Why You Should Buy Coffee Beans Online and How to Choose the Best
The search for the right coffee can feel like an impossible, never-ending journey. We know. We’ve been there. It’s not about discovering what other people
There are people who like coffee. There are people who love coffee. And then there are people who seem to have a slightly unhealthy obsession with coffee. Personally, we don’t believe it’s possible to be too obsessed with coffee, but we understand how it can feel that way.
For those who love coffee but don’t understand the nuances, it can feel overwhelming.
Coffee pros love to throw out different terms and metrics you’re unfamiliar with. They may even associate coffee with a specific coffee score. This isn’t their own personal grading system. Coffee scoring is a real thing within the world of coffee roasting.
But what does a coffee score actually mean? Does it make any difference? And is it possible to be in the top 1% of coffee scoring. Let’s start with the basics.
When people talk about coffee score, they’re typically referring to a numerical system that attempts to quantify quality (particularly the sensory quality) of coffee. This isn’t some abstract system based on vibes. It comes from the Specialty Coffee Association, more commonly known as SCA.
The classic model of scoring is known as Q Scoring. In this system:
As specialty coffee has become mainstream, coffee score has become shorthand to suggest “this is among the best.” Some even use it quantity why “Coffee A” is better than “Coffee B”.
But that’s when things start to become problematic.
A particular coffee scoring 90 doesn’t automatically mean everyone will love it. A coffee scoring 80 might hit your palate just right. Because of this, the way coffee is scored has been changing in recent years. But before we get to that, let’s look at the traditional way that coffee score is calculated.
As we said earlier, the SCA created the Q grading system. Under this system, there are people known as Q Graders who go through special series of tests and certification to obtain an official license. They are then able to score coffee.
Under the original model, coffee scoring is typically done via cupping, a form of standardized tasting. Cuppers (the trained Q graders) evaluate a coffee across attributes such as:
Each attribute gets a subscore; those are added (with adjustments) to compute a final coffee score on the 0–100 scale. A score above 80 qualifies as specialty coffee. Scores in the mid-80s are particularly “excellent.”
A scores in the high 80s to 90+ is headlined as elite. Very few roasts rate this high, regardless of their quality.
This system has helped standardize communication among roasters, buyers, and enthusiasts. However, it’s not perfect. Critics of the traditional coffee score system say it compresses many dimensions (flavor, preference, defects, consistency) into one number, which fails to capture the many layers a great cup of coffee has.
Also, despite trying to provide an “objective” score with certified graders, personal preference is always baked into the final number. If a particular grader favors a particular flavor note, and the coffee they’re grading has that note, it’s going to score higher.
Because of this, SCA began shifting to a new model.
Recognizing the limitations of their own Q grade system, the SCA developed a more holistic framework called the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA). Instead of relying on a single coffee score like their previous system, the CVA evaluates four distinct dimensions:
By separating these different elements, the CVA allows better transparency while providing a more well-rounded grade. With the CVA, we can describe what we taste (without value judgment), then separately record how good it feels. This allows the coffee score to become part of a broader story.
This doesn’t mean the old coffee score is completely irrelevant. However, it is now a piece rather than the whole.
There is a lot of marketing behind coffee. It’s a saturated market with everyone trying to stand out. Utilizing the grading system, some brands may claim to be in the top 1% of coffee. To be clear, that doesn’t mean they scored above a 99.
So what does it mean? Does it mean anything at all?
Under the traditional 100-point system, very few coffees earned consistent 90+ scores. Simply scoring in the high 80s is exceptional. Because of this, the term “top 1%,” has become increasingly stretched out to the point where it’s almost meaningless.
At that point, coffee score becomes a marketing lever.
As overall quality across the industry has improved, many specialty coffees land in the 83–86 range. This means they are delicious, nuanced, and commercially viable. While scores above that might put someone in the top 1%, it becomes increasingly difficult for non-coffee graders to tell any difference at all.
And even if you can, personal preference plays a large role.
With CVA, it’s arguably easier to quantify a coffee as being in the top 1%. A coffee that scores 85 descriptively, paired with an excellent physical and extrinsic profile (perfect traceability, sustainable practices, unique varietal, etc.), might legitimately be “top 1%” on value. That is, it’s not just about flavor; it’s about holistic quality.
