavor in the cup ultimately presented can reflect the characteristics and cultural heritage of the producing country. This article will systematically sort out the two major cupping scoring systems, COE and SCA, and break down one by one the points to note for each scoring element, including cleanliness, sweetness, acidity, body, flavor, aftertaste, and balance, as well as explain in detail the defect scoring rules and grading standards. Front Street will also draw on years of quality control experience to help you use evaluation grades as a reliable reference for judging specialty coffee when purchasing coffee. [more…]

In 2021, Indonesia hosted the Cup of Excellence (COE) for the first time, officially becoming the 14th country in the world to hold a COE competition. As the fourth-largest coffee producer, Indonesia has long been known for the mellow, herbal, and spicy flavors of Mandheling and Kopi Luwak, yet it has remained silent in the specialty coffee conversation. This year's competition selected a total of 26 winning beans, with the champion scoring 89.82 points and the runner-up 89.04 points, neither breaking the 90-point mark, which truthfully reflects the current level of Indonesian coffee. Notably, in addition to the traditional spice, clove, and chocolate notes, the flavor descriptions of the winning beans also included fruit tones such as cranberry, tangerine, and cherry, hinting that Indonesian coffee is quietly shifting. Front Street Coffee believes this transformation will take at least ten years, but the signal is already clear. [more…]

The 2023 Cup of Excellence (CoE) in Brazil underwent a major competition format change, for the first time dividing participating green beans into three categories: dry process, wet process, and experimental process, with awards evaluated separately for each. This change aims to respect different processing methods, encourage producer innovation, and promote fair competition. After pre-selection and multiple rounds of national and international judging, the lists of ten winning beans in each of the three groups have been announced, with a minimum score requirement of 87 points. Erwin Mierisch, Executive Director of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence, stated that the new classification both recognizes the value of traditional processing methods and responds to market demand for innovative processing methods. This article will outline the competition format details, the winning situation in each group, and explore the profound impact of this change on the specialty coffee industry. [more…]

In 2020, Ethiopia held its first-ever Cup of Excellence (COE) competition in history, where 28 coffees scoring above 87 points stood out, with 3 of them even surpassing the 90-point mark, all from the Sidama region. Front Street Coffee successfully bid on a natural Typica ranked 22nd, from the West Arsi area. This article will guide you through the details of this year's COE winners, Ethiopia's coffee variety naming system, the pros and cons of traditional natural processing, as well as Front Street Coffee's roasting curve, cupping performance, and brewing suggestions for this auction lot, presenting a complete flavor guide to Ethiopia's coffee-producing regions for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

In the world of specialty coffee, COE (Cup Of Excellence) has long been regarded as one of the most credible competitions. It not only determines whether a lot of coffee beans can be sold through auction, but also directly affects a estate's reputation and the income of coffee farmers. This article will walk you through the COE competition format and process, the advantages of auction coffees, and why it has maintained its authoritative status among numerous competitions. At the same time, we will also talk about a coffee on Front Street Coffee's bean list—an auction lot from Ethiopia's first COE competition in 2020, COE22—and look at the origin story and flavor performance behind it, as well as how to bring out its best state in daily brewing. [more…]

Cupping began as a quality control method used in the trade to verify whether coffee beans met standards. After the rise of the specialty coffee movement, it gradually evolved into a scoring system for evaluating coffee. Anything below 80 points is classified as commercial grade, while reaching 80 or above crosses the threshold into specialty coffee—the higher the score, the more outstanding the quality. At present, the two globally recognized authoritative scoring systems come from the SCAA and the COE. This article focuses on the SCAA cupping scoring system, breaking down one by one its eleven scoring dimensions, the required number of sample cups, the division of score ranges, and how defect deductions are calculated, to help readers fully understand how a cup of coffee is quantified into a score. [more…]

In the world of specialty coffee, the two English abbreviations COE and SOE often confuse enthusiasts—they appear similar but actually point to completely different domains. COE stands for Cup of Excellence, the world's most authoritative specialty green coffee competition, first held by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence in Brazil in 1999 and since expanded to Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and many other producing countries. SOE, on the other hand, is short for Single Origin Espresso, referring to espresso made from single-origin coffee beans. This article will systematically sort out the essential differences between the two from the perspectives of competition systems, judging procedures, and extraction characteristics, and explore the common question of whether SOE is necessarily superior to blended espresso. [more…]

