Specialty coffees are, under the criteria of the Specialty Coffee Association SCA, coffees that meet the highest quality standards and are only possible thanks to the work of all the people involved in the coffee supply chain who make an extraordinary effort. to bring the final consumer a quality experience.
It is the result of the work in the chain that begins with coffee growers, buyers and Q graders, roasters, baristas, and culminates in the end customer who, with their purchase and criticism, makes a virtuous circle to improve the quality of coffee and its service.
Under the criteria of the Specialty Coffee Association, a specialty coffee is a coffee that exceeds 80 points by a taster or Q grader who, through a tasting, determines its defects and attributes. There are two evaluations for green coffee and roasted coffee that add up the score. There are countries like COSTA RICA where coffee must have at least 85 points to be considered specialty and coffees between 80 and 85 are considered Premium.
The chain begins with the producers who, in certain microclimates, varieties and harvesting and processing practices, generate these qualities and attributes in the cup.
These exceptional coffees are generally the product of microclimates in specific lands, select varieties, careful production, harvesting and processing practices.
Specialty coffee buyers and traders are committed to working in a transparent or fair trade manner, reporting purchasing contracts and participating in initiatives at sustainablecoffee.org .
Artisanal roasters roast these coffees to get the best out of their properties, clearly taking into account what their preparation method will be. Here the baristas are extremely careful with the various types of preparation to achieve a maximum quality extraction. Here the final customer has the last word who with his
There is a complementary trend to specialty coffee that is third wave coffee, where coffee shops seek to exalt the specialty coffee experience through excellent baristas, a wide variety of preparation methods, an environment predisposed for enjoyment, and a selection of the best coffees. specialty.
If you have not tried specialty coffee yet and want to know what the difference is, try our tasting box