How it works

1

Receive the calibration set

Each month, participating labs receive a blind-labelled roasted sample set sourced from early-season coffees.

Most sets contain:

  • 10 coffees
  • A single origin or geographical region
  • Diverse terroir, varieties and processing styles within that origin or region

The coffees are selected to create meaningful calibration and market comparison opportunities.

2

Cup using SCA protocol

Each participating lab evaluates the coffees using standard SCA Cupping methodology.

Up to 5 users per lab can submit:

  • Attribute scores
  • Intensity evaluations
  • Descriptive profiling

The process is designed to integrate into existing cupping workflows.

3

Submit calibration data

All results are captured through the Cupping Collective platform.

Data includes:

  • Full score breakdown
  • Descriptor usage
  • Attribute intensity
  • Calibration variance
4

Compare globally

Once statistically relevant participation thresholds are reached, calibration insights become available.

Participants can compare:

  • Team averages
  • Regional calibration
  • Global calibration
  • Origin reference scoring
5

Build long-term calibration intelligence

Every calibration set contributes to a growing global sensory dataset.

Over time, this enables deeper understanding of:

  • Market preferences
  • Profile perception
  • Calibration drift
  • Emerging sensory trends
Apply for Access