THE COFFEE LAB REPORT
WELCOME to the Coffee Lab Report, the newest addition to Roast’s ever-growing
set of resources for the coffee roaster. Headed by Mané Alves of Coffee
Lab International, this program is designed to help roasters locate coffees
of exceptional quality.
In each Coffee Lab Report, Roast features coffees with scores
of 88 or higher. Each coffee will be cupped using SCAA cupping protocols
and forms to achieve physical and cupping results. All cuppings are conducted
blind, and at least three cuppers participate per cupping.
Once the analysis is completed, Roast publishes the results,
as well as information on how to obtain these coffees. In addition to the
breakdown on important characteristics, such as defects, flavor profile and
density, each coffee receives an overall score. This system is similar to
those used in the wine industry and is designed to make it easier to choose
the best coffees for your business.
We hope The Coffee Lab Report will become an easy and efficient
tool for roasters, brokers, farmers, co-ops and mills to buy, sell and discover
exceptional coffee.
SUBMITTING SAMPLES
If you’d like to submit your coffee for cupping, please
follow the directions below.
- Anyone may submit a coffee for cupping (including farms,
mills, co-ops, coffee organizations, brokers, dealers, etc.),
provided they are able to trace the coffee to the source
and can document the characteristics of the farm.
- Coffee must be pre-tested and screened, either at source
by local specialty coffee cuppers or by the coffee dealers.
This pre-screening program is designed to save time and money
by ensuring that coffees meet required quality levels.
- The coffee needs to be physically available in the United
States.
- Coffee Lab International completes a physical and sensorial
analysis on submitted coffees. The Coffee Lab Report uses
SCAA cupping protocols and forms to achieve its physical
and cupping results.
- If the results are confirmed and the coffees are found
to be of high quality (88 or above based on a 100-point scale),
they may be published in Roast magazine and posted on Roast’s
website.
- The samples should be submitted to:
Coffee Lab International
Att: “The Lab Report”
80 Commercial Drive
Waterbury, VT 05676
THE SCORING SYSTEM
Total Scores are based on a 0–100 point scale. Each Total Score is the
sum of the 10 individual Cupping Scores, each of which is based on a 1–10
point scale. Specialty coffee starts at 80 points.
| Total Score |
|
Specialty Description |
| 95–100 |
|
Exemplary |
| 90–94 |
|
Outstanding |
| 85–89 |
|
Excellent |
| 80–84 |
|
Very Good |
| 75–79 |
|
Good |
| 70–74 |
|
Fair |
| 60–70 |
|
|
| 50–60 |
|
|
| 40–50 |
|
|
| <40 |
|
|
 
|
|
