What is Specialty Coffee? An In-Depth Look at High-Value Coffee

The term Specialty Coffee has been around for a long time, but its definition was somewhat vague in the past, referring only to coffees scoring 80 or higher on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scale.

Today, the definition has evolved to consider a broader range of related issues: "Specialty coffee is either the coffee itself or the coffee experience recognized for its intrinsic and extrinsic attributes and market value."

This concept is detailed under the following criteria:

Quality

High-quality green coffee beans are roasted in a way that maximally preserves their original flavor notes. The flavor should be distinctive, authentically reflecting the characteristics of the region where it was grown. This profile helps differentiate between different types of coffee.

Attributes

- Internal attributes: Cupping score, appearance of the beans, size, roast color, descriptive profile.

- External attributes: Information about the origin, coffee farms, quality certifications, and environmental conservation.

These elements contribute to the understanding and appreciation of Specialty Coffee as more than just a beverage, but a rich, immersive experience.

Specialty Coffee is a coffee or coffee experience recognized for its attributes (internal and external) and value in the marketplace

Specialty Coffee has enjoyed a long and fascinating journey, beginning with a focus on quality, origin, sustainability, and innovation that has spanned centuries.

Foundation Set on High-Quality Coffee

The history of Specialty Coffee is believed to have started in the early 1900s with Alfred Peet, often referred to as the "father" of Specialty Coffee. Through his emphasis on sourcing high-quality coffee beans and employing meticulous roasting techniques that enhanced rich flavors, Alfred Peet inspired a generation of coffee roasters and producers. This also laid the foundational principles for Specialty Coffee, encouraging producers in Latin America and Africa to continuously experiment with new cultivation and processing methods.

Emergence of Single-Origin Coffee

Following these developments, the Specialty Coffee concept emerged in the 1970s to meet the growing demand for premium coffee. At that time, the concept was crafted to promote coffee as a unique beverage, focusing on highlighting the distinct characteristics of beans from specific regions. Specialty Coffee introduced the idea of single-origin coffee—a product from a specific geographical area, reflecting unique flavors influenced by local soil, altitude, and climate conditions.

The Specialty Coffee concept emerged in the 1970s to meet the growing demand for premium coffee

Advancements with Personalized Experiences and Fair Trade Coffee

In the 1980s and 1990s, the specialty coffee industry gained significant momentum. More roasters and businesses began to focus on providing a more refined and personalized coffee experience. Terms like "fair trade coffee" emerged, aiming to improve the lives of coffee farmers by ensuring they received a fair price for their beans.

Improvements Towards Sustainable Value Coupled with Flavor Quality

Today, Specialty Coffee has become a trend with the participation of major global organizations. The concept has been enhanced, focusing more on sustainability, direct trade, traceability, and the uniqueness of the coffee profile. Many specialty coffee roasters are now working directly with farmers to ensure quality, transparency, fairness, ethics, and sustainability throughout the journey from the farm to the tasting table. Moreover, the Specialty Coffee experience has diversified with various brewing methods such as Filter, Espresso, Syphon, and more.

The Specialty Coffee concept gradually improved, focusing more on sustainability, direct trade, traceability and unique bean profile structure

Conditions for Becoming Specialty Coffee

Although Specialty Coffee has a long development history and has become familiar, it doesn't mean it can be commonly grown in all regions. To be considered specialty, a coffee batch must meet the following standards:

Potential Farms

The characteristics of Specialty Coffee depend significantly on the growing region, as the natural conditions directly influence the quality and flavor of the beans. A delicious coffee batch requires farms to have suitable altitude, nutrient-rich soil, appropriate climate conditions, and standardized care, harvesting, and processing methods.

Coffee Preservation

From the moment coffee cherries are harvested, they are inevitably exposed to factors that can degrade flavor, both internally and externally. The longer the time from harvest to processing, the higher the potential for flavor quality to deteriorate. Coffee must be stably preserved before undergoing the final stages of raw processing and transportation. Preservation must be meticulous, maximizing the preservation of the beans' original qualities while being environmentally friendly.

Extraction

Extraction includes the processes of roasting, grinding, and brewing. Roasters must accurately identify the potential of the coffee to develop the right original flavor. After being roasted appropriately, the beans are ground and release a plethora of flavors. The fineness of the coffee grind must also be carefully calculated, suitable for various brewing techniques. Regardless of the brewing technique used, it is essential to apply the correct standards for water quality, temperature, and coffee-to-water ratio.

