How Is Specialty Coffee Actually Defined?

Specialty coffee is not defined by refinement or high price, but by continuous quality improvement from cultivation, processing, roasting and brewing to service. Single-origin sourcing, SCA scores, small-batch roasting and cupping performance all matter, yet none of them alone settles whether a bean is specialty.

A coffee community debate raised three questions: how specialty coffee should be defined, whether specialty beans must sell high, and whether they can be dark roasted. Dark roasting does not hide defects, and light roasting does not guarantee specialty status. Even good beans need proper brewing and service to earn the name, since coffee quality runs through the whole chain.

A discussion in the coffee community about the definition of specialty coffee sparked three soul-searching questions: How exactly should specialty coffee be defined? Must drinks made with specialty beans be sold at high prices? Can't specialty beans be dark roasted? Some people value single-origin sourcing and SCA scores, some care about roasting freshness and flavor complexity, and some firmly believe that price equals justice. But the original intent of specialty coffee is not "refined and expensive," but rather a continuous quality improvement from cultivation, processing, roasting, and brewing to service. Dark roasting is not a fig leaf for defects, and light roasting is not a guarantee of specialty status. Even good beans, without proper brewing and professional service, are equally unworthy of being called specialty.

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Recently, a barista in a coffee group raised three questions that triggered a lively discussion: How exactly should specialty coffee be defined? Must drinks made with specialty coffee beans be priced high? Can't specialty coffee beans be used for dark roasting?

Faced with these three consecutive questions, the group members gave a wide variety of answers. In recent years, coffee has gone from a novelty to a daily necessity for many people, and specialty coffee has also been accepted by more and more people. When people hear the word "specialty," they habitually associate it with refinement, light luxury, and scarcity.

Some industry professionals or enthusiasts judge whether a bean belongs to specialty coffee by whether it is single-origin, what its SCA score is, whether its flavor is rich and delicate, and whether it is freshly roasted in-house or roasted in small batches; others judge from the green bean variety, quality, roast level, and final cupping performance; there is also a school of thought that believes price is the hard truth—expensive coffee is not necessarily good, but cheap coffee is definitely not specialty.

During the discussion, everyone imposed multiple requirements on specialty coffee such as quality, score, roasting, brewing, and price, but one reply stood out like a clear stream (unfortunately, the discussion was so heated at the time that the reply was quickly pushed out of sight).

That reply said: Specialty coffee is reflected not only in the excellent quality of the coffee beans themselves, but also in the professionalism of the roaster and barista, as well as the complete customer service experience.

The original definition of "specialty coffee" is: coffee beans cultivated under special climate and geographical conditions, with unique flavors, capable of expressing the regional flavor of a specific origin.

When this concept was proposed, the purpose was to make coffee producers realize that coffee beans with good quality and clear flavor can sell for a good price, thereby encouraging everyone to value cultivation, processing, storage, and other stages, and promoting overall improvement in coffee quality on the market.

The original intent of specialty has never been "refined and expensive," but rather a process of continuously improving coffee quality—not just the coffee beans themselves.

After the concept of specialty coffee was born in 1978, although coffee quality did not soar overnight, it did indeed improve step by step. Whether in the era dominated by espresso and dark roasting, or in today's era where light roasting, varieties, and processing methods prevail, both are manifestations of the continuous progress of coffee quality.

Does dark roasting necessarily mean it is not specialty coffee? Of course not! Some people may think that dark roasting is meant to use more caramelization to cover up the defects of the beans themselves. But an excellent dark-roasted coffee bean can actually highlight the word "specialty" even more than light roasting.

Nowadays, people pursue light roasting for specialty beans because they hope coffee can present floral and fruity acidity and rich layers. Many people also believe that beans that can show pleasant acidity and flavor under light roasting must themselves be of good quality, and so they equate specialty coffee with light roasting.

But compared with light roasting, dark roasting tests the roaster's experience even more, as well as their grasp of the beans and the various changes during the roasting process. It is by no means easy to make beans show elegant bittersweetness under dark roasting. Dark roasting is not meant to hide defects, but to use appropriate caramelization to push the sweetness and aroma of coffee to another level.

To do dark roasting well depends not only on the roaster's skill, but is also inseparable from the quality of the green beans. Poor-quality beans will not have their defects concealed by dark roasting; instead, they will produce unpleasant burnt notes, bitterness, and a dry bitter sensation.

Being able to make a dark-roasted bean well is inseparable from the roaster's deep understanding of the bean, professional control of the roasting process, and the good quality of the bean itself.

Light roasting does not equal specialty grade, and dark roasting is not meant to hide defects. Every bean has its own personality, and bringing out its characteristics is an extreme test of the roaster's professional skill, rather than forcibly applying an unsuitable roasting method just to pursue acidity.

Even with good beans, without proper brewing and good customer service, it still cannot be called specialty coffee. From observation, it becomes clear that when people drink a bad cup of coffee, they often first blame the bean quality rather than looking for reasons in the brewing.

The brewing step seems simple, so its principles are often overlooked, but it is precisely this step that can most influence the final expression of a cup of coffee.

Consumers are willing to walk into an independent cafe and drink a cup of specialty coffee in an era when chain coffee shops are everywhere, precisely because they hope to experience the unique charm of the beans themselves and receive professional service.

This professionalism is reflected in: the barista having an independent and in-depth understanding of each bean and being able to use suitable brewing methods to bring out the bean's unique side; being able to help customers learn more coffee knowledge through accessible expression; and also in the barista's composure when handling every matter.

Specialty coffee is reflected in quality and service. These will affect product pricing, but that does not mean it must be expensive. Every coffee shop has different operating costs and positioning. There are many beans of good quality, and there are also many specialty-grade coffees that can reach an SCA score of 80 or above. Most beans are actually not expensive.

An affordable price does not mean quality and service are lacking, and a high price does not mean quality and service are guaranteed. As long as consumers can taste what they want and feel that the money they spent was worth it, then this is a cup of specialty coffee.

Returning to the original question, specialty coffee is not meant to create distance between people, or between things, but to let more people taste good-quality coffee. To make coffee quality better and better, and to help more and more people appreciate specialty coffee, it is inseparable from more and more people pursuing coffee—consumers and the supply chain are inherently a cycle.

Image source: Internet

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.