I am often asked what makes coffee truly “Specialty.” Is it the variety? Is it the altitude? Is it the price? The truth lies somewhere in between, but the key that unlocks real quality is one: Consistency.

As a professional serving the coffee industry from various posts—as a Roaster, an Authorized SCA Trainer (AST), and a Championship Judge since 2015—I have learned that enthusiasm is just the beginning. Technical knowledge is what delivers results in the cup.

The Judge’s Eye

Participating as a Sensory & Technical Judge in competitions since 2015, I learned to seek perfection in the details. In competitions, mistakes are not forgiven. A slight variance in temperature or extraction can cost a competitor the title.

We bring this exact strictness to Harvest Roasters. We don’t just “taste” the coffee. We evaluate it using the strictest criteria, as if it were competing every single day.

The Role of the Q Grader in Roasting

The CQI Q Grader certification is not just a title on the wall. It is the ability to speak the global “language” of quality.

When selecting a batch of green coffee, we don’t rely on instinct. We apply the protocols of the Coffee Quality Institute to analyze:

• Acidity
• Body
• Clean Cup
• Balance

This process (Cupping) guides how we roast the coffee. If the roast profile does not highlight the characteristics we identified during Cupping, that batch does not leave our lab.

From the Lab to the Bar

For our partners, all this technical analysis translates into something simple yet essential: Trust.

They know that the coffee served today will have the same top-tier performance as the coffee served yesterday. Because behind every Harvest bag, there is no luck. There is measurement, evaluation, and the signature of an expert.

Coffee is a journey, but quality is a destination. And we know the way.

Fotis Vlachakis Founder & Head Roaster @ Harvest Roasters CQI Q Grader | Authorized SCA Trainer | Certified Judge