What Is the Meaning of Specialty Coffee? (Solved & Explained!)

The meaning of specialty coffee is creating coffee in an ethical manner that respects the unique flavors of the coffee beans. The supply chain is very important in specialty coffee and each step of the process is valued and perfected.

Do you keep hearing the term “specialty coffee” but you don’t know what it means? Do you love coffee and want to know more about the newest coffee trend? Read on to learn more about specialty coffee and its importance.

What is specialty coffee?

According to the Specialty Coffee Association, the term “specialty coffee” was first used by Erna Knutsen in 1978.

The idea was that specific geographic microclimates create beans that have specific flavor profiles. In addition, these specialty coffee beans would always be prepared well, roasted freshly, and brewed properly.

How is the supply chain crucial in specialty coffee?

Valuing each step of the supply chain ensures that specialty coffee is of the highest quality and as ethical as possible.

Specialty coffee starts with plant husbandry, as the right variety must be planted in the right microclimate and taken care of accordingly.

Next comes picking the coffee, known as preservation. Only ripe cherries create the best coffee. Now there needs to be a quick delivery from the time of harvest to the time of processing.

Then revelation happens: turning green beans into roasted coffee. The coffee needs to be roasted specifically to bring out its best potential flavors and packaged correctly.

To create the best results, coffee should be ground immediately before brewing. The last step to create specialty coffee is to brew it in a way to best bring out its specific flavor profile.

What is a specialty coffee shop?

A specialty coffee shop is a shop that sells specialty coffee. They are also known as third-wave coffee shops.

Specialty coffee shops keep the focus on the quality, and ethics, of the coffee they are serving. A true specialty coffee shop will treat each aspect of the supply chain with respect, adequately paying everybody and treating their employees well.

Some specialty coffee shop owners and employees visit the farms where their coffee is grown. They have a close relationship with their farmers.

Do you have to be trained in specialty coffee?

In order to create specialty coffee, each member of the supply chain has to be properly trained in their craft.

The pickers need to know exactly when the coffee is ready to harvest. It has to be processed and roasted correctly. It must be brewed to perfection. And coffee shop owners must know how to orchestrate the whole process.

Everybody involved needs to be of a high caliber in order to create true specialty coffee.

Is specialty coffee popular?

Specialty coffee is gaining in popularity as more and more specialty coffee shops open up. It is viewed as the new and best way to drink coffee.

Consumers are beginning to care more about the ethics of the cup they are drinking. They also want to taste unique flavor profiles. 

Where can you find specialty coffee?

You can find specialty coffee online or at your local specialty coffee shop. A simple Google search of “specialty coffee” can help point you in the right direction.

But just because someone claims their coffee is specialty, doesn’t mean it is. It’s a bit of a buzzword right now.

So you have to dig a little deeper. Look at the roaster’s website. Do they have information about their farms and supply chain? Do they talk about flavor notes?

Another hint is that specialty coffee usually isn’t roasted in light, medium, and dark roasts. There is only one roast, and that is the roast that best captures the flavor of the coffee.

How can you tell if a cafe is a specialty coffee shop?

There are a couple telltale signs that a cafe is a specialty coffee shop.

The first is if they offer different origins of coffee. For example, there might be both Ethiopian and Colombian espresso available.

The second is if the baristas are incredibly knowledgeable. A barista at a specialty coffee shop should be able to answer all of your questions, know where the coffee is from, suggest the best brewing methods, and so forth.

The last clue is if it feels completely tailored to the customer experience. 

Why is specialty coffee important?

Specialty coffee is important because it respects the coffee beans and all of the people involved in the coffee making process.

Specialty coffee produces the best coffee because every aspect of the supply chain is valued and perfected.

The beans are roasted to best suit the flavors of the coffee rather than in simple light, medium, and dark roasts.

Everyone is paid a fair wage and there might even be a close connection between the coffee shop and the farm.

Specialty coffee is the most ethical way to create a cup of coffee.

Is specialty coffee more expensive?

Specialty coffee tends to be more expensive.

This is because everyone in the supply chain is paid a living wage, all the way from the farmers up to the baristas. It is also high-quality coffee, which costs more.

It is important to support specialty coffee shops even if you can’t afford them regularly. They are paving the way forward to the most sustainable, ethical, and delicious era in coffee history. 

Supporting specialty coffee shops means supporting everyone involved in creating the perfect cup of coffee.

Why do people love specialty coffee?

People love specialty coffee because it is ethical and tastes the best!

People like to know the story behind what they are drinking. When you have a barista who can tell you the exact location of the coffee farm, the name of the farm’s owner, the flavor notes of the coffee, the best way to brew it, and more, that makes for a unique customer experience.

Beyond being ethical, people just love a good cup of coffee. Specialty coffee brings out the best flavors of the coffee beans and creates a fine-tuned coffee that any coffee lover would enjoy.