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Label this cup or table record before copying, exporting, or comparing scores.
Five cups is the common cupping table default; smaller sessions still scale support deductions transparently.
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{{ field.help }} Current support score: {{ supportScoreDisplay(field.key) }} / 10.
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{{ field.help }} Deduction: {{ defectDeductionDisplay(field.key) }}.
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Field Value Detail Copy
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Attribute Score Contribution Status Note Copy
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Check Status Recommendation Copy
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                            Tags: Coffee, Education
                        

                        

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Coffee cupping scores turn a tasting session into a shared quality record. A panelist smells the dry and wet coffee, tastes it as it cools, scores the main sensory attributes, and records whether any cups show inconsistency, cleanliness problems, missing sweetness, taints, or faults. The final number helps a roaster, buyer, trainer, or cupping group compare one sample against another without relying only on memory or tasting notes.


  
The familiar 100-point cupping total is most useful when the same sample preparation, roast level, cup count, and scoring habits stay consistent. A coffee at 87 points should have stronger evidence than a coffee at 82 points, but the number is still a structured sensory judgment. It depends on trained tasters, fresh samples, calibrated tables, and written notes that explain why each mark was earned.


  

    Flow from quality attributes and cup checks to defect deductions and final score bands at 80, 85, and 90 points.
  


  
A high total does not certify a coffee, and a lower total does not explain the cause by itself. The score only becomes useful when it travels with the sample code, cup count, roast and table notes, the weakest attributes, and any defect description. Current SCA Coffee Value Assessment standards also separate descriptive information from affective scoring, so an older 100-point total should be treated as an internal comparison record rather than a complete modern value assessment.






  
Technical Details:


  
The calculator uses an unofficial legacy-style 100-point cupping score. Seven quality attributes are entered directly on a 6 to 10 scale in quarter-point increments: fragrance / aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, and overall. Three support attributes start at 10 points and lose points when affected cups are counted: uniformity, clean cup, and sweetness.


  
The support math depends on the number of cups evaluated. With the common five-cup setup, one non-uniform cup removes 2 points from uniformity. With four cups, the same one-cup issue removes 2.5 points because each cup represents one quarter of the support attribute. Taints and faults are handled after the attribute subtotal, not as another positive attribute score.


  
The scoring shape matches older cupping-form arithmetic more than the current SCA Coffee Value Assessment method. Current CVA affective scoring uses a 9-point impression-of-quality scale before conversion and records non-uniform and defective cups under its own rules. This page does not implement the current official CVA forms or certify a lot.


  
Formula Core:

  
The final score is the positive attribute subtotal minus defect deductions, with the displayed score held at zero if deductions would push it lower.


  

    
      
        F
        =
        max
        (
        0
        ,
        A
        +
        U
        +
        C
        +
        S
        -
        D
        )
      
      
      
        A
        =
        
          ∑
          
            i
            =
            1
          
          7
        
        
          q
          i
        
      
      
      
        U
        ,
        C
        ,
        S
        =
        10
        -
        affected cups
        ×
        
          10
          n
        
      
      
      
        D
        =
        2
        t
        +
        4
        f
      
    
  


  

    

      
      
        

          Symbol
          Meaning
          Where to verify it
        

      
      
        

          F
          Final score after defect deductions
          Final score in Score Ledger and the summary
        

        

          A
          Sum of the seven manually scored quality attributes
          Attribute subtotal before defects
        

        

          U, C, S
          Uniformity, clean cup, and sweetness scores after affected-cup losses
          Attribute Breakdown rows for those support attributes
        

        

          n
          Cups evaluated, rounded to a whole number from 1 to 10
          Cups evaluated in Score Ledger
        

        

          t, f
          Taint cups and fault cups
          Defect deduction and the JSON assumptions
        

      
    

  


  

    

      
      
        

          Component
          Scoring rule
          Result effect
        

      
      
        

          Quality attributes
          Each entered score is rounded to the nearest 0.25 point and kept from 6.00 to 10.00.
          Each attribute contributes its displayed score directly to Attribute subtotal.
        

        

          Uniformity, clean cup, sweetness
          Each starts at 10.00 and loses 10 / cups evaluated for every affected cup.
          Affected support cups lower Attribute subtotal before defects are subtracted.
        

        

          Taints
          Each taint cup adds 2.00 points to the final deduction.
          Taints appear in Defect deduction and can move the score band quickly.
        