Still, it’s not an end-all, be-all for which coffee you should drink.
Coffee score is ultimately a data point, not a decree. Buyers, importers, roasters, and consumers decide with their dollars. A bean’s scarcity, reputation, processing style, or provenance may outweigh a few points of cupping difference. So even if a coffee isn’t 93 on a cupping score, it may still command elite status in market value.
But you may be asking, “what does this mean for me?”
Coffee is personal.
If coffee score were the only metric to care about, it would take away from that special feeling you get when you find your coffee. Understanding coffee grading can help you in your journey to finding great coffee, though.
Here’s what you should look for, even if you’re not a certified Q Grader.
Of course, how a coffee tastes is foundational. But more than chasing a higher coffee score, we look for character, clarity, balance, and repeatability. Coffees that can express origin, terroir, and processing in compelling ways. A coffee with unique notes (citrus, chocolate, floral, etc.) that holds well across roasts and days is more valuable than one that scores 1–2 points higher but fades fast.
A coffee that wins in cup but has inconsistent batches or defect issues will be unreliable. Physical quality matters immensely: bean uniformity, low defect rate, density, all of which would show up in the CVA physical assessment.
When you can trace your coffee to a farm, a lot, a fermentation or drying method, and you see how the farmer and land are cared for, that builds trust and long-term value. These are extrinsic attributes. That identity often helps justify paying more than what a pure coffee score might suggest.
Good work on farm, good stewardship of land, fair economics for producers. These matter not just ethically but in the market. Consumers are increasingly valuing coffees that are “better for the planet and people.” These add legitimacy to claims of “top” beyond flavor alone.
When we see a coffee score label, we use it as a directional indicator. It’s helpful; It’s not absolute. Think of it as a filter for quality. Even then, we always ask: What was the protocol? Who cupped it? What’s the roast curve? How has it aged? What are the extrinsic stories linked to it?
At Brew North, our approach is guided by integrity, curiosity, and relationships. Of course, it all starts with the beans. Unroasted coffee beans are known as green coffee. We only use green coffee that has been rated at 80 or above. This sets a baseline of quality and consistency that largely goes beyond personal preference. From there, we do our own cupping to see how we can get the most out of it. Sometimes, a green coffee may have a particular flavor note we find overpowering. In those instances, we typically use something else.
Once we find the right green coffee, it’s time for the roasting to begin. Here’s how coffee score plays into that process.
Do we care about cupping results? Yes. Scores that show that a coffee has clarity, balance, sweetness, and character. But we never let the coffee score alone define a coffee’s worth. We insist on strong physical quality, transparent traceability, and sustainable practices in our sourcing. We also look to bring something unique and personal to each our roasts, rather than simply chase a trend we believe will score higher.
Because coffee score is limited, we always aim to give the full story behind each coffee: who grew it, how it was processed, how we roasted it, its strengths and best use cases. A high score is nice, but provenance, care, and story are most important to us.
We don’t chase 1% claims blindly. Instead, we ask questions like “Does this coffee bring a voice and perspective?“, “Can it surprise me?“, and “Are the farmer, the land, and the process respected?“. We’ll roast and share coffees that earn the love and loyalty of every day people, not just official coffee graders.
If you’re looking to get deeper into the complex world of “specialty coffee,” understanding coffee scoring can help. But it shouldn’t be the automatic decider of what coffee you do or don’t drink. Instead, by understanding the process, you’ll find yourself more capable of judging a particular coffee from your own perspective. Not just the flavor, but the grander story of the coffee itself. Where did it come from? Is it ethically sourced coffee? How was it roasted?
Of course, the flavor matters as well.
A coffee being ethical and organically sourced doesn’t mean much if it tastes terrible. At Brew North Roasters, we don’t believe you have to compromise one for the other. That’s why we start with well-scored, ethically sourced green coffee, and then we personally roast it to bring out the best flavor possible. If you’re looking to buy coffee beans online, we’re a great place to start.
Click here to browse our selection of coffee roasts. We’re here to meet you wherever life’s adventures take you.
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