Coffee needs to meet many standards to become Specialty Coffee

Certifications in the Specialty Coffee Industry

After being identified as Specialty Coffee, it continues to showcase its quality through various certifications, such as:

- USDA Organic: A certification issued by the United States Department of Agriculture. It requires coffee to be grown organically, without using prohibited substances like synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

- 4C: This certification applies to all coffee types and production systems that meet sustainable standards.

- UTZ: This certification by UTZ Certified mandates good agricultural and farm management practices, conditions related to health and safety, the elimination of child and forced labor, and environmental protection.

- Rainforest Alliance: This certification requires farmers to adhere to standards for farm management, land conservation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and community development.

- Bird Friendly: Issued by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, this certification requires coffee to be grown organically and in the shade of native trees.

Some popular coffee certifications

Specialty Coffee, like any coffee bean, undergoes a comprehensive journey from farm development, cultivation, initial processing, transportation, to roasting before it becomes the cup of coffee you enjoy. However, the production journey for Specialty Coffee is especially challenging, demanding greater care and precision than ever before.

Optimizing Growing Conditions

From the outset, farmers must develop growing areas with ideal conditions including altitude, climate, soil quality, and unique terroir. Seed selection, cultivation practices, harvesting, and initial processing must all be scientifically sustainable to meet the strict standards of Specialty Coffee. Seedlings are nurtured in special conditions, selecting only the healthiest sprouts.

Specialty needs to grow in growing areas with suitable conditions

Cultivation, Processing, and Roasting

Throughout the production of Specialty Coffee, farmers must nurture the coffee plants, ensuring optimal growth conditions and patiently waiting for the cherries to ripen. Once harvested, the coffee cherries undergo meticulous processing and quality control to preserve their inherent quality and unique flavors. After this, the coffee beans are sorted and rigorously checked for quality (including cupping and certifications for sustainable coffee) to ensure that only the finest beans enter the specialty coffee market through transparent and fair trade methods.

Moreover, during the roasting and distribution to consumers, Specialty Coffee must be perfected under the close supervision of skilled, experienced roasters. Only then does Specialty Coffee achieve the high quality and distinct flavors in each bean.

Farmers need meticulous care and control throughout the Specialty Coffee production process

The flavor of Specialty Coffee is its pride, cultivated from the best qualities within the coffee's origins. Discussing the flavor of Specialty Coffee involves a comprehensive range, including fruity notes, nuts, chocolate, spices, and even floral hints.

Impact of Growing Region

The specific environmental conditions where the coffee is grown—soil, climate, altitude, and even the local flora—all contribute to the flavor of Specialty Coffee.

- Relationship Between Altitude and Flavor

Higher altitudes typically have cooler temperatures and thinner air, slowing the coffee bean's growth. This allows the beans more time to develop and store nutrients, predominantly as sugars. Experts suggest that for every 300-meter increase in altitude, the sucrose content in coffee beans increases by 10%.

The specific environmental conditions where the coffee is grown contribute to the flavor of specialty coffee

- Soil Quality

Soil factors like nutrient content, water retention, acidity, and mineral content greatly affect coffee flavor.

- Nutrient-rich soil provides the necessary elements for coffee growth.

- Water retention should be optimal; excessive water can cause root rot or other harmful conditions.

- Soil acidity affects the flavor profile; acidic soils tend to produce beans with bright, citrusy flavors, while alkaline soils yield milder flavors.

- The mineral content, like magnesium, can enhance the bean's sweetness, whereas high iron levels can impart a bitter taste.

Each soil substance contains certain nutrients, water retention, acidity, and mineral content that affect the flavor formation process of coffee

Processing Methods

Each processing method impacts the coffee bean's flavor differently.

- Natural processing typically results in fruity flavors because the cherries are dried before the husks are removed.

- Washed (wet) processing emphasizes the bean's inherent flavors by removing the cherry and mucilage before drying.

- Semi-washed processing leaves some fruit mucilage on the bean during drying, creating a pleasant balance between fruity sweetness and clarity.

Each coffee processing method will affect the sugar and acid content in coffee beans differently

Roasting Process

The roasting level, chosen by the roaster to align with their flavor objectives, significantly impacts the flavor of Specialty Coffee.

- Light roasts preserve many of the bean's original characteristics, enhancing acidity and origin-specific flavors.

- Medium roasts balance acidity and develop richer flavors like nuts and chocolate.

- Dark roasts may reduce the bean's original flavors but add bold, often described as bitter or smoky, notes.

