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Issue link: http://baristamagazine.epubxp.com/i/118056
When we invited Paul Songer to work with us, we were using a basic washed coffee scoring standard—for everything. Obviously, unwashed coffees struggled on those terms. It was becoming clear that many people were struggling on those terms as well. department) and me on strategies for refining our calibration, and with Café Imports as a whole on implementing those strategies. With those meetings, we were able to hone in on the crux of 68/84— communication and definition. Scoring standards are intended to communicate experience in a concise manner. Problems arise when those scales fail to speak to the experience that they are meant to codify. Failing here means not relating to either the coffee (with relevant descriptions) or the cupper (with defined scores). Importantly, it also means failing to provide an interface allowing cuppers to meaningfully communicate. In this context, we decided to create unique scoring standards built around the processing differences that were either punishable by washed criteria, or undefined by use of "for a ____." Before moving on, there is something that I need to convey: Scoring scales are 100 percent arbitrary. Ours included. This is not to say that I sat down and randomly began tossing numbers at descriptors, descriptors at numbers. "Random" and "arbitrary" need not be interchangeable. By way of demonstration, I give you these: Standard Aphorisms of the Dedicated Cupping Lab We should pause to clarify the terms of our discussion. t 5IF iBSCJUSBSZw JT CBTFE PO PS TVCKFDU UP JOEJWJEVBM KVEHNFOU PS QSFGFSFODF5IFiSBOEPNwJTOFJUIFSCBTFEPOOPSTVCKFDUUPIBTOPQBUUFSO QVSQPTF PSPCKFDUJWF ti"SCJUSBSZwNFBOTBDDFQUJOHUIBUUIFSFJTOFWFSBOBCTPMVUFTDPSFGPSFWFS and ever amen, and that there are always particular preferences behind a 86 barista magazine scoring system. "Random" means that 84 today is 94 tomorrow is two-and-ahalf gold mugs on Wednesday. ti3BOEPNwVOIJOHFTPOFTDPSFGSPNUIFOFYUi"SCJUSBSZwVOIJOHFTPOF scoring system from pretensions to universal validity. t 5IF PWFSMBZ PG SVMFT PS JEFOUJGJDBUJPO PG QBUUFSOT PO BO FYQFSJFODF that ultimately is not defined by or bound to that overlay is "arbitrary." The ignorance of patterns (or ignoring of repetitions) in an experience suggestive of patterns is "random." t 0CKFDUJWJUZ JT UIF GSBNJOH PG B specific experience consistently with regards to a frame of reference (or "arbitrary" set of rules regarding experience in general ᙤ 4VCKFDUJWJUZ JT experience, both specific and general, framed by an emotional, intellectual, perceptual, and psychological nexus. 4VCKFDUJWJUZJTVOJRVFBOEVOBWPJEBCMFGPSFBDITVCKFDU0CKFDUJWJUZTFSWFTBT BUPPMGPSDPNNVOJDBUJOHBOEPSEFSJOHTVCKFDUJWFFYQFSJFODFT t 4VCKFDUJWJUZ JT NBEF TFOTF PG WJB iBSCJUSBSZw PSHBOJ[BUJPOBM PWFSMBZT 0CKFDUJWJUZJTUIFDPOTJTUFOUVTFPGBOESFGFSFODFUPUIFPSHBOJ[BUJPOPGUIFTF overlays. t0CKFDUJWJUZ UIFSFGPSF JTPQQPTFEOPUUPTVCKFDUJWJUZ CVUUPSBOEPNOFTT 8IFSF PCKFDUJWJUZ JT USFOEJOH UPXBSE BO BHSFFE VQPO PWFSMBZ SBOEPNOFTT TJNQMZJTOPUUSFOEJOH4VCKFDUJWJUZTJUVBUFTCPUIPCKFDUJWJUZBOESBOEPNOFTT 0CKFDUJWJUZJTOPUBDIJFWFEPWFSBOEBHBJOTUTVCKFDUJWJUZ CVUXJUIJOJU BTB counterpoint to randomness. t "T B QSPGFTTJPOBM DVQQFS *N DIBSHFE XJUI UIF UBTL PG PCKFDUJWJUZ "T UIF director of sensory analysis at Café Imports, I have inherited and continued