| General Coffee Knowledge | This is a written examination of general coffee knowledge, consisting of 100 questions. |
| Sensory Skills Tests | Sensory Skills Test objectively measures the cupper's ability to clarify and identify three (3) of four (4) basic taste modalities. |
| Part A | Reference Sample Test |
| Part B | Blind Identification Test |
| Part C | Mixture Identification Test |
| Olfactory Tests | Aroma skills test is based on "Le Nez du Cafe" aroma recognition kit developed by Jean Lenoir and distributed by SCAA's resource center. For each test nine (9) numbered aroma vials and six (6) letter-coded aroma vials are selected from teh same arouma group. Test is to match the six (6) letter-coded aroma vials to the corresponding numbered vials. |
| Part A | Enzymatic |
| Part B | Sugar Browning |
| Part C | Dry Distillation |
| Part D | Aromatic Taints |
| Triangulation Tests | There are five (5) different Triangulation Skills Tests utilizing coffees from six (6) different origins, grouped in sets of four(4) coffees per each series of tests. Each Triangulation Skills Test consists of six (6) sets of three (3) coffees, two (2) of which are the same. |
| Test #1 | Washed Milds/East African/Indonesian |
| Test #2 | Brazil/Colombian/East African |
| Test #3 | African/Washed Milds/Colombian |
| Test #4 | Brazil/Colombian/Washed Milds |
| Test #5 | Colombian/Indonesian/East African |
| Organic Acid Matching Pairs Test | This test is designed to evaluate ability to differentiate coffee based on its organic acid flavor profile. It consists of eight (8) sets of matched pairs of brewed coffee, with each pair containing the same concentration of one (1) of four (4) different organic acids common to coffee: acetic; malic; citric; and phosphoric. |
| Roasted Sample Identification | The objective of this test is to measure the individual's knowledge of the SCAA Cupping Protocol roasting instructions. |
| Green Coffee Grading | This test evaluates ability to grade green coffee and determine coffee quality using SCAA Green Coffee Classification System & Green Coffee Defect Handbook. |
| Roasted Grading Test | The objective of this test is to measure the individual's knowledge of the SCAA Cupping Protocol roasting instructions. |
| Cupping Tests | Tests measure ability to cup and rate coffee flavor attributes in a consistent manner using SCAA Protocol for Cupping Coffee and the SCAA Cupping Form. Each test features coffees from a specific area. |
| Test #1 | Brazilian Coffees |
| Test #2 | Indonesian Coffees |
| Test #3 | East African Coffees |
| Test #4 | Central American Coffees |
| Test #5 | Colombian Coffees |
The following recommeded study materials are available from the SCAA Resource Center. Contact them directly at (562) 624-4100 to order educational materials.
| Subject Matter | Number of Questions | Reference |
| Growing/Harvesting/Processing | 35 | Coffee Processing Technology Author: Michael Sivetz |
| Coffee Cupping | 20 | SCAA Cupping Protocol
Author: SCAA Tech Standards Com. |
| Green Coffee Grading | 15 | Green Coffee Defect Handbook
Author: SCAA Tech Standards Com. |
| Green Coffee | 10 | Coffees Throughout the World
Author: Philippe Jobin |
| Coffee Brewing | 5 | Coffee Brewing Handbook
Author: Ted Lingle |
| Coffee Grinding | 5 | Coffee Brewing Handbook
Author: Ted Lingle |
| Roasting & Sensory Perception | 5 | Coffee Cupping Handbook
Author: Ted Lingle |
| Coffee General Science | 5 | Coffee Processing Technology
Author: Michael Sivetz |
| Total | 100 questions | |