Roasting is the process of sublimating the flavor of Specialty Coffee

Brewing Techniques

The brewing method plays a crucial role in flavor development, with each technique extracting different profiles from the coffee.

- Manual filter brewing extracts coffee at optimal temperatures, highlighting flavor nuances, much like a delicate tea.

- Espresso brewing uses high pressure and temperature to extract a robust and vibrant flavor profile, delivering an intense experience that awakens the senses.

Mixing technique plays an important role in shaping flavor

Through these distinctions, Specialty Coffee stands out not only for its exceptional quality and flavor but also for its commitment to sustainable and ethical coffee production.

As previously mentioned, the concept of Specialty Coffee, revised and announced by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in 2021, encompasses coffee that is recognized for its unique attributes. These attributes afford Specialty Coffee a special value in the market, encompassing deeper and more comprehensive benefits including flavor, quality, sustainability, equity, and humanity, all contributing to the sustainable development of the global coffee trade.

Exceptional Quality and Flavor

The primary focus of Specialty Coffee has always been to deliver superior quality and unique, delicious experiences during consumption. Thus, Specialty Coffee offers an exceptional experience characterized by a combination of nearly perfect coffee beans and a complex, vibrant flavor profile. Each flavor and note distinctly reflects the best characteristics of the species, growing region, and the contributions of the people behind it.

Environmental Sustainability

Beyond ensuring flavor quality, the production and supply processes of Specialty Coffee emphasize environmental protection activities. This involves sustainable transformation through organic farming practices, agroforestry, minimizing chemical use, and promoting biodiversity. Many coffee-growing areas, developed under shade, provide habitats for wildlife and migratory birds, supporting robust ecosystems. Sustainable farms also focus on recycling materials and waste to reduce greenhouse gases and other environmental impacts. By preserving and respecting the natural ecosystem, growing and consuming Specialty Coffee contributes to long-term sustainability for our planet's green future.

Social Sustainability

An important aspect of Specialty Coffee's external attributes includes meeting standards for sustainable livelihoods and gender equality among workers. Producers must ensure fair working conditions, adequate income, equitable treatment, and quality products for consumers. This approach helps sustain industry growth and promotes stable living conditions for workers, reducing unemployment and poverty and fostering welfare in these regions.

Economic Sustainability

The commercialization of Specialty Coffee is built on a win-win foundation. Transactions often involve direct trade relationships, eliminating middlemen, and ensuring fairer profits for farmers. Farmers can set prices that reflect their efforts, allowing them to reinvest in their farms, improve infrastructure, and enhance production efficiency and quality. This not only drives sustainable economic growth in coffee-producing areas but also globally.

Furthermore, Specialty Coffee typically commands a higher price than regular coffee. This price difference reflects the increasing efforts of all stakeholders in the industry towards quality-oriented activities, production, and supply. The promising benefits lead to greater participation, focusing on sustainability, ethical long-term relationships, thus promoting better and more sustainable development.

Specialty Coffee contains deep, comprehensive values ​​including taste, quality, sustainability, economic, social and environmental fairness

With Vietnam being the second-largest coffee producer globally, the Vietnamese coffee industry holds promising opportunities. Local enterprises like XLIII Coffee are striving to promote and focus on sustainable transformation, enhancing the popularity and reputation of Vietnam's Specialty Coffee. But where does Vietnamese Specialty Coffee stand, and what is its potential on the international stage?

Vietnam's Specialty Coffee Market

Historically, Vietnamese coffee did not have a strong presence in the specialty coffee world. Most of Vietnam’s coffee exports were of raw, low-cost, and not highly regarded quality. However, with the emergence of third (focusing on artisanal production methods), fourth (emphasizing scientific aspects in coffee), and fifth (centering on customer experience and sustainability) coffee waves, there has been a rising global demand for specialty coffee, influencing Vietnam. This has encouraged Vietnamese coffee farmers to improve their livelihoods by producing higher-value coffee.

Although still emerging, more Vietnamese coffees are being recognized as Specialty Coffee. Regions like Lam Dong and the Central Highlands of Vietnam have introduced several Specialty Coffee products with refined flavors and complex structures that are highly sought after by enthusiasts. For instance, Robusta coffee from Bao Lam, Lam Dong, cultivated at altitudes of 900-1,100 masl, features chocolate and caramel aromas. Provinces like Dak Nong, Pleiku, and Daklak in the Central Highlands are also seeing a promising increase in specialty coffee production, enthusiastically embraced by the coffee community. According to the Communist Party of Vietnam's magazine, some coffees from Dak Nong have ranked high in the Viet Nam Amazing Cup, with one reaching the top 2 in 2019 and another topping in 2020.

