How it works
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
- From a single origin or geographical region
- Featuring diverse terroir, varieties and processing styles within that origin or region
The coffees are selected to create meaningful calibration and market comparison opportunities.
Standardised cupping
Each participating lab evaluates the coffees using our familiar structured scoring methodology.
Up to 5 users per lab can submit:
- Quality scores
- Intensity evaluations
- Descriptive profiles
The process is designed to integrate into your existing cupping workflow.
Submit calibration data
All results are captured through the Cupping Collective platform.
Data includes:
- Full score breakdown
- Descriptor usage
- Attribute intensity
- Calibration variance
Compare globally
Once statistically relevant participation thresholds are reached, calibration insights become available.
Participants can compare:
- Team consistency and divergence
- Regional variations
- Global averages
- Origin reference scoring
Long-term calibration intelligence
Every calibration set contributes to a growing global sensory dataset.
Over time, we are building a deeper understanding of:
- Market preferences
- Profile perception
- Calibration drift
- Emerging sensory trends