Specialty coffee refers to coffee that is grown, processed, roasted and brewed with care and expertise to bring out its unique flavors and characteristics. This often involves the careful selection of coffee beans from specific regions, the use of processing methods that improve quality, and generally a more careful approach to all stages of production and preparation.
Some features of specialty coffee include:
Origin: Coffee beans are often sourced from specific regions known for their superior quality, such as Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, and other areas with soils and climates that favor the development of distinctive flavors.
Roasting Process: Specialty coffees are typically roasted in smaller quantities and at lower temperatures to bring out the natural flavors of the beans.
Brewing process: The barista uses precise methods and techniques to extract the unique flavors and characteristics of coffee, such as drip, espresso, french press, chemex or other specialized techniques.
Freshness: Specialty coffee is usually freshly roasted and brewed to order to ensure maximum quality and freshness of flavor.
Complexity of flavor: Specialty coffees often offer a variety of aromas and taste notes, from fruity and floral to nutty and chocolatey, and even terroir notes that reflect the specifics of the bean's region of origin.
This more careful and specialized approach to production and brewing makes specialty coffee more expensive than regular coffee, but for many coffee enthusiasts, it provides a superior and more complex taste experience.