What is Specialty Coffee

Definition

As per the SCAA website the original term is said to have be coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974 in an issue of the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. It was meant to provide a simple term to describe Arabica coffee beans of the best flavor which are produced in special microclimates.

Score more than 80%

Today a green bean that has passed the original basic grading is then classed as a specialty grade coffee bean if it scores 80 points or above on a 100-point scale is graded "specialty". Specialty coffees are always grown in special and ideal climates, and are distinctive because of their full cup taste and little to none defects.

Their unique flavors and tastes are a result of the special characteristics and composition of the soils in which they are produced.

Over time this has extended past the green bean, to the roaster and is being applied to the recommended method the coffee is brewed. Linking grind, pressure and temperature to each brew type

So far Specialty grade has not been associated with a particular genus of arabica, but a general rule of thumb has been that coffee that is tropical, highland, and shade grown produces the best coffee.

Coffee Speciality is a totally different term that talks about the method the coffee is presented

Quaffee's Definition

For us the correct definition of specialty coffee encompasses all we do in a phrase.

For Quaffee see a coffee correctly defined as specialty coffee it needs to satisfy the following criteria:

The green bean batch is flawless and when cupped (tasted) it has produced a distinctive taste. Only pure arabica beans can be graded as specialty grade. Quaffee also ensures that we only recommend shade grown specialty grade coffee
The roasting process is also part of the specialty grade. It should delicately expose the beans flavours and keep it clear of anything that may taint its taste
The brewing process is the next step for a coffee to be classed as a specialty coffee. A specialty bean should be brewed at the correct temperature (about 93 °C) and in a manner that best reveals the coffee’s character.

Only Specialty Grade Coffee

Quaffee only does specalty quality grade coffee which is roasted to specailty standards, and we recommend the Jura coffee machines since they are able to brew coffee to match this quality

Cupping, Grading and Arabica

If you would like more information you can see the following pages:

Cupping	Read more about how coffee is tasted, or Cupped
Quality	What makes an Arabica coffee bean, a quality Arabica coffee bean
Arabica	Why is Arabica considered the finest coffee bean
Read all about it	How did we discover this quality? Read the story of Frog Quaffer's quest for the finest coffee bean