Industry & Trade
Sample Roast
A small-batch, standardized roast of green coffee used for cupping evaluation and quality assessment. Sample roasts follow protocols that minimize roast influence to reveal the bean's inherent character.
En Profundidad
The SCA sample roast protocol calls for 100–150 g batches, a total roast time of 8–12 minutes, a light roast level (Agtron 55–65 for whole bean), and completion within 24 hours of cupping. Sample roasters are small drum or fluid-bed machines designed for rapid turnaround—a green buyer might sample roast 20–40 coffees in a single session. The goal is to create a neutral baseline where cupping scores reflect bean quality, not roast skill. Sample roast scores determine whether a lot is purchased and at what price premium.