Quality Control MOC¶
Quality control in coffee is the systematic process of evaluating, measuring, and maintaining standards at every stage from cherry to cup. It encompasses physical grading of green coffee against defect standards, sensory evaluation through standardised cupping protocols, roast quality assessment, and extraction measurement at the brewing stage. The Specialty Coffee Association's 100-point scoring system and green coffee defect classification provide the primary reference standards for the specialty segment. This MOC maps all quality control knowledge by production stage.
Deep Dives¶
| Article | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Coffee Quality and Grading | Overview of quality assessment systems and grading frameworks |
| Quality Control Systems | Organisational frameworks for maintaining quality across operations |
| Green Coffee Grading | Physical grading methodology for green coffee |
| Green Coffee Grading Process | Step-by-step guide to the 350g sample grading process |
| Green Coffee Grading Value and QC | How grading underpins quality and commercial value |
| Green Coffee Grading Methods | Comparative guide to grading methods by origin |
| Specialty Grade | SCA specialty grade requirements and thresholds |
| Defect Categorisation | Category 1 and Category 2 defect classification |
| Defect Grading | SCA penalty framework and defect counting |
| Defect Recognition | Visual and sensory identification of defects |
| Regional Grading Systems | Country-specific grading standards |
| SCA Cupping Protocol | The standardised sensory evaluation method |
| SCA Cupping Form | Understanding the 100-point scoresheet |
| Q Grading | The Q Grader certification system and its role in QC |
Green Coffee QC¶
Grading: Green Coffee Grading | Green Coffee Grading Process | Green Coffee Quality | Green Coffee Regional Grades
Defects: Green Coffee Defects | Green_Bean_Defects | Defect Categorisation | Defect Grading
Sorting: Screen Size Grading | Peaberry Sorting and Grading
By origin: ../Ethiopian Coffee/Ethiopia Coffee Articles/Ethiopia_Coffee_Grading_Standards | Kenya_Coffee_Grading_Standards | Regional Grading Systems | Green Coffee Grading Methods
Sensory Evaluation¶
Cupping: SCA Cupping Protocol | Cupping Protocol | Cupping | Coffee Cupping | Expert Cupping | Production_Cupping
Scoring: SCA Cupping Form | Quality Scoring | 100-Point Scale
Calibration: Calibration_Sessions | Blind_Tasting
Roasting QC¶
Roast defects: Roast Defects | Roasting_Defects | roast defect → flavour fault reference table
Roast assessment: Agtron scale | Module 5 - Sensory Evaluation & Roast Quality
Defect recognition: Defect Recognition | Defect Recognition Training
Brewing QC¶
Extraction measurement: Extraction Measurement | Brewing Control
Café QC: Coffee Shop Quality MoC
Certifications¶
Professional: Q Grader Certification | Q Grader Skills | Q Grading
Related MOCs¶
- Coffee Defects MOC — Defect identification across all production stages
- Sensory Science MOC — The science of flavour perception underlying QC evaluation
- Coffee Processing MOC — Processing-stage quality control
- Roasting MOC — Roasting quality and profile consistency
- Professional Development MOC — QC as a career specialisation
- Specialty Coffee Association MOC — SCA standards and certification context
Essential Resources¶
Books: SCA Green Coffee Defects Handbook · The Coffee Roaster's Companion (Scott Rao) · Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide (SCA)
Online: SCA Cupping Standards · Coffee Quality Institute (coffeeinstitute.org) · World Coffee Research
Part of Coffeepedia — The Coffee Knowledge Vault