Coffee Defects MOC¶
Coffee defects are physical, chemical, or systemic flaws that degrade cup quality and can be introduced at any stage of the value chain — from agronomic growth and processing through roasting and extraction. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) categorises and penalises defects based on severity, and understanding their origins is foundational to quality control at every level.
Deep Dives¶
| Article | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Coffee Defects | Overview of defect categories and the SCA penalty framework |
| Defect Categorisation | Category 1 and Category 2 defect classifications and equivalence counts |
| Defect Grading | The 350g sample grading process and specialty grade requirements |
| Green Coffee Defects | Defects originating in growing, harvesting, and processing |
| Green_Bean_Defects | Green bean defect identification guide |
| Roasting_Defects | Roasting Defects — heat-application errors and their visual and flavour signatures |
| Extraction_Brewing_Defects | Extraction and brewing defects: puck analysis and cup faults |
| Defect Recognition | Visual and sensory identification of defects |
| Defect Recognition Training | Training methods for building defect recognition skill |
| Common Defects | The most frequently encountered defects across all stages |
Defects by Stage¶
Green bean: Green Coffee Grading | Defects & Faults | Potato Defect | Rio Defect
Roasting: Roast Defects | roast defect → flavour fault reference table
Brewing: Extraction_Brewing_Defects | Module 6 - Defects, Troubleshooting & Best Practices
Grading Systems¶
SCA standards: Specialty Coffee Grading | Defect Grading | Q Grading
Regional: Regional Grading Systems | Green Coffee Grading Methods | Ethiopia_Coffee_Grading_Standards | Kenya_Coffee_Grading_Standards
Green coffee: Green Coffee Grading Process | Green Coffee Grading Value and QC | Screen Size Grading | Peaberry Sorting and Grading
Related MOCs¶
- Quality Control MOC — Broader quality assurance frameworks and standards
- Coffee Processing MOC — Processing stage where many green bean defects originate
- Roasting MOC — Roasting stage defects in context
- Sensory Science MOC — Tasting and identifying defect expression in the cup
Essential Resources¶
Books: SCA Green Coffee Defects Handbook · The Coffee Roaster's Companion (Scott Rao) · Defect Reference Guide (SCA)
Online: SCA Green Coffee Classification · World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon · Q Grader Training Programme
Part of Coffeepedia — The Coffee Knowledge Vault