What is Specialty Coffee?

Specialty coffee is highly sought after and appreciated for its superior quality. This product is governed by sustainable policies and quality control standards defined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Green coffee has a strong social impact on coffee-producing communities, which is why it is imperative to avoid exploiting these workers, ensure that there is no child labor, adopt a fair trade concept and, all of this, practice economically viable and environmentally sustainable agriculture. By doing so, it is possible to make coffee better for all of us as people involved in this production chain, from cultivation on the farm to the end consumer.

How is it evaluated?

The SCA trains professionals to evaluate coffee, known as Q-graders . These individuals undergo a series of practical tests to hone their senses when it comes to evaluating coffee. Training in these skills culminates in 22 tastings of different coffees according to SCA methods and takes place over five days. After receiving their certification, and adopting evaluation protocols, these professionals identify the defects and qualities of the bean, including bean density, moisture content, bean size, etc. The coffee is then also subjected to a sensory evaluation, where acidity, body and aromatic notes are assessed. A specialty coffee is any coffee that achieves at least 80 points out of 100 according to the parameters assigned by the SCA.

For these reasons and others, we should begin to increase our consumption of specialty coffee as an alternative to commercial coffee.