The SCA Evolved Q Grader course is designed for experienced coffee professionals who already have a solid foundation in cupping, sensory evaluation, and green coffee analysis. This is not a beginner’s course—it’s an advanced certification for those ready to join the elite ranks of coffee evaluation experts.

You’re an ideal candidate if you are:

• Coffee roasters who want to elevate their sourcing decisions and quality control processes
• Green coffee buyers and importers seeking to provide authoritative assessments for clients and partners
• Quality control managers responsible for maintaining consistency and excellence in production
• Coffee consultants looking to expand their service offerings and command premium fees
• Cafe owners and specialty coffee entrepreneurs wanting to distinguish their business through expert knowledge
• Educators and trainers in the coffee industry who need advanced credentials and comprehensive evaluation skills
• Competition judges who want to bring professional-level assessment abilities to coffee competitions
• Coffee professionals transitioning into consulting or higher-level roles in the specialty coffee sector

What experience do you need?

You should have substantial hands-on experience with cupping protocols, recognizing coffee flavors and defects, and evaluating green coffee. If you’re newer to sensory evaluation, we strongly recommend completing the SCA Sensory Foundations and Intermediate courses first. This preparation significantly increases your chances of success and helps you get the most value from the intensive Q Grader program.

The bottom line: if you’re serious about coffee as a career and ready to invest in becoming a recognized authority in coffee evaluation, the Q Grader certification is your next step.

Let’s be honest. The SCA Evolved Q Grader exam is challenging, and it’s designed to be that way. This certification represents the highest standard in coffee evaluation, and the testing process reflects that level of excellence. You’ll face 9 comprehensive exams (8 practical and 1 written) that cover every aspect of coffee assessment, from identifying subtle flavor notes and detecting roasting defects to evaluating green coffee quality and applying the full Coffee Value Assessment system.

What makes it demanding?

The exams test your abilities under pressure with strict accuracy requirements. You’ll need to demonstrate consistent sensory skills across multiple assessments including triangulation tests, aroma identification, basic taste recognition, and complete coffee evaluations from different market perspectives. The intensity is real you’re absorbing complex information and immediately applying it through practical exams over six consecutive days.

Here’s the critical part: You get a maximum of two attempts per exam during the course week. If you don’t pass even one exam after both attempts, you cannot continue and must retake the entire course. There are no future retake opportunities outside of the six-day program. This high standard ensures that every certified Q Grader truly possesses elite-level skills.

But here’s the good news:

With proper preparation, many students succeed. We’ve seen significantly higher passing rates among students who take the SCA Sensory Foundations and Intermediate courses before attempting the Q Grader. This preparation sharpens your palate, builds your sensory vocabulary, and gives you the foundational skills that make the demanding exams more manageable.

Is it hard? Yes. Is it achievable? Absolutely, especially when you come prepared, focused, and ready to fully immerse yourself in six intensive days of learning. The challenge is what makes the certification valuable. We are here to help and guide you to success. 

The SCA Evolved Q Grader course teaches you to evaluate coffee at the highest professional level using the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) system, the most comprehensive and modern evaluation framework in the specialty coffee industry. Over six intensive days in California, you’ll master both the theory and practical application of assessing coffee from every angle, transforming the way you understand and communicate coffee quality.

The Four Pillars of Coffee Evaluation:

Physical Assessment  You’ll learn to expertly analyze green coffee, evaluating color classification, moisture content, bean size, and defects. This gives you the ability to predict cup quality before roasting and make informed sourcing decisions.

Descriptive Assessment  You’ll develop precision in mapping a coffee’s complete sensory profile. This means accurately identifying and articulating aromatic characteristics, flavor notes, acidity, body, and mouthfeel using industry-standard vocabulary that resonates with buyers and roasters worldwide.

Affective Assessment Here’s where it gets interesting. You’ll learn to evaluate coffee quality not just based on your personal taste, but by understanding and simulating different market preferences. This skill allows you to assess a coffee’s potential for specific customer segments and regions.

Extrinsic Assessment You’ll discover how to evaluate the “story behind the cup” the origin details, producer narratives, certifications, and sustainability practices that create additional value beyond sensory qualities.

