Q Grader Certification Course

Introduction to Q Grader

Sensory evaluation is a crucial foundation for coffee, which is why the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) established the Q Grader program. This initiative aims to enhance individuals' coffee tasting skills and establish international standards for specialty coffee evaluation. The program provides training and technical support to coffee producers and stakeholders, promoting sustainable coffee development and improving infrastructure in coffee-producing countries.

The Q Grader program differs from typical certification courses by employing a rigorous sensory testing system to assess coffee value and flavor. It emphasizes cupping, green and roasted bean evaluation, and sensory assessment, making it a vital credential for entering the highest echelons of the coffee industry. CQI welcomes both industry professionals and newcomers, allowing participants to test their sensory skills and potentially achieve certification with guided instruction.

Benefits of Q Grader

The Q Grader certification is internationally recognized and utilized by coffee farmers, traders, educational institutions, and baristas to assess coffee quality. Participants undergo rigorous training to enhance their ability to evaluate coffee flavors and quality.

🌈 Special Offer
The tuition for the Q Arabica Grader course includes an aroma kit (Le Nez du Cafe 36) for each participant. Those who already possess an aroma kit can enjoy a $1000 discount when registering for the CQI exam. Please contact us via WhatsApp to enroll.

Course Structure

• Preparation Course: Two days (7+5 hours) providing a dual certification: SCA Sensory Foundation certificate and CQI Q Grader training.
• Main Course: Six days, including three days of instruction and training, followed by three days of examination.
• Language: Classes are taught in English, with English or Chinese notes and basic translations available (simple Cantonese translation upon request).
• Location: TLP132, Room E, 6th Floor, 132-134 Dalianpai Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories.

CQI Preparation Class + SCA Sensory Course Content (Dual Certification)

This preparatory course is essential for 95% of participants, helping them understand the content and tests they will face over the following six days. It strengthens foundational practice and significantly enhances the likelihood of passing the exam. It is especially beneficial for those new to cupping or lacking confidence.

• Overview of the Q Grader course, exam content, and standards.
• Fundamental sensory knowledge.
• Basic training based on CQI standards, including coffee cupping, triangulation tests, and roast degree assessment.
• Mastering cupping scoring techniques (only one opportunity per cupping section during the exam; no retakes!).
• Aroma kit usage and training.
• SCA Sensory Foundation content, with a written test leading to an SCA certificate.

The course fee includes all learning materials, SCA administrative fees, exam, and certificate costs. Participants must pay an additional SCA registration fee of USD $50.

CQI Q Arabica Grader Course Content

1. Cupping Skills Test: Evaluate four coffee groups (washed, natural, Asian, African) to understand regional characteristics and scoring standards.

2. Triangulation Skills Test: Identify the odd cup among three using sensory analysis.

3. Olfactory Skills Test: Differentiate and group 36 aroma samples, enhancing memory for coffee aromas.

4. Sensory Skills Test: Taste various flavors and intensities to perceive differences and combinations.

5. Green Coffee Grading: In-depth study of defect classification and grading systems.

6. Roasted Coffee Beans: Grading of roasted coffee.

7. Organic Acids Identification: Examination of organic acids.

8. Roast ID: Assessment of roast levels.

9. General Knowledge: Written test covering 100 multiple-choice questions on fundamental coffee knowledge.

Instructor Profile

Paul Kim is one of only 20 Arabica/Robusta instructors globally and among the two distinguished instructors holding both Q Arabica and Robusta Grader qualifications for 2022-23. With over 16 years of coffee teaching experience, he has trained students from various countries, including Ethiopia, the U.S., Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Japan, and South Korea. In 2007, he founded Paul Kim Coffee Lab in Seoul, focusing on cupping, roasting, and consulting. He has served as a judge in numerous world-class barista competitions and actively volunteers with CQI's coffee team, providing Q certification training to coffee-producing communities in the Philippines and establishing his own coffee farm locally.

Instructor Publications

• Cupping Bible
• Roasting Bible

Instructor Qualifications

• CQI Arabica/Robusta Instructor
• CQI Distinguished Instructor 2022-2023
• SCA AST/Examiner
• Board member of Paul Kim Coffee Lab since 2007
• Judge for the Korean Barista Championship (2011-2013)
• Consultant for the Angel-in Us World Award (2013)
• International judge for the Taste of Harvest in Ethiopia (2014)
• Consultant for the Korean Barista Championship (2014)
• Advisor for the Cupping Master Competition (2015-2017)
• Chief judge for the World AeroPress Championship (2016)
• Chief judge for the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (2020-2023)