Can Vietnamese Specialty Coffee Shine in the Future?

In recent years, the Vietnamese coffee industry has made significant changes towards higher-quality coffee markets - Specialty Coffee. Resources are being invested in research and development to improve cultivation and processing techniques for Robusta to enhance its quality and competitiveness with Arabica. Farmers are encouraged to focus on scientific agricultural practices, such as selective harvesting and proper drying techniques, to produce premium coffee with rich flavors, affirming the country's value.

Moreover, the Vietnamese Specialty Coffee industry is focusing on sustainable growth in environmental, economic, and social aspects. Prominent regions like the Central Highlands, Lam Dong, and Gia Lai are being transformed into specialty coffee cultivation areas. Stakeholders are also promoting emerging coffee-growing areas and focusing on Robusta coffee.

These efforts, combined with Vietnam's diverse climate and favorable natural conditions, position the country to potentially produce competitive specialty coffee on a global scale. While challenges remain, Vietnam could well make its mark on the global Specialty Coffee market in the future.

Vietnam's Specialty Coffee industry is trying to grow

Specialty Coffee, like a bright spot, honors the efforts towards perfection in quality and sustainable human values of a precious chain of labor. With its unique flavors native to its origin, positive environmental impact, and support for the local economy, the specialty coffee industry offers an experience that transcends the allure of its aromatic layers and smooth textures. It brings coffee lovers full-circle joy, fostering connections, positivity, and a passion for flavors with every cup of Specialty Coffee. XLIII Coffee looks forward to exploring and sharing this journey with you!

Photo sources are provided and collected by XLIII Coffee's partners

Question 1: What is Specialty Coffee?

Previously, the term "Specialty Coffee" referred primarily to a scoring scale by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) where coffees scoring 80 points or higher qualify. Recently, the term has evolved to include quality attributes that preserve the unique characteristics and flavor profiles of the coffee’s origin. These include:

• Internal Attributes: Cupping score, appearance of the coffee beans, size, roast color, flavor profile.
• External Attributes: Information about the origin, coffee farm, quality certifications, environmental protection.

Question 2: How is Specialty Coffee produced?

The production process for Specialty Coffee is far more meticulous and labor-intensive from the start compared to regular coffee. It requires stringent conditions in the growing area (altitude, climate, soil, etc.). Farmers must adhere to sustainable standards during cultivation. The quality of the coffee cherries is rigorously controlled during harvest, with manual processes ensuring the removal of defective beans. Post-harvest, roasting and grinding are also managed to develop the right flavors and preserve the origin characteristics of the beans. Roasting levels commonly range from light to medium.

Question 3: What factors influence the flavor of Specialty Coffee?

The flavor of Specialty Coffee can be influenced by:

• • Growing Region: Specific environmental conditions like soil, climate, altitude, and local flora all contribute to the unique flavors of Specialty Coffee.
  • Processing Method: Each method impacts coffee bean flavor differently. Natural processing often imparts fruity flavors, washed processing highlights the intrinsic flavors, and semi-washed offers a balance of clean and fruity flavors.
  • Roasting Level: The roast level ranges from light to dark, affecting the acidity and developing deeper flavors such as caramel and chocolate. Light roasts preserve more original flavors but can also expose flaws if the beans are not of high quality.

• Brewing Technique: Different brewing methods extract varying flavor profiles, directly affecting the taste of the final coffee cup.

Question 4: What benefits does drinking Specialty Coffee offer?

Specialty Coffee embodies values of flavor, quality, sustainability, fairness, and humanity, contributing to the sustainable development of global coffee trade. It not only delivers exquisite taste but also highlights the importance of sustainable, ethical, and transparent practices in the industry's development. Additionally, it provides economic benefits to farmers, helping sustain their livelihoods.

Question 5: What is the future development potential of Specialty Coffee in the Vietnamese market?

Vietnam is focusing on improving coffee bean quality. Alongside exporting Robusta, regions are cultivating Arabica, like in Son La and Dien Bien. The concept of Specialty Coffee has laid a foundation in the local market and is a growing focus of Vietnam's coffee industry. Coffee businesses are paying attention to certifications and sustainable, ethical practices to meet Specialty Coffee standards. The widespread education on coffee cultivation techniques among farmers suggests a bright future for Specialty Coffee in the Vietnamese market.

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