After honorably serving in the United States Army as an infantryman and non-commissioned officer, Nicholas Ginter found solace in coffee’s complexity, launching Degenerates Drinking Coffee to explore the industry’s science. A former Starbucks barista turned U.S. Army veteran, Nicholas returned to his passion with a psychology degree in hand, but his true calling emerged in evaluating coffee’s quality. As a Q Arabica Grader, he became a trusted voice, collaborating on innovation and media for specialty and commercial coffee companies. But in 2025, a seismic shift threatened the industry’s soul—the SCA’s takeover of the Q Grader program—and Nicholas couldn’t stay silent.
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Nicholas’s journey began in commercial coffee, slinging sugary lattes at Starbucks. “That’s my introduction to coffee,” he recalls, a second-wave grind that taught him café culture but little about quality. Deployments to Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan followed, sharpening his resilience. Back in civilian life, he pursued psychology while rekindling his coffee interest. “I had to be doing something,” he says, channeling his drive into Degenerates Drinking Coffee—a project blending crass humor with rigorous evaluation.
By 2024, Nicholas earned his Q Arabica Grader certification, a credential he valued for its global standard.
“It’s about assessing coffee quality using standardized methods,”
he explains, contributing to a common language for distinguishing commercial from specialty grades. The program, run by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) since 2004, ensured fair pricing for producers and trust across the supply chain. “Everyone benefits—from growers to roasters,” he notes, emphasizing its role in fostering ethical practices.
Then came the SCA’s announcement in April 2025: the Q program was sold to them, mandating the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) form for all graders. Nicholas saw it as a “cash grab.”
“Fuck the SCA,”
he declares bluntly, viewing the move as profit-driven over progress. The CVA, introduced in 2023 as a beta, overcomplicates evaluation with subjective elements, he argues. “It’s neither objective nor accurate internationally.”
He details the Q system’s strengths: standardized cupping forms yielding scores of 80+ for specialty coffee, free to use, and globally recognized. “It’s a tool for fair wages,” he says, noting how accurate grading boosts producer income. The CVA, requiring a $1,000 “fast track” course by year-end or full retraining, burdens an industry already hit by high C-market prices, tariffs, and disasters. “This hinders progress,” he warns, predicting lower-quality coffees and fewer graders.
Nicholas’s critique is personal. “I’d rather lapse as a Q Arabica Grader than let the new morally bankrupt leaders line their pockets,” he states. He urges resistance: contact the SCA, demand reconsideration, and refuse the CVA. “If 10,000 Q Graders push back, they’ll change,” he believes. For him, the fight is about ethics: “Coffee is sacred—it’s about serving others, not exploiting them.”
Yet, Nicholas remains hopeful. He envisions homebrewers and professionals stepping up, learning independently via YouTube and practice. “You don’t need the title to do the job,” he says, drawing from his self-taught path. His message: never stop learning and serve with heart. “Everything is constantly changing,” he notes. “Be open to being wrong and improve.”
Nicholas Ginter’s story is a call to action for the coffee community—challenge monopolies, prioritize people over profit, and remember coffee’s true value: connection and service. From deployments to cupping tables, he reminds us that integrity brews the best future.
Editor’s Note:
Monopoly in the coffee industry, like the SCA’s takeover of the Q Grader program, hurts by inflating costs, reducing accessibility, and stifling ethical innovation, cornering baristas and professionals into unfair choices. When faced with this, should we stay silent and accept? Share your thoughts—head to our Instagram @iamnotabarista and leave a comment.
