Which Q Grader component evaluates whether a candidate can recognize a correct cupping roast using smell and taste alone?

Roasting Problems practical. The SCA describes the Roasting Problems practical as evaluating the ability to recognize a correct cupping roast using smell and taste alone, compared with roasts that are too light, too dark, too fast, or too slow.

In the Olfactory Category Examples practical, what does the SCA tell candidates to practice?

Blindly identifying which Descriptive Form CATA box each example represents. The SCA advises preparing examples from the CVA Olfactory Example Library and practicing blindly identifying the Descriptive Form CATA box represented by each example. Vial matching and acid spiking belonged to the retired CQI format.

According to the SCA, what does the Cupping Skills practical evaluate?

Your conduct during cuppings — focus and professionalism — with SCA-102 as reference. The SCA says the Cupping Skills practical evaluates conduct during cuppings and does not cover setup. Candidates must show a high level of focus and professionalism and should review Standard SCA-102.

Which statement about the Q Grader written exam is supported by the SCA's preparation guidance?

It focuses primarily on the Coffee Value Assessment and covers cupping procedures in detail. The SCA states the written exam focuses primarily on the CVA and that cupping procedures, including setup, are also covered in detail. It recommends the CVA Protocol and Standards SCA-102, 103, and 104 as reading.

The Nine Assessments: Eight Practicals and O | Free Guide 2026

The SCA lists nine total assessments: eight practical evaluations and one written exam. All assessments must be passed to earn the Q Grader License. The SCA's "How to Prepare" page names each component and says what it evaluates. That page is the closest thing to an official blueprint, so this guide is organized around it.

The nine components at a glance

#	Assessment	What the SCA says it evaluates	Main reference	Guide chapter
1	Written exam	Mainly the Coffee Value Assessment; cupping procedures, including setup, in detail	CVA Protocol; SCA Standards 102, 103, 104; CVA forms	6, 7, 13, 16
2	Cupping Skills	Your conduct during cuppings — focus and professionalism (not setup)	SCA Standard 102	6
3	Physical Assessment	Accurate CVA Physical Assessment ("green grading")	CVA Physical Form; SCA Washed Arabica Green Coffee Defect Guide	8
4	Roasting Problems	Recognizing a correct cupping roast using smell and taste alone	CVA Protocol sample preparation; SCA Standard 102	9
5	Descriptive Assessment	Form use and descriptive accuracy	SCA Standard 103; Descriptive Form	3, 5, 7
6	Affective Assessment	Form use and consistency	SCA Standard 104; Affective Form	5, 7
7	Olfactory Category Examples	Recognizing and describing olfactory sensations	CVA Olfactory Example Library	3
8	Triangulation	Detecting subtle differences among coffee samples	Triads at varying difficulty	4
9	Main Taste Solutions	Detecting and describing main tastes and their intensities in simple and complex solutions	"Taste Basics" in the WCR Sensory Lexicon	2

Component notes

1. Written exam

The SCA says the written exam focuses primarily on the Coffee Value Assessment, and that cupping procedures, including setup, are also covered in detail. Its recommended reading is the CVA Protocol, SCA Standards 102, 103, and 104, and the CVA Theory video series. It also advises downloading the CVA forms and practicing all four assessments at work. The SCA's public pages do not publish the number of questions or the pass mark. Several authorized course providers describe it as 55 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes with an 80% pass mark, so confirm the format with your instructor.

2. Cupping Skills

This exam evaluates your conduct during cuppings. It does not cover setup, but you must show a high level of focus and professionalism during the course's cupping-centric activities. The SCA directs everyone to Standard SCA-102, the sample-preparation and tasting-mechanics standard.

3. Physical Assessment

You perform a CVA Physical Assessment, the modern name for green grading. The SCA suggests reviewing the "Physical Assessment of Green Coffee" section of the CVA Protocol and practicing with moisture meters and sieves. It also recommends studying the SCA Washed Arabica Green Coffee Defect Guide. The Physical Form records color, moisture, screen size, and Category 1 and Category 2 defects from a 350 g sample.

4. Roasting Problems

You must recognize a correct cupping roast using smell and taste alone. The SCA's practice table compares a standard roast (ground Agtron about 63, whole bean about 58) with four problem roasts: too light, too dark, too fast (half the normal time), and too slow (twice the normal time).

5. Descriptive Assessment

Graded on form use and descriptive accuracy: 15-point intensity scales and CATA boxes completed as SCA-103 requires.

6. Affective Assessment

Graded on form use and consistency: nine-point impression-of-quality ratings, uniformity and defect fields, and the cupping score under SCA-104.

7. Olfactory Category Examples

You recognize and describe olfactory sensations. To practice, the SCA suggests preparing examples from the CVA Olfactory Example Library and blindly identifying which Descriptive Form CATA box each example represents.

8. Triangulation

You detect subtle differences among coffee samples. The SCA suggests asking a colleague to set up triads at varying levels of difficulty and identifying the different cup blind.

9. Main Taste Solutions

You detect and describe main tastes and their intensities in both simple and complex solutions. The SCA's practice advice is to prepare sweet, salty, and sour solutions using the "Taste Basics" section of the World Coffee Research (WCR) Sensory Lexicon, varying sugar, salt, and citric acid to create different intensities.

What is not a separate exam

The Extrinsic Assessment and value discovery are taught on Days 5 and 6 of the sample schedule, but they are not listed as practical exams. Expect them on the written exam because it focuses on the CVA. Coffee knowledge outside the CVA — botany, processing, and origins — matters because it feeds extrinsic information and helps you interpret what you taste. The SCA does not publish a percentage weight for each topic.

How the components connect

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The diagram shows why preparation is cumulative: a weak grasp of SCA-102 mechanics undermines three practicals and the written exam at once.

SCA / CQI Q Grader Certification (Coffee)

1.2 The Nine Assessments: Eight Practicals and One Written Exam

Key Takeaways