What is Specialty Coffee?

In today’s blog post we’ll be exploring the wonderful world of coffee. We’ll deep dive into its history, what coffee even is, what is specialty coffee and so much more. So stick around a buckle up for this exciting latest addition. 

What even is coffee?

Everyone recognizes a roasted coffee “bean”, but you might not realize that coffee is a plant (Coffea) and that that “bean” you’re drinking is actually the seed found within a coffee cherry. Coffee is a bit of a catch all term that can refer to both the plant and that tasty drink you may be sipping on right now.

A brief History of the Coffee Industry:

The history of the coffee industry is vast and spans several centuries, originating in Ethiopia and spreading globally to become one of the most popular beverages in the world! Legend has it that coffee was discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi in the Ethiopian region of Kaffa around the 9th century. According to the story, Kaldi noticed his goats became energetic after eating berries from a certain tree. He tried the berries himself and experienced a similar burst of energy, leading to the discovery of coffee. From Ethiopia, coffee cultivation and consumption spread to the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Yemen, by the 15th century. Coffee became an integral part of Arabian culture, with coffee houses known as “qahveh khaneh” emerging as social hubs for intellectual and social gatherings. 

From there coffee was introduced to Europe in the 17th century through trade routes established by the Ottoman Empire. Coffeehouses began to appear in major European cities like Venice, London, and Paris, becoming centers of social activity, intellectual discourse, and business dealings. While European colonial powers played a significant role in the global spread of coffee cultivation due to coffee being introduced to the Americas, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, and Central America, this expansion was also marred by issues such as slavery and other oppressive systems that today we’re seeing the long term ramifications of. 

The Industrial Revolution led to advancements in coffee production, processing, and transportation, making coffee more accessible and affordable worldwide. Plantations grew in size, and coffee became a major commodity in international trade. The 20th century saw further advancements in coffee production techniques, including the development of hybrid coffee varieties for disease resistance and improved yield. In the late 20th century and into the 21st century, there was a shift towards specialty coffee, emphasizing higher quality coffee, sustainable farming practices, and direct trade partnerships between growers and roasters. This movement highlights the diversity of flavors in coffee and has helped elevate the status of coffee as a culinary experience. Today, the coffee industry continues to evolve, with a growing focus on sustainability, innovation in brewing and coffee processing as well as trying to help with dismantling the colonial infrastructure and mindset towards coffee.

What is Specialty Coffee?

It’s a question we get a lot here at Little Bear and the answer is more complex than it might seem. To start, “Specialty coffee” refers to the highest-quality coffee you can get. To determine quality the industry uses a grading system from 0-100 and specialty coffees must score 80 or above (typically by professionals called Q-graders) in order for a coffee to be considered “specialty”. Typically coffees that are considered specialty are grown in optimal microclimates, hand-picked, and meticulously processed to preserve their unique and distinct flavor profiles. The term emphasizes quality throughout the entire supply chain, from the farm to the final cup, often focusing on single-origin or single-estate coffees.

What’s so important about the specialty coffee industry?

Specialty coffee, like most industries, consists of a whole supply chain of people. The roles within the supply chain range from being a barista, the end of the chain, all the way to our coffee producers, the very beginning of the chain. What makes specialty coffee “special” not only is the quality and attention to detail that’s put into growing and serving the coffee but also the progress we’re making towards helping pay producers a fair price for their coffee.

Specialty coffee culture:

Specialty coffee is meant to be a melting pot where craft, intentionality and hospitality all culminate. Coffee is labor of love that sometimes takes producers decades to perfect so our job is to make sure we’re doing justice to that hard work.

In conclusion:

Specialty coffee is a vast industry with a rich history and culture. While this blog post has been brief we covered a lot of ground! Coffee is so much more than just the end cup you drink and it takes so many hands to get it to you.