Boyd’s Coffee, the oldest family-owned coffee company in the Pacific Northwest, is pleased to announce that Bevin Proehl, Coffee Specialist, recently qualified as a Licensed Q Grader, the industry’s most coveted standard for grading coffee. At this time, of the over 200 Q Graders in the US, fewer than 80 of them are female.
“Boyd’s is dedicated to being an industry leader and supporting women in the coffee industry, and Bevin’s international recognition allows us to ensure the quality and consistency of the coffee we purchase throughout the supply chain,” says Michael Boyd, fourth-generation family member, Coffee Buyer and also a Licensed Q Grader.
“We hired the country’s first female coffee buyer, Veda Younger, in 1953, and Bevin Proehl is now the first female Q Grader at Boyd’s.”
The rigorous three-day certification exam measures sensorial, olfactory, triangulation and cupping abilities, and includes a written exam covering general coffee knowledge.
Students successfully completing this course will be able to objectively evaluate a coffee based on cup quality and origin and provide feedback on cup nuances, defects and favors as well as demonstrate a thorough understanding of the SCAA cupping and grading standards and protocols, including the SCAA cupping form.
The Q Grader program is a specialty-coffee quality-assurance program overseen by the Coffee Quality Institute. The Q Coffee System is internationally recognized and utilized to uphold specialty coffee standards, creating a baseline to ensure quality coffee controls throughout the world.
According to SCAA standards, a coffee that receives a score of 80 or above is considered specialty, and Q coffees provide an assurance of quality that consumers can trust.
While many variables in roasting and brewing affect the taste of coffee, Q coffees confirm that the beans being used are among the highest quality in the world, are properly milled and have distinguishable characteristics that separate them from other coffees.
