What is specialty coffee and what makes it special?

Coffee is a community. Once you taste the specialty coffee, you will never drink commercial coffee again. In this article, you will learn a little bit more about what specialty coffee is, what makes it so special, where it comes from, and why you have to consume specialty coffee grown under the shadows of the trees.

Specialty coffee: What is it and how to choose the best one

Have you heard about specialty coffee? It is already a habit for many to stop by their favorite coffee shop and order this type of coffee. If you do not know what we are talking about, keep reading to find out why you should be drinking specialty coffee from now on. And if you've already tried it, find out where to buy the best coffee and how to prepare it at home.

The meaning of "specialty" coffee

According to the SCA, specialty coffee is coffee that has a score of 80 points or more. The evaluators, or Q graders, visit the producing farms and rate various relevant aspects. To have an authentic specialty coffee requires a very strict selection work of the harvested beans. It is also necessary to carry out proper washing and roasting to preserve its original flavor.

Finally, the grinding and preparation of the coffee are also taken into account in this evaluation. The final result is a perfect coffee, ready to provide a unique flavor to its consumers.

Difference between blended coffee, origin coffee, and specialty coffee

Many of those who have not tried specialty coffee wonder if there are very marked differences in the various types of coffee. Let's talk a little about each one:

Mixed coffee: The most common one in coffee shops and at home. It usually reinforces its flavor through the mixture of different coffee beans. It is generally a combination of two different coffee species, robusta, and arabica. The percentage of each determines aromas and tastes in the drink.

Coffee of Origin: Coffee selected with high standards. These are grains grown with care in ideal soils for growing arabica. The ideal process to preserve the original flavor of this bean is to mechanically wash it and roast of a light type with a medium tendency. Its objective is to define the flavor and aromas obtained in a specific region, farm, or country.

Specialty coffee: Coffee exclusively produced with the Arabica species. Each ripe coffee cherry is selected manually. The washing and roasting process is adapted to the climatic conditions and resources of the farm. This makes its production the most friendly to the environment. To be qualified, you must be evaluated by a Q grader and obtain a score higher than 80.

A great tasting drink with healthy content

Did you ever imagine that your favorite drink contains nutrients necessary for the body? Drinking specialty coffee regularly can make significant contributions to your health. Among the most prominent are components of the B complex (riboflavin and niacin), manganese, potassium, to name a few of those that are present in a cup.
If you want to see some recipes prepared with Ethichub coffee, click here

Where to buy specialty coffee

The most common when it comes to drinking specialty coffee is to go to a nearby coffee shop. It is very pleasant to drink a cup prepared by an experienced barista who finds the perfect point of flavor. However, this drink requires a good command of the art of grinding and brewing coffee on the spot. That is why it is advisable to visit an actual specialty coffee shop to obtain a drink of high-quality standards. They are usually exclusive stores for this type of coffee, so they can be easily recognized.

la vista de Chiapas- café bajo las sombras de los árboles

Specialty coffee prepared at home 

When it comes to drinking their favorite coffee, many demanding consumers have chosen to buy the roasted bean. The sale of specialty coffee to end consumers has expanded in recent years. This has allowed them to make this drink themselves at home. Authentic specialty coffee is sold on farms or through international importers.

Promoting direct purchase at the place of cultivation encourages the development of the coffee-growing economy in their countries of origin. In addition, the consumer is assured of receiving an ideal product for perfect cups. Of course, to make specialty coffee properly, you also need to follow the preparation steps properly.

How to make specialty coffee

Specialty coffee requires the following implements:

  • Coffee bean grinder for medium or fine size particles.
  • Coffee maker (Aeropress, Chemex, V60, or French press type).
  • Paper filter, metallic or the appropriate one for the type of coffee maker to be used.
  • Cup and spoon with measurements.

Preparation

Each of the coffee machines to be used for the preparation of specialty coffee has a different brewing method. Here we will tell you how to prepare a cup of the best coffee in an Aeropress:

  1. Grind the coffee by adjusting the grinder to obtain fine particles.
  2. The Aeropress coffee maker uses circular paper and a special spatula. Place the filter in the area below the glass.
  3. Temper the filter by dropping a stream of hot water, which will also remove the cellulose residue from the paper.
  4. Place, for each cup of water, 20 grams of the coffee already ground. It is important to make the coffee in the first 20 minutes after grinding the beans.
  5. Pour some of the hot water into the coffee pot. This will make the coffee "bloom", that is, extract its aroma and properties to the maximum.
  6. Then wait while the first coffee extract finishes settling to pour in the rest of the water. Use the spatula to distribute the heat of the water into the coffee grounds evenly.
  7. Press the funnel, which will extract the maximum flavor from your coffee.

How to choose the best specialty coffee

The key to making good specialty coffee is mastering the proportionate use of measurements and practicing the technique to the letter. As you will see, it is very easy to prepare it and enjoy a cup of the best quality without going to the cafeteria. What should you take into account when buying the coffee that you will later prepare at home?

Details on the packaging

Good specialty coffee has details about its cultivation (country of origin, name of the farm, name of the coffee grower), the collection of the beans, as well as their processing and roasting. Some packages also bring a brief review of the flavor that can be tasted when properly preparing that specific coffee.

Price-quality ratio

Specialty coffee has a final score, under which its selling price can be determined. In fact, the few lots of coffee with a score higher than 95 are classified as "Unique Specialty Coffee" and are auctioned to the highest bidder.

productora de café desde tapachula- café de especialidad méxicano

Direct purchase

The best way to obtain specialty coffee is to make a direct purchase from the farmer. Via the Internet, you can support crowdlending platforms in which this product is traded. Also, the buyer makes an investment in which he contributes the necessary resources to continue production. When you buy specialty coffee online, you receive it at home without further intermediaries.

Buy coffee on EthicHub and support local projects

At EthicHub we care about offering a sustainable development system that boosts the productivity of coffee farms. That is why we implement various ways to support projects in constantly growing communities. For you who want to get the best of coffee plants in your house, placing your order with us is your best option. You can get real specialty coffee at the best prices (with the price of a coffee cup, you can buy up to a kilo of coffee).


Do not wait anymore and enjoy the specialty coffee you want. It is just a few clicks away from you.

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EthicHub

EthicHub is a ReFi (Regenerative Finance) protocol that helps unbanked farmers access capital at low interest rates in a win/win model where all stakeholders benefit from the interaction. Its crowdlending platform was launched in June 2018, and to date it has brokered more than $4M in microcredits to more than 600 families in 6 countries.

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