Coffee is something we all enjoy and experience in different ways. Some coffee lovers like to learn a little about it, its preparations, and the different types of beans, because it's a beverage we're passionate about. Then there are the baristas, who are experts in preparing different coffees. They know every detail of the process and the bean, as well as the correct way to ensure each preparation is perfect. But there are some people who go further. Q Graders are certified, almost mythological beings within the specialty coffee industry.
But what is the Q Grader rating in coffee?
In all grading processes, the ability to differentiate the quality of one product from another is only achieved through knowledge and constant study of the competing element, in our case, coffee. The Q Grader Arabica is the certification awarded by the Coffee Quality Institute to tasters who demonstrate the skills necessary to accurately evaluate all the qualities of coffee through aroma and flavor, always seeking to highlight its highest quality, all based on experience and knowledge of the protocols learned.
This certification is valid for three years. Once this period is over, expert tasters must re-validate their knowledge by participating in certification courses to obtain another three years of certification as a Q Grader Arabica taster.
This qualification is useful for everyone involved in the coffee production process, not just buyers or exporters. Farmers with this knowledge can improve their production by identifying areas to strengthen. Roasters can also better identify the correct profile and the type of roast appropriate for their coffee.
And how does the Q Grader program work?
Coffee tasters rate coffee with a score from one to one hundred, based on various criteria and attributes, such as aroma and sweetness, with one hundred representing coffee perfection. Thanks to these criteria and ratings, the prices of a particular coffee can be defined; beans rated above 80 points are considered specialty coffees.
Can you imagine how difficult it must be to develop a sensory analysis, especially an olfactory one? Well, participants in these certification courses have practical sessions and activities focused on developing these skills through different cupping techniques and protocols. Among the activities is identifying a rare coffee among three different cups, known as triangulating coffees. They also learn techniques for combining organic acids and identifying sample roasts. All this and much more happens in just six intense days of training in a certified laboratory and has been done since 2004, when the first Q Grader program was launched.
But what do you learn during this certification?
Due to its short duration, this is a truly practical course, which includes various tests to achieve certification.
- The string of aromas and flavors
- Le Nez du Café, a collection of 36 different aromas
- Green coffee analysis
- Organic Acids Taste Skills and Identification of Roasted Coffee
In addition to this, certification participants also encounter different types of descriptive tastings:
- Defect testing
- Of soft washes from Central and South America
- Tasting of coffees from Indonesia and Africa
- Natural coffee tastings Triangular tasting
- And the identification of roasting levels.
By passing all these tests and demonstrating the knowledge required to become an expert in Arabica coffee, you can earn the Q Grader certification. Therefore, it's essential to approach these six days of certification with your senses well-prepared and ready to discover more about this variety through them.
Who is this certification for?
This certification is designed for people who are part of the coffee industry, regardless of their role within the world of coffee, but who already have prior knowledge, although it is not necessary to be an expert. The program is designed to provide you with adequate training in the most in-depth topics of coffee in just 6 days. During this time, they will be able to discover and rate different coffees from around the world, thereby learning product differentiation and the vocabulary of a coffee evaluator.
Although it's a short course, few are sufficiently prepared to pass all these tests. Those who do are part of the entire process of improvement and growth in the coffee industry, raising the bar for our specialty coffees. Thanks to their study, we enjoy coffees with a better aroma, better texture, and new flavors in our cups every morning. That's why today we raise our cups and say, "Cheers to the Q Graders!"