SCAA Specialty Coffee Definition: What is Specialty Coffee and What are Specialty Coffee Beans

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Understanding Specialty Coffee

The impressive term "Specialty Coffee" is becoming increasingly well-known in China. Cafés bearing the name of specialty coffee can be found everywhere (of course, FrontStreet Coffee is also one of them). However, the meaning of "specialty" itself is not entirely clear, so most people still cannot distinguish whether it truly embodies the spirit of specialty coffee. Let's explore the definition of specialty coffee below.

SCAA's Definition of Specialty Coffee

Below is the response from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) website regarding what constitutes specialty coffee:

The sustainable development of specialty coffee must rely on the contributions of a group of people dedicated to maintaining high quality, not just depending on one person in the coffee bean production process;

From beginning to end, all links in the production chain must work together, follow standards, and continuously improve to create specialty coffee.

This is not a simple achievement, as a group of dedicated operators are now bringing specialty coffee to fruition around the world, perhaps even right beside you.

In the past, the focus of specialty coffee sometimes centered on the production process of green coffee beans, sometimes on roasting, and sometimes on the final cup.

Currently, the SCAA seems to be telling consumers that the "specialty coffee" that truly reaches you is actually the collective effort of every stage in the process. This is actually a relatively fair definition, because if any stage goes wrong, the specialty coffee before you might truly become terrible, undrinkable coffee.

The SCAA also describes the important roles in the production process. Let's continue reading:

Meeting the People Dedicated to Specialty Coffee

Farmers

Quality coffee begins with producers who have dedicated generations to cultivating high-quality coffee. Before the first harvest, they must carefully nurture the plants for several years in carefully selected altitude and climate zones. Producers of specialty coffee dedicate their lives to improving what can be the world's best-quality coffee.

For them, quality is the most important consideration, not production volume. Only coffee that is flawless and at its most mature stage can proceed to the next production stage.

For farmers, dealing with quality-conscious and ethical buyers allows them to obtain higher profits to support themselves, their families, and their communities.

Green Coffee Buyers

Next, green coffee buyers take over these green beans. Some green coffee buyers are certified by SCAA cuppers or Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) coffee quality graders.

Their professional cupping personnel can keenly discern coffee quality through cupping and systematic brewing methods.

Through cupping, cuppers will score the coffee and determine which batches meet the quality requirements for specialty coffee, deciding which items to purchase. They will also share their flavor descriptions on the product packaging.

Green coffee buyers provide extensive information to coffee roasters and coffee professionals.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473