How does specialty coffee reflect modern coffee culture?

Specialty coffee is high-quality coffee that expresses the unique flavor of its origin. The term grew out of the third wave, when roasting moved toward medium and light profiles and coffee culture shifted away from the old assumption that coffee is simply bitter. Quality is judged by cupping, and single-origin lots are the clearest expression of a place.

Representative origins show how wide that range is. Indonesia, such as Aceh in Sumatra, brings herbal and spice notes with dark chocolate and caramel at 1100 to 1600 meters. Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe, grown around 2000 to 2100 meters and washed, delivers citrus acidity and honey sweetness. Kenya, at 1550 to 1750 meters with SL28 and SL34, shows cherry tomato and plum notes. Freshness matters, so beans are often shipped soon after roasting.

What is specialty coffee?

In the past, people's impression of coffee was nothing more than bitterness, which comes from the flavor characteristics created by dark roasting. As times have changed, coffee culture has also evolved into the third wave trend of medium and light roasting, among which a new term has emerged—specialty coffee. A simple definition of specialty coffee is high-quality coffee that can express the unique flavor of its origin. Below, Front Street has selected representative high-quality specialty coffees from different origins for everyone.

Among the more than 50 coffee beans currently available at Front Street Coffee are many high-quality single-origin coffee beans from major coffee-producing regions around the world. A delicious cup of coffee cannot be separated from the freshness of the coffee beans. Front Street deeply understands that the freshness of coffee beans determines the flavor and aroma of the coffee, so all coffee beans shipped are dispatched within 5 days after roasting is completed.

Indonesia (herbal spice notes) — Recommended: Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling coffee beans

Region: Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia

Company: PWN Company

Growing altitude: 1100-1600m

Grade: G1 triple hand-sorted

Processing method: wet-hulled processing

Variety: Ateng

Flavor: herbs, rich spice-like aroma, dark chocolate, caramel, nuts.

Ethiopia (floral aroma and citric acidity) — Recommended: Front Street Yirgacheffe Gotiti Cooperative coffee beans

Region: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia

Cooperative: Gotiti Cooperative

Growing altitude: 2000-2100m

Processing method: washed processing

Variety: Ethiopian heirloom varieties

Flavor: bright citrus-like acidity, berry-like sweet-tartness, honey sweetness, green tea-like finish.

Sidamo, Ethiopia (berry, tea-like) — Recommended: Front Street Huakui coffee beans

Region: Guji, Sidamo, Ethiopia

Processing station: Buku Able

Growing altitude: 2250-2350

Processing method: natural processing

Variety: Ethiopian heirloom varieties

Flavor: mixed berry juice, fruity fermented aroma, strawberry sweet-tartness, jackfruit

Kenya (cherry tomato, juicy) — Recommended: Front Street Little Tomato coffee beans

Region: Thika, Kenya

Processing station: Asaliya

Growing altitude: 1550-1750m

Processing method: 72-hour washed processing

Variety: SL28, SL34

Flavor: cherry tomato aroma, plum, dark plum-like acidity, brown sugar-like sweetness.

Costa Rica (sweet, honey) — Recommended: Front Street Strawberry Candy coffee beans

Region: Tarrazu, Costa Rica

Estate: Mirazu Estate

Growing altitude: 1700m

Processing method: raisin honey processing

Variety: Geisha SL28 ET47 Maico

Flavor: strawberry hard candy aroma, dried grape fermented aroma, strawberry sweet-tartness, rose floral aroma

Yunnan, China (nutty, balanced) — Recommended: Front Street Yunnan small-bean Typica coffee beans

Region: Baoshan, Yunnan

Growing altitude: 1450-1550m

Processing method: fully ripe cherry natural processing

Variety: Catimor

Flavor: red berry sweet-tartness, rich dark chocolate, roasted nut-like aroma, caramel-like sweetness.

Brazil (nutty, milky) — Recommended: Front Street Queen Estate coffee beans

Region: Mogiana, Brazil

Estate: Queen Estate

Growing altitude: 1400-1950m

Processing method: semi-washed processing

Variety: Yellow Bourbon

Flavor: roasted nut aroma, peanut butter-like smoothness, fermented fruit-like finish.

Papua New Guinea (balanced sweet-tartness, cocoa) — Recommended: Front Street Bird of Paradise coffee beans

Region: Papua New Guinea

Estate: Bird of Paradise Estate

Growing altitude: 1500m

Processing method: washed processing

Variety: Typica variety

Flavor: bright citrus-like acidity, toasted bread aroma, sugarcane-like clean sweetness, white tea-like finish.

Jamaica (balanced, chocolate) — Recommended: Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans

Region: Blue Mountains, Jamaica

Estate: Clifton Estate

Growing altitude: 13100m

Processing method: washed processing

Variety: Typica

Flavor: balanced acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, soft citrus acidity, rich dark chocolate aroma, nutty creamy smooth mouthfeel.

Panama (fragrant and rich, citrus fruit tea) — Front Street Panama Geisha coffee beans

Country: Boquete, Panama

Region:Boquete

Growing altitude: 1700m

Processing method: familiar processing

Variety: Geisha

Flavor: jasmine floral aroma, juicy, bright citrus-like acidity, honey sweetness, black tea.

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