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Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....

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  • #16
    Re: Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....

    Great topic Phil!


    Per SCAA (because AASCA dont create these types of standards) the grading of "specialty coffee" is:

    Specialty Grade Green Coffee
    Specialty green coffee beans have no more than 5 full defects in 300 grams of coffee.  No primary defects are allowed.  A maximum of 5% above or below screen size indicated is tolerated.  Specialty coffee must possess at least one distinctive attribute in the body, flavor, aroma, or acidity.  Must be free of faults and taints.  No quakers are permitted.  Moisture content is between 9-13%.


    Primary Defect Num. = equal 1 full defect.
    Full Black 1
    Full Sour 1
    Pod-Cherry 1
    Large Stones 2
    Medium Stones 5
    Large Sticks 2
    Medium Sticks 5
    Secondary Defect Num. = equal 1 full defect.
    Parchment 2-3
    Hull/Husk 2-3
    Broken/Chipped 5
    Insect Damage 2-5
    Partial Black 2-3
    Partial Sour 2-3
    Floater 5
    Shell 5
    Small Stones 1
    Small sticks 1
    Water Damage 2-5
    And while thats a good starting point for the grading its far from perfect.  

    For example, the secondary defect of "Insect Damage" being 2-5 beans in a 300g sample is crazy for an organic coffee. Less than 5 secondary defects would if it has 25 insect damaged beans in 300g its no longer specialty grade.  Often I joke that "organic" translates to "full of worm holes".  Does that stop it from being a specialty coffee?  I dont think so.

    Another example of the SCAA grading problem is that a 300 gram sample of coffee could contain all of this muck:

    1 Large Stone, 1 Medium Stone, 1 Large Stick, 4 Medium Sticks, 1 Parchment, 1 Hull/Husk, 4 Broken/Chipped, 1 Insect Damage, 1 Partial Black, 1 Partial Sour, 4 Floaters, 4 Shells, 1 Water Damage


    ...and still pass specialty coffee grade even though it looked like floor sweepings.

    Is Jamaican Blue Mountain Specialty coffee?  For sure.

    Is the Yemen Bani Ismail Specialty coffee? Not according to the above but I think it is.

    Can a roaster produce specialty coffee from something that does not meet the specialty coffee grade?  Sure.

    I think the term specialty coffee is often tossed around by anyone that can identify the source of their coffee.  

    I do like some of the replies in this thread that view specialty coffee as a mind-set, a level of care, a desire to get the best from a bean.  

    Its a little fluffy but maybe that is what true specialty coffee is?

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    • #17
      Re: Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....


      Originally posted by 25040F08122B2C610 link=1234225091/8#8 date=1234242977
      ... not with the growers. To them there is nothing "special" about it.. whatever it is that they grow in their area on their home turf, is their normal stock in trade.
      I dont quite agree. The Cup of Excellence is a great example of many growers having a "special" part of their plantaion dedicated to producing amazing coffee. From pruning and crop management to sorting and grading, this coffee has often had double or triple the labour to try and make it excellent.... and the payback can be huge to a farmer if their 20 bags of coffee end at the top of the auction heap.

      Of course the very same farms will produce tonnes of standard coffee which might also be specialty grade but maybe not quite as "excellent".


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      • #18
        Re: Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....

        Before I found CoffeeSnobs, as an average occasional coffee drinker, it meant nothing to me.

        Now, Id look at a specialty coffee twice and tick a number of checkboxes in my head (my own list) before considering whether to buy it. So, I guess, it still doesnt mean much to me, but it gets my second glance.

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        • #19
          Re: Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....

          Andy your a star....... the gren bean standards will not always match whats in the cup if the rest of the process is not strictly adhered to... ie. roasting, storage etc.....

          what has been great with this discussion is that the mindset of the consumer has been addressed...... in my experinece so far in this industry i believe the consumer is the key to ensuring that coffee companies lift their game.... if drinkers demand better (whatever that may mean to the individual)... then we roasters must lift the bar.....

          how exciting when things get better and better 8-)

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          • #20
            Re: Specialty Coffee.... What exactly is it....

            Originally posted by 664B60474E4E43220 link=1234225091/18#18 date=1235621791
            how exciting when things get better and better
            ....and a CoffeeSnob can get a drinkable coffee when they are away from home.

            8-)

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