What is Speciality Coffee?

Have you ever walked into a café to order coffee and the barista asked which single origin you’d prefer? Ethiopian? Colombian? Kenyan? Your blank stare reveals the truth that you thought coffee was just coffee.

That moment marks your introduction to speciality coffee. It’s the difference between drinking fuel and tasting craftsmanship. Most coffee drinkers never cross this line, but once you do, regular coffee tastes flat.

The speciality coffee world seems intimidating at first. Terms like “cupping,” “terroir,” and “processing methods” get thrown around like everyone should know them. But the basics are straightforward once someone explains them properly.

What Makes Coffee “Speciality”

Speciality coffee starts with a score. The Speciality Coffee Association rates beans on a 100-point scale. Only coffees scoring 80 or above qualify as speciality. Most grocery store coffee would score 60-70 if anyone bothered to test it.

But the score is just the beginning. These beans come from specific farms, not massive plantations mixing beans from everywhere. The farmers know their craft; how altitude affects flavour, when to harvest for peak ripeness, and which processing method brings out certain notes.

Speciality coffee represents less than 10% of global coffee production. It costs more because everything about it requires more attention, skill, and time.

Quality control happens at every step. Green bean buyers travel to farms, tasting samples before committing to purchases. Roasters test multiple batches to nail flavour profiles. Baristas dial in grind size and brewing variables daily.

The Flavour Difference

Regular coffee tastes like coffee. Speciality coffee tastes like the place it grew up.

Ethiopian beans might taste like blueberries and flowers. Guatemalan coffee could have chocolate and spice notes. Colombian varieties often show caramel sweetness and bright acidity. These aren’t added flavours; they come from the bean itself.

Tasting these differences takes practice. Your palate needs training to pick up subtle notes. But even beginners notice that speciality coffee doesn’t taste burnt or bitter like mass-market brands.

Growing and Processing

Coffee grows best between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in what’s called the coffee belt. But not all locations within this belt produce speciality-grade beans.

Altitude matters. Higher elevations stress the coffee plant, forcing it to develop more complex sugars. These sugars translate to better flavours in your cup. Most speciality coffee grows above 1,200 meters.

The processing method dramatically affects taste. Natural processing leaves the cherry on the bean while drying, creating fruity flavours. Washed processing removes the cherry immediately, producing cleaner, brighter cups. Honey processing splits the difference.

Climate, soil, and farming practices all contribute to what coffee people call “terroir” – the environmental factors that make each coffee unique.

Brewing Methods That Matter

Speciality coffee demands better brewing. That doesn’t mean expensive equipment, but it does mean paying attention to variables most people ignore.

Water temperature should hit 195-205°F. Too hot burns the coffee. Too cool under-extracts it. Grind size needs to match your brewing method: coarse for French press, fine for espresso, and medium for pour-over.

Pour-over methods like V60 or Chemex highlight the coffee’s unique characteristics. The French press produces a fuller body but less clarity. Espresso concentrates flavours but requires skill to pull properly.

The coffee-to-water ratio matters too. Most people use too little coffee, then wonder why their brew tastes weak. Start with a 1:15 ratio (1 gram of coffee to 15 grams of water) and adjust from there.

Industry Standards and Certification

The CEO of the Speciality Coffee Association explains, “Coffee is more than a score. The partnership between SCA and CQI to evolve the Q Grader program is the latest milestone towards delivering on SCA’s purpose to MAKE COFFEE BETTER.” This evolution reflects the growing complexity of how we evaluate and appreciate coffee quality.

The Speciality Coffee Association sets standards for the industry. They train Q Graders, certified cuppers who evaluate coffee quality using standardized methods. These professionals can taste defects you’d never notice and score beans consistently.

Certifications like Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and Organic address farming practices. They don’t guarantee taste quality, but show that the coffee was produced sustainably and ethically.

Balance Coffee works with roasters who understand these standards, connecting consumers with beans that meet both quality and ethical benchmarks.

Roasting Makes the Difference

Green coffee beans have no coffee flavour. Roasting develops the compounds that create taste and aroma. But roasting is part art, part science.

Light roasts preserve origin characteristics – you taste the farm, not the roast. Dark roasts develop roasted flavours that can mask origin differences. Medium roasts balance both.

Most speciality roasters favor light to medium roasts to showcase what makes each coffee unique. They roast in small batches, adjusting profiles for each origin.

Fresh roasting matters enormously. Coffee peaks 3-14 days after roasting, then slowly loses flavour. Those month-old beans at the grocery store are already past their prime.

Common Misconceptions

Darker doesn’t mean stronger. It just means more roasted flavour. Light roasts actually contain slightly more caffeine.

Expensive doesn’t always mean better. Some costly coffees are rare but not necessarily tasty. A good roaster can make $15/pound coffee taste better than poorly handled $50/pound beans.

Speciality coffee isn’t pretentious by nature. The terminology seems fancy, but it’s just precise. When someone describes coffee as having “stone fruit notes,” they’re giving you useful information about what to expect.

Getting Started

Start simple. Buy freshly roasted beans from a local roaster or reputable online source. Grind them yourself if possible. Use a kitchen scale to measure coffee and water consistently.

Try different origins to understand how location affects flavour. Ethiopian coffee will taste completely different from Brazilian beans. Both can be excellent, but they offer different experiences.

Don’t get overwhelmed by equipment. A simple pour-over setup costs under £30 and makes excellent coffee. Master the basics before investing in espresso machines or other complex gear.

Getting into speciality coffee changes how you think about your morning cup. It’s not just caffeine delivery anymore; it’s a connection to places, people, and craftsmanship most of us never see.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes coffee “speciality” versus regular coffee? 

Speciality coffee scores 80+ points on a 100-point scale and comes from specific farms with traceable quality standards. Regular coffee mixes beans from various sources without quality scoring.

Why does speciality coffee cost more? 

Higher quality beans, smaller batch processing, careful handling, and direct farmer relationships all increase costs. You’re paying for quality and traceability that mass-market coffee lacks.

How do I taste the flavour notes mentioned on coffee bags? 

Start by comparing different origins side by side. Ethiopian coffee, next to Colombian, will highlight its differences. Your palate develops with practice; don’t worry if you can’t taste blueberries in your Ethiopian beans immediately.