Master the SCA Cupping Protocol: how to cup coffee professionally.
2
Understand flavour wheels: identify tasting notes with precision.
3
Score coffees using the SCA 100-point scale: defects, body, acidity, balance.
4
Train your palate: recognize faults and quality markers.
5
Communicate evaluations: written feedback that buyers, sellers, and drinkers understand.
6
Prepare for the Q-Grader exam: this course is the gateway to CQI certification.
7
Contribute to origin improvement: understand how feedback shapes sourcing and roasting.
8
Join the community of SCA-trained evaluators worldwide.
Course Syllabus
Day-by-day breakdown of topics, timings, and deliverables.
1
Foundations
The SCA Cupping Protocol
09:00
Welcome to Evaluation
Why scoring matters. How it shapes the specialty coffee market.
09:30
The SCA Cupping Protocol
Water temperature, grind size, timing, spoon technique — precision in every step.
10:30
Your First Cupping
Four coffees, side by side. You follow the protocol. Notice what's different.
11:30
Lunch
12:30
The SCA 100-Point Scale
How coffee is scored. What each point represents.
13:30
Scoring Your Cupps
Rate the four coffees. Maryam explains her scores. Compare.
14:30
Feedback & Introduction
What made a coffee score high? Low? Why?
2
Sensory Development
The Flavour Wheel
09:00
The SCA Flavour Wheel
Organized categories: fruit, floral, nutty, spice, etc.
09:30
Aroma & Flavor Recognition
Smell coffee. Taste coffee. Connect the experience to words.
10:30
Cupping Practicum
Six coffees. You identify notes on the wheel. Discuss with Maryam.
11:30
Lunch
12:30
Defect Identification
Fermented notes, earthy notes, musty notes. How to recognize them.
13:30
Defect Cupping
Cupping coffees with known defects. You spot them. You describe them.
14:30
Discussion & Feedback
3-5
Assessment Prep
Scoring, Writing, Exam Readiness
09:00
Deep Scoring Drills
Daily cupping. You score. Maryam provides feedback on accuracy and consistency.
10:30
Written Feedback
How to write professional cup notes. Clarity, detail, objectivity.
11:30
Lunch
12:30
Consistency Checks
Can you score the same coffee the same way on day 3 as day 1?
14:00
Mock Assessment
Cupping under exam-like conditions. Timing, pressure, observation.
15:30
Debrief & Q-Grader Pathway Discussion
Who It's For
Q-Grader aspirants: this is the foundation before CQI certification.
Café professionals who want to evaluate their own coffee.
Roasters and importers who score coffee for sourcing decisions.
Specialty enthusiasts who want to taste coffee like a professional.
Prerequisites
The Atelier Introduction to Coffee course recommended but not required.
A developed palate: you've tasted multiple coffees and noticed differences.
Willingness to be trained: scoring is a skill, and it takes practice.
The Instructor
Maryam Tabatabaei
Authorized SCA Premier Trainer · Q-Arabica Grader
Taught by Maryam.
Maryam is an Authorized SCA Premier Trainer and a Q-Arabica Grader certified under the SCA Q Coffee System (formerly the Coffee Quality Institute) — one of the few practitioners in the United Arab Emirates who holds both credentials at once.
She placed fourth at the HB Best Batch Roasting Championship (Feb 2026), judged the UAE National Roasting Championship (Jan 2026), and presented at Gulfood 2026’s Specialty Coffee Stage. Cohorts in her studio are kept to six learners — closer to a master class than a campus.
“I will not teach you what to think about coffee. I will teach you how to taste it for yourself.”
No. This is SCA CVA (Coffee Value Assessment). CQI Q-Grader is separate, offered through CQI, and follows similar but distinct protocols.
After this course, can I become a Q-Grader?
You'll be prepared to pursue CQI Q-Grader certification, but that's a separate exam administered by SCA · Q Coffee System (formerly CQI) in collaboration with SCA trainers.
Next Step
Learn to taste like the experts. Score coffee with precision.
I'm Maryam Tabatabaei — Authorized SCA Trainer, Q-Arabica Grader, and Q Instructor (SCA Licensed). One of very few practitioners in the UAE holding all three credentials. Whether you're opening a cafe, setting up a roastery, or training a team — let's talk.
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