Specialty Grade
What Is Specialty Grade Coffee?
Specialty coffees are made from high-quality beans that are grown in specific regions and carefully selected for their flavor profile.
A collaboration between all involved throughout the entire process, from farm to cup, with a focus on excellence, is essential for producing specialty coffee. Ethical and fair-trading practices, with a focus on relationships and respect for the farm and farmer, ensures that the farmer is paid a fair price.
It is a category of coffee that is formally rated by a panel of expert coffee tasters, known as Q Graders, who adhere to the coffee grading Q scale listed below. In order to be considered “specialty” it must receive a score of at least 80 out of 100 points.
The Coffee Grading Q Scale
The scale that is used to determine whether a coffee is considered a specialty coffee was designed by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). This coffee grading scale establishes ten specific, desirable attributes within coffee which include the following:
- Aroma - Descriptors for coffee aroma may include flowery, nutty, smoky, and herby.
- Taste - Descriptors for coffee taste may include acidity, bitterness, sweetness, saltiness and sourness
- Aftertaste - Both the aroma and taste of the coffee after swallowing it.
- Acidity -A primary flavor in coffee that is usually noted as a pleasant sharpness in flavor towards the front of the mouth but has a numbing sensation on the tongue and/or a dryness at the back of the palate.
- Body -Sometimes referred to as "mouthfeel," a coffee's body refers to the weight or viscosity of a coffee on the tongue.
- Balance - Seeks to define whether or not one quality of a coffee overpowers all others.
- Cleaning- This refers to whether or not the coffee is free of defects. It does not refer to anything related to sanitation.
- Sweetness - A mild flavor that is not considered harsh. This is usually first perceived on the tip of the tongue.
- Uniformity -This refers to the consistency of a coffee's flavor across multiple cuppings.
In addition, specialty coffee is grown in the right conditions around the world in clearly defined geographical areas and microclimates. In order to produce the correct beans, coffee must be planted at the right altitude, time of year and in the best soil. It is then harvested at the correct time and processed using specific methods, such as natural or washed. It is free from primary defects, such as full black, full sour, and severe insect damage.
And then finally, after harvesting and processing, the coffee is roasted by a roaster who is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).