Can Syrup Coffee Still Count as Specialty Coffee?

Sweetened coffee can still be specialty coffee, provided the pairing works. Most coffee professionals surveyed agreed, while stressing that not every syrup combination qualifies, since some flavors simply clash with the beans. The question matters because many drinkers assume specialty coffee must be taken black and that sugar cheapens it, an assumption the article sets out to test.

The evidence came from a Chinese New Year trip home, where new specialty shops were busy and most customers ordered sweeter drinks. Among those asked, more than 60 percent chose sweet coffees first, 20 percent wanted something sweet for the holiday, and 20 percent wanted a change from pour-over, Americano, and latte. A moderate amount of syrup can balance flavor and draw more people toward specialty coffee.

Many people assume that specialty coffee should be drunk black, and that adding sugar or syrup somehow "cheapens" it. But is that really true? Starting from an observation during a Chinese New Year trip back home, this article visits consumers and industry professionals to talk about adding sugar and syrup to coffee. You'll find that a moderate amount of syrup not only balances the flavor but may also encourage more people to try specialty coffee. At the same time, brands like Front Street Coffee have been exploring how to make good coffee acceptable to more people. So, does syrup coffee count as specialty coffee? The answer may be more open than you think.

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"Come on, let's go sit in a café! That new specialty shop nearby has great reviews, and their drinks are really on point!"

"Sure! What do you recommend?"

"I think their coconut-pineapple Americano and camellia berry latte are both great! Nice and sweet! I've been there several times, and I order these two every time."

Going back to my hometown for Chinese New Year this year, the most obvious impression was that quite a few specialty coffee shops had popped up in the town, and most of them had a good local reputation and brisk business. Out of curiosity, my friends and I tried several of them, and at the same time I paid attention to customers' ordering habits, noticing that most people chose the sweeter types of coffee.

So I brazenly randomly asked several tables of customers nearby who had ordered sweet coffee: "When you choose coffee, what's your usual thinking?" More than 60% answered: they prioritize sweet ones, especially wanting to try new flavors; 20% said: it's Chinese New Year, so of course we should drink something sweet; and another 20% said: they usually drink too much pour-over, Americano, and latte, find it a bit monotonous, and want to change things up occasionally.

Then I went to ask several friends who work in coffee: "Can coffee with syrup still be considered specialty coffee?" More than 90% agreed, but also emphasized that not all coffee with syrup can be called specialty, because some combinations simply don't go together, or are cloyingly sweet.

Adding syrup to coffee is nothing new, and it is also one of the essential ingredients in cafés. However, in recent years, coffee lovers' attitudes toward syrup have become divided.

Some people feel that adding syrup interferes with the flavor expression of a freshly ground specialty coffee, and even think that adding sugar to coffee is worse than just drinking milk tea, a waste of good beans. But others feel that without syrup, it is hard for specialty coffee to be remembered by more ordinary people and integrated into daily life, since not everyone can accept coffee's acidity and bitterness.

From the perspective of industry professionals, the specialty coffee industry has been constantly changing, and syrup gives them more room for creativity, allows them to better respond to customer needs, and also makes coffee's flavor layers richer.

"Adding syrup is meant to make the coffee taste more balanced. If the beans themselves are good quality and the extraction is on point, then adding a moderate amount of syrup that blends with the coffee's own flavor can indeed make the whole cup fuller, and consumers are more likely to accept and try it," one industry professional shared.

From the consumer's perspective, adding a little milk and sugar to coffee can improve drinkability. Moreover, coffee has gradually become part of many people's daily lives. It can wake you up, let you taste the true flavor of good beans, and also offer more creative ways to drink it, even becoming a form of socializing.

"Most people like sweet things. As long as it's not sickeningly sweet and you can still taste the coffee within the sweetness, it will make people want to buy it a second time," an ordinary consumer said.

From the conversation at the beginning where a friend made recommendations, to the random "interviews" afterward, it can be seen that syrup has brought coffee drinks and coffee brands opportunities to improve consumer impressions and innovate. It can not only balance those less pleasant flavors in coffee, but when added in moderation, syrup and coffee flavors can also complement each other.

In many world-class coffee competitions, the use of syrup is also quite common. If specialty coffee is to be presented in more diverse forms and leave a deep impression on the public, syrup can be said to play an indispensable role.

Today, consumers everywhere place great importance on innovation and novelty, so many drinks need to show unique flavors to be remembered. If they rely only on the raw materials themselves, that is very difficult to achieve.

Although coffee beans themselves have distinct, pleasant flavors, not everyone can taste them, and not everyone knows how to appreciate them. Specialty coffee is no exception. Everyone defines specialty coffee differently, but one thing is the same: the consumer's own recognition of that cup of coffee.

For those who love coffee's original taste, the flavor expression of the coffee itself is the definition of specialty coffee; for mass coffee consumers, coffee that is balanced and tasty is the definition of specialty coffee; for consumers just getting into coffee, a distinctive sweetness and strong drinkability are the definition of specialty coffee.

There is no right or wrong, just different preferences. The development of specialty coffee requires constant innovation and making more products that the public can accept. Whether it is the continuous improvement of coffee bean quality or the creation and innovation of coffee preparation, the meaning itself is the hope that more people can get to know coffee and fall in love with coffee.

Image source: Internet

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