Instructor: Alex Pond
The SCA’s Evolved Q Grader Program offers a modern, practical way to understand and evaluate coffee quality. Built around the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), the new Q moves beyond a single score to consider what a coffee tastes like, how it is experienced and how context shapes its value. The result is a clearer, more useful framework for evaluating coffee in today’s market.
This six-day course combines rigorous sensory training with a supportive, hands-on learning environment. Students cup extensively, build confidence in their sensory skills and develop a shared language for discussing coffee clearly and accurately. Whether you work in coffee or simply want to deepen your understanding of what’s in the cup, the new Q offers tools that are immediately useful and widely recognized.
You must also register on the SCA website, which includes an additional $50 fee, to complete your enrollment.
Early bird pricing of $1,895.00 will increase to $1,985.00 May 1, 2026. This is an in person course in Edmonds, 20 minutes north of Seattle. For retakes or any other questions, email education.atlas@nkg.coffee.