# Q Grading

/kjuː ˈɡreɪdɪŋ/ (US) · /kjuː ˈɡreɪdɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/q-grading
Updated: 2026-09-20

## Definition

a formal system where certified experts taste and test coffee beans to give them a quality score and determine their commercial value

For teachers: the standardized protocol for sensory evaluation of green coffee, conducted by certified professionals to assess physical defects and flavor attributes against specialty standards.

## Examples

- The farm sent their best beans for Q Grading to see if they were specialty grade.
- After the Q Grading was complete, the roastery decided the coffee was high enough quality to be sold as a single-origin microlot.
- Stringent Q Grading protocols ensure that any beans marked as 'Specialty' have undergone rigorous cupping and defect analysis by calibrated experts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.