What is specialty coffee?

Specialty coffee is on the rise. What it does it mean, and why should you care?

What do we mean by ‘specialty coffee’?

Specialty coffee refers to the entire process of coffee, from farming to cup, using single origin coffee. This includes how the coffee is grown and harvested, how it is roasted and then how it is extracted. It keeps quality consistent across the board. Coffee is judged against a system called Q Grading which examines every aspect of the coffee. The coffee is then given a score out of 100, and must achieve at least an 80 to be deemed as specialty.

What is Single Origin?

Single origin is simply that – coffee that comes from one location. This is known as the terrior of the coffee, and it has a massive influence on the taste of the coffee. As with wine, specialty coffee is all about where the coffee is from and how it was grown. Roasting and extraction processes are fine-tuned to make sure the resulting cup of coffee tastes as good as it possibly can.

How can I learn about specialty coffee?

There is so much to learn when it comes to the specialty coffee industry. Here at our training academy, we have developed our Barista Pro course designed specifically to train you in specialty coffee. Whether you have coffee experience or know nothing about the industry, everyone is welcome to take this class! This five-day intensive training will take you from basics through to latte art and advanced technique, and give you plenty of hands-on time on the machine so you’ll be producing amazing coffee by the end of it.