        

          Faults
          Each fault cup adds 4.00 points to the final deduction.
          Faults have the strongest single defect effect in the calculator.
        

      
    

  


  

    

      
      
        

          Score band
          Boundary used here
          How to read it
        

      
      
        

          Outstanding
          Final score >= 90.00
          Rare top-end record; the notes should explain why several attributes scored unusually high.
        

        

          Excellent
          85.00 <= Final score < 90.00
          Strong specialty-style score; compare with nearby lots, roast dates, and panel notes.
        

        

          Very good
          80.00 <= Final score < 85.00
          Meets the calculator's 80-point specialty threshold cue, but still needs defect and support review.
        

        

          Below specialty threshold
          Final score < 80.00
          Review defects, roast, sample prep, and panel calibration before using the number as a lot decision.
        

      
    

  


  

    

      
      
        

          Input group
          Accepted range
          Rounding or correction
        

      
      
        

          Quality scores
          6.00 to 10.00
          Rounded to quarter points before scoring.
        

        

          Cups evaluated
          1 to 10 cups
          Rounded to a whole cup and used to scale support losses.
        

        

          Support issue cups
          0 to the evaluated cup count
          Rounded to whole cups and capped at the evaluated cup count.
        

        

          Defect cups
          0 to the evaluated cup count
          Rounded to whole cups and then multiplied by the taint or fault weight.
        

      
    

  






  
Everyday Use & Decision Guide:


  
Use the calculator for one sample record at a time. Put a blind code, lot name, or roast sample reference in Sample code, set Cups evaluated, then enter the seven quality marks after the table has cooled enough for the attributes to be judged. Keep the cup count honest because it changes how much one affected support cup costs.


  
The support fields are counts, not scores. If two of five cups are not uniform, enter 2 under Non-uniform cups; the calculator turns that into a 6.00 uniformity score. The same pattern applies to clean-cup issues and cups lacking sweetness. Defect fields are also counts, but their points are subtracted after the subtotal: a taint cup removes 2 points and a fault cup removes 4 points.


  
A strong first review is to read Score Ledger before looking at the chart. Confirm Attribute subtotal, Defect deduction, Final score, Score band, and Weakest attribute. Then use Attribute Breakdown to see whether the weak point comes from a sensory quality mark, a support count, or a defect entry.


  
    
    
  • Score Ledger is the compact scorecard for the sample, including the total, band, deductions, and weakest attribute.
    • 
    
  • Attribute Breakdown shows each attribute's score, contribution, status badge, and short note.
    • 
    
  • Cupping Score Profile compares the attribute shape against 8.00 and 8.50 reference rings.
    • 
    
  • Cupping Guidance gives review prompts for the score band, 80-point threshold, lowest attribute, defects, and calibration status.
    • 
    
  • JSON preserves the entered scores, assumptions, computed results, attribute notes, and guidance rows in a structured record.
    • 
  






  
Step-by-Step Guide:


  
Work from the sample setup to the quality marks, then audit the final score before exporting or copying the record.


  
    
    
  1. Enter Sample code and set Cups evaluated. In Score Ledger, confirm that Sample code and Cups evaluated match the table record you intend to keep.
    2. 
    
  2. Enter Fragrance / aroma, Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, Balance, and Overall. If a typed number does not appear as expected, check the 6.00 to 10.00 range and quarter-point step before reading the total.
    3. 
    
  3. Count affected support cups in Non-uniform cups, Cups with clean-cup issue, and Cups lacking sweetness. The helper text beside each field shows the current support score out of 10.
    4. 
    
  4. Enter Taint cups and Fault cups only for cups where the defect was actually found. The field helper shows the active deduction, and Score Ledger rolls those values into Defect deduction.
    5. 
    
  5. Review the summary badges and the Cupping Guidance tab. Slow down if Below specialty threshold, Watch, Low, or a defect deduction appears, then compare the notes before treating the total as a lot decision.
    6. 
    
  6. Use Attribute Breakdown and Cupping Score Profile to explain the score shape. Copy or download the table, chart, or JSON only after the weakest attribute and defect entries match the written cupping notes.
    7. 
  






  
Interpreting Results:


  
Start with Final score and Score band, then move immediately to Attribute subtotal and Defect deduction. Two samples can land in the same band for different reasons. One may have balanced 8-point attributes and no defects, while another may have high aroma and flavor scores but lose points to a fault cup.


