How to Read a Coffee Cupping Score

A cupping score summarizes how a coffee performed under a particular sensory evaluation protocol. It is useful for comparison, but it is not a complete description of taste or commercial value.

Always ask who evaluated the coffee, which protocol was used, when it was evaluated, and whether the score belongs to the exact lot being offered.

Two coffees with the same total score can taste very different because category strengths, processing, body, acidity, sweetness, and flavor profile vary.

Scores should also be considered alongside physical quality, moisture, defects, traceability, repeatability, and intended use.

Buyer takeaway: read the score as one data point. The most useful supplier file connects the number to the lot, sensory notes, physical analysis, harvest, process, and evaluation date.