calibration vs. alignment in Coffee CUpping

We talk a lot about calibration in the coffee industry, so let’s pull that word apart a bit. 

Calibration is when we are perceiving things accurately compared to a recognized standard. A good example is the Le Nez du Cafe Kit aroma kit - am I accurately identifying the aroma of a particular vial? Am I calibrated with the industry standard for vial number 3, garden peas? 

But we often use “calibration” to refer to the discussion we have after a cupping session, when the evaluators compare notes and scores. The more accurate word for that process is “alignment”, which refers to when a panel of cuppers have similar notes, descriptors, and scores to each other. 

TL;DR: cuppers calibrate to a standard and align with each other.

Both calibration and alignment are super important to proper evaluation in coffee. We need to be calibrated to universal standards like Le Nez du Cafe, or FlavorActiv solutions. We also need to work towards building tighter and tighter alignment with our fellow cuppers every time we approach the cupping table. 

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