What's so special about speciality coffee?
Speciality coffee is probably a term you have heard, but what does it actually mean? And how exactly does speciality coffee differ to the regular stuff?
Only 6% of the worlds coffee meets the standard required to be certified as "Speciality". It is a commodity, and therefore often more expensive than the regular stuff. But what exactly is it, and is it worth paying more for?
Well, any old coffee cannot be called 'speciality' - to be given this title the beans that the coffee is made from must meet certain criteria, to prove that it is a cut above the rest.
There are two key stages in the coffee bean journey where quality is assessed:
On the Coffee Farm: only the best coffee beans sourced from good quality farms will be used. Coffee farmers sift through the beans by hand and will remove any with defects. Only beans that are perfect will be sold to coffee buyers as 'Speciality'. The remaining beans will be sold as 'second' or even 'third' grade beans at a lower price (these usually end up being sold to consumers as regular or instant coffee).
You can see the difference in quality yourself below- we know which we would rather be drinking!
But being visually superior isn't enough - the beans have to taste amazing as well! This brings us to the next stage- Coffee Graders.
Coffee Graders: Once the beans have been roasted, certified coffee tasters will establish the coffee’s quality and score it through a systematic tasting process known as cupping. Scores are assigned based on things like acidity, sweetness, body, aroma, flavour and aftertaste. Only beans with a grade of 80+ (out of 100) are classified as Speciality.
The growth of speciality coffee
The growth of speciality coffee comes from a realisation that the coffee bean is far more versatile and complex than we initially gave it credit for, but it is also linked to the boom of speciality producer farmers. Knowing that consumers are willing to pay more for a craft cup has led to the cultivation of lots of new varietals of coffee and the 'craft-ifying' of the fermentation process to produce increasingly complex and diverse flavours. As 'craft' farmers, the average price they fetch per kilo is double or sometimes triple what they would get for non-speciality coffee. Thus the craft boom is not only benefitting the consumer but helping us to move away from the exploititative model seen in the industry for so long.
So, is speciality coffee worth it?
Speciality coffee is much higher quality than regular coffee, and offers a far superior overall coffee experience.
The biggest difference is in the flavour; speciality coffee offers a more complex and nuanced flavour, with prominent chocolatey, fruity or floral notes (depending on the bean origin). In contrast, regular second grade coffee tends to be more bitter and flat in taste.
In summary, the exceptional quality, and far superior taste experience makes speciality coffee more than worth it for coffee lovers. But don’t just take our word for it- all of our Coffee Lab beans are classed as Speciality, so why not try some today and see if you agree!