Critical Skills You’ll Develop:

• Advanced sensory discrimination through triangulation exercises that sharpen your ability to detect subtle differences
• Aroma identification using systematic training to recognize and name specific aromatic compounds
• Basic taste recognition with precision testing on sweet, sour, salty, and bitter
• Roasting defect analysis to identify and assess common quality issues
• Multi-perspective evaluation that separates personal preference from objective quality assessment
• Real-world application through Value Discovery exercises that mirror actual market scenarios

By the end of the course, you won’t just be able to taste coffee you’ll be able to comprehensively analyze it, document every attribute with professional precision, and communicate its quality and value to anyone in the supply chain. This is what sets Q Graders apart from other coffee professionals.

Earning your SCA Evolved Q Grader certification isn’t just about adding credentials to your resume; it’s about fundamentally transforming your career opportunities, professional credibility, and earning potential in the specialty coffee industry. This certification opens doors that remain closed to even highly experienced coffee professionals without it.

Career and Financial Benefits:

Command Premium Rates – Q Graders are among the highest-paid professionals in coffee. Your specialized evaluation skills allow you to charge premium consulting fees, negotiate better employment packages, and access roles that require this elite certification.

Unlock Global Opportunities – This internationally recognized credential is your passport to working anywhere in the specialty coffee world. Importers, exporters, roasters, and coffee organizations worldwide actively seek Q Graders for quality control, sourcing, and consulting roles.

Establish Instant Credibility – When you walk into a meeting, sit at a cupping table, or advise a client, your Q Grader status immediately signals expertise. It’s the industry’s gold standard that speaks for itself.

Professional and Personal Growth:

Master Objective Evaluation – You’ll gain the rare ability to separate personal taste from professional assessment, evaluating coffee from multiple market perspectives. This makes you invaluable to businesses serving diverse customer bases.

Speak the Universal Language – You’ll communicate about coffee using the standardized CVA system that’s understood across the global specialty coffee industry, making collaboration seamless whether you’re in California, Colombia, or Kenya.

Join an Elite Network – You become part of a select global community of Q Graders. This network provides ongoing learning, collaboration opportunities, and connections that can lead to partnerships and career advancement.

Business Impact:

Improve Sourcing Decisions – Make confident, data-driven green coffee purchasing choices that improve quality and profitability for your business or clients.

Strengthen Quality Control – Implement professional-grade evaluation systems that ensure consistency and excellence in production and final products.

Differentiate Your Business – Whether you own a roastery, cafe, or consulting practice, having a Q Grader on staff (or being one yourself) sets you apart from competitors and attracts quality-conscious customers.

Future-Proof Your Career – As specialty coffee continues to grow and quality standards rise, Q Graders will remain in high demand. This certification is an investment in long-term career security and growth.

The bottom line? Becoming an SCA Evolved Q Grader elevates everything: your skills, your reputation, your opportunities, and your income potential. It’s the difference between being a coffee professional and being recognized as a coffee authority.

Your SCA Evolved Q Grader certification is valid for three years from the date you pass all exams. This time-limited validity ensures that certified Q Graders maintain current knowledge and sharp sensory skills that reflect the latest industry standards and practices.

Why Does It Expire?

Coffee evaluation is a skill that requires consistent practice and ongoing calibration. Your palate and sensory abilities need regular training to stay sharp, just like any professional skill. The three-year renewal cycle ensures that every active Q Grader in the field is maintaining the high standards that make this certification so respected globally.

What Happens After Three Years?

To maintain your Q Grader status, you’ll need to recertify before your credential expires. The recertification process involves retaking certain exams to demonstrate that your skills remain at the professional level required for the certification. This is standard practice across the industry and helps maintain the integrity and value of the Q Grader credential.

Staying Current Matters:

Think of recertification as an investment in maintaining your professional edge. The coffee industry evolves constantly with new processing methods, varieties, and quality standards emerging regularly. Recertification keeps you current, sharp, and competitive in the marketplace.

Planning Ahead:

We recommend staying active in cupping and evaluation throughout your three-year certification period. Regular practice makes recertification much easier and ensures you’re always operating at peak professional capability. Many Q Graders find that the discipline of preparing for recertification actually strengthens their skills and opens new career opportunities.

Your Q Grader certification represents a commitment to excellence, not just a one-time achievement. The three-year cycle ensures that when someone sees your credential, they know you’re currently operating at the highest level in coffee evaluation.