Why We Prefer the SCA Cupping Form for Specialty Coffee
At Bay Coffee Roasters, we often get asked how we choose the coffees we roast—especially by those who care about where their coffee comes from and how it’s evaluated. Whether it’s for a customer enjoying a flat white at our café or a wholesale partner selecting beans for their brew bar, every coffee we buy has been carefully cupped and assessed.
So, here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at how we taste and score coffees—and why we’re sticking with the original SCA cupping form, despite newer alternatives like the CVA form making their way into the industry.
Focused on Quality—Specialty and Near-Specialty Coffees
We source and roast coffees that score in the specialty range (80+ points) and high-grade lots that may sit just below that threshold. These coffees are the foundation of both our single origin releases and the blends that keep your espresso tasting balanced and satisfying. For this reason, we’ve found that the SCA cupping form still serves us best.
It’s specifically designed to assess coffees at this level, focusing on core sensory attributes like aroma, acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste—the very things that matter most when we’re evaluating coffees destined for specialty coffee roasters like ourselves.
Keeping Our Team Calibrated
One of the most important aspects of cupping—whether in a roastery or at origin—is calibration. Everyone around the table needs to be scoring coffees in a consistent way. The SCA form helps us stay aligned, making sure we’re all assessing coffees through the same lens. This matters when we’re selecting green coffee for our blends or deciding which lots will become standout single origins.
Calibrated cupping is the backbone of how we maintain high quality in everything we roast, from light, fruity filter roasts to heavier, richer espresso blends. The familiar structure of the SCA form makes this process smooth and dependable.
Simplicity Meets Global Consistency
Another reason we stick with the SCA form is its global recognition. When we’re working with exporters, importers, producers, or other roasters, using the SCA form creates instant clarity. It’s a language we all speak, helping us make efficient, confident buying decisions—especially when sourcing coffees from origin countries around the world.
In day-to-day roasting, speed and simplicity matter too. Whether we’re doing production cuppings or assessing pre-shipment samples, the SCA cupping form helps us stay focused on the essential question:
Is this coffee clean, sweet, and well-processed?
The Value of Side-by-Side Comparison
One of the key reasons we continue to rely on the SCA cupping form is its strength in side-by-side evaluations. In our sessions, we often compare several specialty and near-specialty coffees at once—whether we’re crafting blends or selecting single origins. Being able to directly assess acidity, body, and balance across a table of coffees helps us make calibrated, confident decisions as a team. The SCA form was built with this in mind, keeping our cuppers aligned and our process efficient. The CVA form, while useful in some contexts, leans more toward scoring individual coffees in isolation—something that doesn’t offer the same comparative clarity we rely on when curating a diverse range.
To Summarise
The newer CVA (Coffee Value Assessment) form offers flexibility for those working across a wider range of coffees, including commercial grades. But at the roastery, our focus stays firmly on cup quality. Whether we’re selecting a bold single origin or shaping a blend, we need a tool that delivers clarity and consistency—especially when tasting side-by-side. That’s why the SCA cupping form continues to be our go-to for making confident, calibrated decisions, every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SCA cupping form used for?
The SCA cupping form is used to evaluate the quality of coffee, focusing on key attributes like aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and aftertaste. It’s widely used by coffee professionals, roasters, Q Graders, and producers to determine if a coffee meets the specialty grade threshold of 80 points or higher.
What is the difference between the SCA cupping form and the CVA form?
The SCA cupping form focuses purely on cup quality, making it ideal for assessing specialty coffee. The CVA form(Coffee Value Assessment) is a newer tool that looks at both quality and how a coffee will perform in a specific market or application, including non-specialty or commercial coffees.
Why do coffee roasters use the SCA cupping form?
Roasters like us at Bay Coffee Roasters use the SCA cupping form to maintain consistency and stay calibrated when selecting coffees. It helps us evaluate coffees for both single origins and blends, ensuring that every batch meets a high standard of quality.
Is the SCA cupping form still relevant in 2025?
Yes! Despite the introduction of the CVA form, the SCA cupping form is still widely used by specialty coffee professionals. It remains the go-to tool for calibrated cupping sessions and quality control, especially when focusing on specialty or near-specialty coffees.
Do you use the SCA cupping form for blends too?
Yes, we use the SCA cupping form to assess both our single origin coffees and the components we select for our blends. Even when working with coffees just below the specialty threshold, we rely on the form to ensure balance, cleanliness, and flavor integrity.