  
The most useful warning fields are Weakest attribute, the status badges in Attribute Breakdown, and the defect row in Cupping Guidance. A high final score does not mean every cup was clean or uniform. A score near 80.00 also needs careful reading because one support count or one fault cup can move the sample across the threshold.


  

    

      
      
        

          Output cue
          Boundary or status
          Follow-up check
        

      
      
        

          Final score
          >= 80.00 or < 80.00
          Use the 80-point cue as a comparison threshold, then confirm cup notes and table setup.
        

        

          Defect deduction
          Any value above 0.00 pts
          Keep the affected-cup count and defect description with the scorecard.
        

        

          Weakest attribute
          Lowest score among all attribute rows
          Compare panelist notes before changing a roast, purchase, or training decision.
        

        

          Affected cups
          Any support row below 10.00 / 10
          Verify the cup count first, then decide whether the issue was isolated or repeated.
        

      
    

  


  
Treat the number as a transparent internal scorecard. Formal grading, buying approval, and published quality claims still need a controlled protocol, calibrated tasters, written descriptors, and agreement about which scoring standard is being used.






  
Worked Examples:


  
Clean five-cup table:

  
A washed Gesha sample uses five cups and the default quality marks: 8.25 for fragrance / aroma, flavor, acidity, balance, and overall, plus 8.00 for aftertaste and body. No support issues, taints, or faults are entered. Score Ledger shows Attribute subtotal at 87.25 / 100, Defect deduction at 0.00 pts, Final score at 87.25 pts, and Score band as Excellent. The weak-attribute badge points to Aftertaste because it is the first 8.00 row in the scorecard.


  
Borderline sample with one fault cup:

  
A five-cup lot is marked 7.75 for fragrance / aroma, acidity, balance, and overall, 8.00 for flavor, and 7.50 for aftertaste and body. With no support losses, those attributes total 84.00. One Fault cups entry subtracts 4.00 points, so Final score lands at exactly 80.00 pts and Score band reads Very good. This is a threshold result, so the defect note matters as much as the total.


  
Cup-count correction:

  
A small practice session uses four cups and records two Non-uniform cups with the default quality marks. Uniformity falls to 5.00 / 10 because each cup costs 2.50 points, and Final score becomes 82.25 pts. If the record should have used five cups, changing Cups evaluated to 5 makes the same two affected cups worth a 4-point support loss instead, raising uniformity to 6.00 and the final score to 83.25 pts. The correction should be made before copying CSV, DOCX, or JSON output.






  
FAQ:


  

    Is this an official SCA Coffee Value Assessment score?
    
No. The calculator uses unofficial legacy-style 100-point arithmetic with older cupping attributes, support scores, and taint/fault deductions. It does not implement the current SCA CVA forms or replace a certified assessment.

  


  

    Why does the support score change when I change cups evaluated?
    
Uniformity, clean cup, and sweetness each start at 10.00, then lose an equal share for each affected cup. Five cups means a 2-point loss per affected cup; four cups means a 2.5-point loss.

  


  

    Why did my typed quality score change?
    
Quality attributes are kept between 6.00 and 10.00 and rounded to the nearest quarter point. If a number does not match the mark you intended, correct the attribute field before reading Final score.

  


  

    Should a taint or fault also be counted as a clean-cup issue?
    
Only count both when your scorecard notes support both entries. A taint or fault subtracts from Defect deduction; a clean-cup issue lowers the support attribute before defects are subtracted.

  


  

    Are my score entries sent to a scoring service?
    
The score arithmetic, tables, chart data, and exports are generated in the page from the values you enter. Normal site assets still load as part of the page, but there is no separate scoring request for the cupping values.

  






  
Glossary:


  

    
Fragrance / aroma

    
The combined dry-ground smell and wet aromatic impression recorded as one quality score here.

    
Support attribute

    
Uniformity, clean cup, or sweetness, each starting at 10 points and losing points when affected cups are counted.

    
Taint

    
A noticeable negative note that subtracts 2 points per affected cup in this calculator.

    
Fault

    
A stronger defect that subtracts 4 points per affected cup in this calculator.

    
Attribute subtotal

    
The sum of manual quality attributes and computed support scores before defect deductions.

    
Score band

    
The label assigned from the final score using the calculator's 80, 85, and 90 point boundaries.

  






  
References: