What is Specialty Coffee?

Coffee culture is long-lasting and an integral part of every Indian household. Any occasion can’t be without associating a coffee with it. The savour and aroma of freshly brewed beans pervades across the serene hilly regions and through the busy city avenues everywhere in India. The evolution of vibrant varieties runs down the line and has transformed dramatically over time. But what is essentially special in specialty coffee to procure such a name? How do you describe and differentiate it from other coffee? This article delivers answers to all these questions. Let us delve into the world of specialty coffee. 

What exactly is specialty coffee?

Specialty coffee is the best coffee available, carefully grown, processed, and brewed to get the maximum flavour from each cup. Specialty coffee creation involves a whole supply chain which comprises single-estate or single-origin coffees. In 1974 Erna Knutsen initiated the name specialty bean to the beans farmed at specific microclimates possessing unique characteristics and flavours. Thereafter a guild named the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) was established which built a strict standard for classification as a specialty. The requirement is a score of 80 or higher on a 100-point rating system.

Primary Specialty Coffee

The pinnacle of the coffee industry's dedication to quality from seed to cup is primary specialty coffee. This category includes every step of the process, from cultivation to the finished brew.

Growing and Harvesting

Primary specialty coffee is farmed in coffee areas like Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala from carefully regulated plantations that are recognised for having the best growing circumstances. The primary goals of these farms are sustainable agriculture and employee welfare. To ensure the best quality the coffee estates are maintained with utmost care and workers hand-pluck only the ripened cherries.

Methods of Processing

Following harvesting, the beans go through several processing steps, such as:

• Washed (Wet) Processing: To get a clear and vibrant flavour profile, beans are pulped and fermented to eliminate mucilage before drying.
• Natural (Dry) Processing: Fruity and nuanced flavours result from drying beans while the cherry is still in place.
• Honey (Pulped Natural) Processing: A balance between washed and natural processes is provided by the Honey (Pulped Natural) Processing method, which involves drying the beans while retaining some of their mucilage

Roasting

Roasting itself is an artistic endeavour. Expert roasters meticulously regulate the duration and temperature to enhance the distinct qualities of the beans. Each of the three roast levels—light, medium, and dark—offers a unique flavour profile; the more delicate roasts are frequently the focus of major specialty coffee.

Brewing

Brewing is the last process when dexterity and expertise are critical. Baristas create cups that highlight the best qualities of coffee using pour-over, Aeropress, and espresso machines. Everything is precisely adjusted, right down to the water's temperature and grind size.

Secondary Specialty Coffee

Secondary specialty coffee is fine coffee that provides an amazing experience even if it doesn't match the exacting standards of primary specialty coffee. Coffee mixes, single-origin coffees with little flaws, and creative processing techniques that provide distinctive flavours are sometimes included in this category.

Highest Levels of Quality

Secondary specialty coffee frequently scores between 70 and 79 points thresholds, which means that even while it may not reach the 80-point mark, it still meets high standards. These coffees give customers a means to sample a variety of flavours without having to pay the high price of primary specialty coffee.

Blends

Secondary specialty coffee blends generate diverse and well-balanced flavour profiles by combining beans from several areas. These combinations can provide a well-balanced combination of sweetness, body, and acidity, appealing to a wider range of palates without sacrificing quality.

Creative processing

Innovation in experimental processing is very popular in the secondary specialty coffee market. Farmers and producers experiment with hybrid technologies, drying procedures, and fermenting techniques to create distinctive flavours. This trial-and-error process frequently produces novel approaches and styles that can make coffee a specialty.

Accessibility

The accessibility of secondary specialty coffee is one of its main benefits. Secondary specialty coffee is a great place for beginners to start, although primary specialty coffee can be frightening and pricey. 

Effects of specialty coffee

Specialty coffee's ascent has had a profound effect on the coffee business, changing everything from customer preferences to growing methods.

1. Benefits to the Economy and Society

The manufacturing of specialty coffee promotes environmentally friendly growing methods that give growers fair compensation and improved working circumstances. Farmers can obtain higher prices for their products by prioritising quality over quantity, which promotes economic stability in coffee-growing regions.

2. Sustainability of the Environment

Specialty coffee farms incorporate eco-friendly methods like shade-grown coffee, organic farming, and water conservation. This way they profess sustainability by preserving biodiversity and reducing the environmental effect of coffee production.

3. Customer Awareness

The way that people view and appreciate coffee has changed as a result of specialty coffee. It has raised the drink to a class similar to craft beer or wine, where the methods of manufacturing, provenance, and tasting notes are all celebrated. This change has produced a customer base that is more sophisticated and perceptive, ready to look into the subtleties of every cup.

Future Prospects for Specialty Coffee

The future of specialty coffee is assured due to the continuous innovation in coffee.

1. Technological Progress

The technology’s intervention in coffee farming like the AI-powered agricultural practices and fruit plucker machines has resulted in precise brewing and an increase in the yield of quality specialty coffee. Both manufacturers and consumers procure good benefits in terms of quality and taste due to these merits. 

2. Growing Markets

As the demand for specialty coffee is exponentially growing and gaining popularity the industries witness the evolution of many new markets. Globally it turned out to be a specialty coffee movement. Many nations with developing coffee culture started embracing and appreciating the growth of specialty coffee industries. Hence providing a guarantee for good quality coffee.

3. Initiatives for Sustainability

The main challenge for this coffee is climate change. To overcome it projects like regenerative farming and carbon-neutral farming are crucial to preserve and ensure the existence of specialty coffee.

Overview

The highest quality of coffee is specialty coffee. It comprises two types namely primary and secondary specialty coffee. A perfect cup of coffee is meticulously curated for the consumers by looking deeply into every minute detail of the farming and brewing process. It is worth having a specialty coffee experience and exploring new tastes. The process of creating such a coffee moment is an art and encouraging farmers to make it to market from farms with such a quality ensures the long survival of this specialty coffee in the market.

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