What is the difference between SCAE, SCAA, SCA and Q-Grader Coffee certificates?

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Because there are many certificates in the coffee industry and their names are complicated, although I want to study scientifically, I may not be able to find the most suitable course system for me soon. In order to understand the courses and certificates, we must first start with the issuing institution. At present, internationally speaking, the three major institutions that have established a scientific coffee learning system and issued certificates are:

SCAA, Specialty Coffee Association of America Fine Coffee Industry Association of America

SCAE, Specialty Coffee Association of Europe European Fine Coffee Industry Association

CQI, Coffee Quality Institute International Coffee quality Appraisal Society

About SCAA

The education system of SCAA (American Fine Coffee Industry Association), officially known as Pathway Programs, guides the program. This course system is a professional guidance course for different occupations in the coffee industry.

With regard to the four technical aspects of the coffee industry, SCAA offers coffee basic courses, and then subdivides the guided project into four branch lines:

Baristas guide (level 1 / 2)

Coffee buyer's Guide (level I)

Baker's Guide (level 1 / 2)

Coffee Surveyor's Guide (level I / II)

Coffee learners can choose and learn courses according to their own needs. Because SCAA and SCAE are about to be completely merged, and SCAA courses are relatively complex to operate compared to SCAE, SCAE courses are now more mainstream.

About SCAE

The learning system developed by SCAE (European Fine Coffee Industry Association) is actually a "coffee diploma system". It means that after taking specific courses and achieving credits, you can obtain the corresponding "certificate" of a curriculum system.

Like SCAA, it also includes a basic coffee course. And then subdivided the courses in five major directions.

Barista Skill barista skills (Junior / Intermediate / Advanced)

Brewing grinding extraction (primary / intermediate / advanced)

Roasting coffee roasting (primary / intermediate / advanced)

Sensory sensory Cup Test (Junior / Intermediate / Advanced)

Green Bean Coffee Raw beans (Primary / Intermediate / Advanced)

Courses in each direction of SCAE include credits. Any combination of courses can apply for a "Coffee Diploma" if you accumulate 100 points.

After taking an advanced break in any direction of the course, you can apply to become a certified instructor (AST) for that subject.

About CQI

CQI (Coffee quality Institute) is probably the most magical low-key existence in the coffee industry. Many coffee players may not have heard of this organization, but Q-Grader is well known. actually,

Q Coffee system is to identify the quality of coffee and let coffee enter the market through a reliable and verifiable standard.

The Q Coffee System identifies quality coffees and brings them to market through a credible and verifiable system.

Source: CQI

Everyone has a different description of coffee, and CQI gives us the answer to how coffee people from all over the world get together to communicate and how to have a universal scoring standard. Yes, CQI is the institution that established the coffee quality appraisal system. The so-called Q-Grader is the person who has the ability to score the quality of coffee. CQI is a society that created such a scoring system and trained a new Q-Grader system.

Q-Grader is divided into Q-Arabica Grader and Q-Robusta Grader.

Q-Grader is famous for its crazy course intensity and exam difficulty.

About the latest SCA

About the merger of SCAA and SCAE after 2017, that is, the latest SCA (Global Fine Coffee Industry Association).

Since 2017, SCAE certificates have been issued by SCA!