Q Grader Day 1 in Bangkok: Reading Green Coffee Before Tasting

Our Q Grader +plus course in Bangkok, held on 8–13 December 2025, began with green coffee. Before evaluating aroma and flavour in the cup, students examined what the unroasted seed could tell them. Working together around the table made careful observation, questions and comparison part of the learning from the start.

Day 1 covered defect identification, screen sizing with sieves, density measurement, moisture content and water activity. We discussed what each measurement describes and how it can inform the work of roasting and coffee evaluation. Students used their pre-reading material and class references as they handled and compared the samples.

The day finished with basic taste calibration using more than 20 formulations of taste solutions. Identifying sweet, sour and salty tastes gave the group shared reference points before moving into aroma work on the following day.

Thank you to everyone for the attention and curiosity they brought to the first day. The original album below follows this group’s introduction to physical assessment and taste calibration.