Our principles
We pay for everything.
We’ve all been there, we see something reviewed positively only to find out they didn’t pay for the item. In a heartbeat the credibility disappears and we’ve wasted our time. Which is why we at Coffee Compass will never accept free beverages, food or pastries. Any attempt after declining the offer will be clearly disclosed. Travel and accommodation may occasionally be covered either directly by the partner or reimbursed against actual receipts. No cash payments, appearance fees, or above cost reimbursements are accepted under any circumstances.
Consistency over creativity.
Ever wondered what banana bread as a tasting note would taste like in coffee? Or how about strawberry bubblegum? We’ve wondered too, and we’re still not sure that helps you decide whether to buy it. Coffee descriptions should help people understand what they’re drinking, not confuse them. Wherever possible, flavor notes are drawn from the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel and recognized sensory terminology.
The Flavor Wheel exists precisely to give tasters a shared vocabulary, one that has been developed, tested, and agreed upon by professionals in the industry rather than invented in the moment. Using it means that when we describe a coffee as having blueberry or dark chocolate characteristics, we are referring to something specific and recognizable, not reaching for the most poetic phrase available.
We deliberately avoid highly subjective or exaggerated descriptors that most people could not reasonably identify in the cup. A description that requires you to have eaten a specific variety of Ugandan passion fruit at peak ripeness in order to follow along is not a useful description, it is performance. Our job is clarity, not creativity.
An interactive version of the SCA coffee taster’s flavor wheel can be found here.
OUR DEFINITION OF SPECIALTY COFFEE
As specialty coffee grows in popularity, so does its definition, which is why we felt it necessary to disclose what we at Coffee Compass defines as specialty coffee.
We define specialty coffee as being 100% arabica, grown at an altitude of 1000m above mean sea level and having received a score of at least 80 out of 100 on a scale from 60-100.
Dark roasts are not inherently outside the specialty category, but they are not our primary focus. Reviews reflect what we find in the cup, and roast level is always noted so readers can calibrate accordingly.
Blends can be specialty coffee. We review them by the same methodology as single origin offerings, though our natural preference leans toward single origin where available.
Specialty robusta is a growing and legitimate conversation in the industry. It is not, however, a conversation this site is currently equipped to lead. If robusta is your primary interest, Coffee Compass may not yet be the right resource, though we remain open to revisiting this as our experience develops.
STORY AND SCORE ARE SEPARATE
We appreciate provenance, process and the human effort behind every cup. A compelling origin story, an exceptional farm relationship or an innovative processing method may appear in a review as context, but none of it influences how the coffee scores. A medium sweetness is a medium sweetness regardless of the altitude it was grown at or the name of the person who picked it.
Similarly, we do not lower our standards in the name of inclusivity. Recognising that all coffee cultures and approaches have value does not mean treating all coffee as equally well-executed. Our methodology exists precisely to separate what is in the cup from what surrounds it.
Data before opinions.
Ever read a long review only to realize the information you were looking for wasn’t there? We don’t want to waste your time, which is why we prioritize data over opinions. Want to know if the roast level matches your preference? It has a dedicated field and will always be in the same spot, no matter if you’re reading about the new coffee shop in your neighborhood or planning where to go during your 36 hour layover in Singapore.
But we’re not stopping there, wherever possible each field of data has a predetermined scale to make sure things are comparable all over the world and over time. Let’s take acidity as an example, some people love it, some people hate it, like a lot of other attributes it uses a 5 step scale (Low, Low-Medium, Medium, Medium-High, High).
Same thing goes for serving details, does your espresso come with a spoon? Does it come with water? Our belief at Coffee Compass is that an espresso is best appreciated served with a spoon to stir in the crema and with sparkling water to properly rinse your palate from that curry you had 15 minutes ago. These may seem minor, but they reflect a café’s approach to the experience as a whole.
Taste will always involve an element of personal perception. Where that is the case, we say so explicitly. Where it is not, we do not treat it as though it were. We also continually strive to improve our sensory skills in order to give you, the reader, the most accurate data possible.
WE DO NOT SCORE OUR REVIEWS
Emails incoming, we know. But once you’re done with the pitchfork, let us explain ourselves. Our belief is that scoring a beverage or a coffee shop on a scale is inconsistent, and may make you miss a gem of an experience because it wasn’t our preference, despite potentially being spot on for your preferences. Everyone’s taste preference is different, everyone’s relationship to coffee is different.
Our job isn’t to ruin someone’s hard work running a specialty coffee shop, it’s to help you find the best coffee for you. Maintaining a scoring system over years isn’t just difficult, it’s impossible. How do you make sure that 3 out of 5 points in Singapore 2024 is comparable to the 3 out of 5 in Brazil 2032? The answer is you can’t. So with those two reasons, we have opted not to give an overall rating in our reviews. If you feel strongly that you want an overall score in your reviews, Coffee Compass may not be for you.
THERE’S ENOUGH NEGATIVITY IN THE WORLD
You know that scene in Ratatouille where everyone’s terrified of what the food critic’s review is going to say? That’s not Coffee Compass. We don’t believe in negativity for its own sake, and we don’t believe a review should make anyone feel bad, whether you’re the person reading it or the person who spent years building the café being reviewed.
Think about it from the café owner’s perspective for a moment. You hear from a regular that someone just reviewed your place, and it’s really negative. What does that do to your business? More importantly, how do you even begin to fix something when the feedback is just criticism without direction?
This is why every Coffee Compass review ends with a section called the verdict. It’s our chance to share small observations from the visit, what stood out positively, and what could be better (not what was bad). Just because a dark roasted Sumatra isn’t our preference doesn’t mean it isn’t objectively good for what it is, and it certainly doesn’t mean it isn’t somebody’s perfect cup. The verdict is where we say that plainly.
Transparency over perfection.
No review process is without limitations. A single visit captures one moment in a café’s life. Staff change, recipes evolve, equipment gets upgraded or replaced. We do not claim to be definitive. We claim to be honest about what we observed, and when we observed it.
If we make a factual error, we will correct it openly and note that a correction has been made, rather than quietly updating or removing information. If circumstances at a reviewed café change significantly, we will revisit where possible, or flag that the review reflects a specific point in time. If you spot something we got wrong, a café that has closed, or information that has changed, we want to know. Fill in the contact form and attach your source so we can verify and correct it, openly.
There is no Coffee Compass without the people reading it. Coffee Compass is built on trust. Trust is earned through transparency, and transparency means showing your working, not just your conclusions.