Recently, a photo of a coffee bean packaging sparked heated discussion on WeChat Moments. It prominently labeled the origin of Huakui coffee beans as "Origin: Brazil (Guji Hambela)," leaving many industry professionals and enthusiasts stunned. This article begins with the historical naming and variety origins of Huakui, then dissects the packaging's errors regarding production region, tree species, altitude, scoring standards, and grind size. It clarifies that Huakui must come from the sun-dried Ethiopian native varieties processed at the Buku Abel processing plant in the Guji Hambela region of Ethiopia, and retains Front Street Coffee's observations and product information about Small-Bean Huakui. [more…]

In the specialty coffee world, how can the quality of a bean be objectively judged? In the cupping scoring systems of SCA and COE, 85 points is the dividing line between specialty coffee and commercial beans, and the key role who holds the power to assign scores is the Q-Grader. This qualification, developed and certified by CQI, has fewer than 10,000 certified holders worldwide. What assessments must one go through to obtain Q-Grader certification? Is it really worth the time and money? This article will systematically sort out the origins and background of Q-Grader, the eight assessment modules of the Q Program, the difficulty of the exam, and its practical value in career development, helping coffee professionals and enthusiasts make a rational judgment. [more…]

Front Street Coffee has recently added two competition-grade Ethiopian coffee beans to its lineup: a natural Typica that placed 22nd in the COE Cup of Excellence competition, and a native variety that won the washed group championship in the TOH tournament. This article provides a systematic comparison of these two Front Street Ethiopian coffee beans across multiple dimensions, including competition background, growing region, coffee variety, green bean processing, roasting curve, cupping performance, and brewing recommendations. Readers can use this to understand the differences between the COE and TOH competitions, the terroir characteristics of the Sidamo Arsi and Uraga producing regions, the varietal traits of Typica versus Ethiopian native heirloom varieties, and the influence of natural and washed processing methods on flavor direction, providing a reference for daily purchasing and brewing. [more…]

Every year, some coffee beans sell for jaw-dropping prices, sometimes with a single cup being hard to come by. These high-priced beans mostly come from auctions, among which BOP and COE are the two most closely watched platforms. How auctions actually work, and why they can fetch such high prices, is a fascinating entry point for understanding the specialty coffee ecosystem. BOP: Baha [more…]

Cupping is a highly inclusive method of sensory evaluation for coffee, one that both professionals and everyday enthusiasts can take part in. Through a standardized process of roasting, extraction, and tasting, it translates a coffee's aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel into quantifiable scores, thereby allowing one to judge quality and identify strengths and weaknesses in flavor. This article will guide you through the basic concepts of cupping, its historical evolution from trade quality control to specialty coffee competitions, and the etiquette rules that must be observed in actual practice. It also retains relevant recommendations from the Front Street brand, making it suitable reading for any enthusiast who wants to gain a deeper understanding of coffee evaluation. [more…]

Nestled in the embrace of the South American Andes, Peru may not be as high-profile as Colombia and Brazil, yet thanks to its volcanic soil, tropical mountain climate, and high-altitude growing conditions, it produces coffee beans of outstanding quality. Among its regions, the northern Cajamarca region has performed particularly impressively in recent years, earning renown not only for its smallholder intercropping model and sustainable farming practices, but also for its frequent appearances on the COE list. This article will take you deep into the Cajamarca growing region's geographical environment, historical context, and cultivation characteristics, and analyze the secrets behind the success of the 2023 COE champion farm, Yoniser Mego Silva. [more…]

Honduras, as the second-largest coffee exporter in Central America, nurtures exceptional coffee beans thanks to its diverse climates and high-altitude mountains. This article will guide you through the historical development of Honduran coffee, the distribution of its six major regions, with a special focus on the terroir characteristics of the Montecillos region, as well as the outstanding performance of Los Pinos Estate in Intibucá Province, which secured third place in this year's COE competition. Whether you are a coffee enthusiast or a professional in the industry, you will be able to appreciate the unique charm of Honduran coffee. Front Street Coffee also keeps a close eye on this region, bringing you the latest updates. [more…]