Identifying Coffee Defects
Defects and their impact
Not Every Bean Is Perfect
Every coffee harvest contains defective beans. Specialty coffee distinguishes itself by carefully sorting out these defects.
Common Defects
- Quaker: Unripe beans - pale after roasting, taste peanutty/papery
- Insect damage: Small holes in the bean - bitter, hollow taste
- Mold: Bluish discoloration - musty, unpleasant taste
- Black beans: Over-fermented - foul, harsh
- Broken beans: Mechanical damage - uneven roasting
SCA Grading
The SCA evaluates green coffee by number of defects per 350g sample. Specialty coffee may have a maximum of 5 "Full Defects." Each defect type has a point value.
What You Can Do
Look at your beans before grinding. Pale, underdeveloped, or discolored beans stand out and can be sorted out. With good roasters, this is rarely necessary though.
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