What is Specialty Coffee and how is it graded?
So, what makes a truly excellent coffee? In today’s blog post we want to explain to you a bit about what we mean when we say our coffee is specialty coffee. Maybe you have seen it recently in all the new cafes that have opened or even in supermarkets.
Let’s get started:
Specialty coffee is exceptional quality coffee that has been farmed to a significantly higher than average standard. It is the highest grade of coffee available.
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has set some guidelines and specifications for every stage of the coffee production. Such specifications are compiled in the Green Arabica Coffee Classification System and their Defect Handbook, which defines exactly what are considered defects for Evaluation purposes.
Some of the major minimum requirement for a coffee to be specified as specialty coffee are:
- The coffee should be “hand-picked” by selectively