What is the difference and why does it matter?

Quality is the bottom line for specialty coffee, but many people don’t know what’s in their cup. In terms of the difference between specialty and commodity coffee, quality is an objective factor. There are specific factors at play regarding the coffee plant itself, how it is grown and picked, elevation, roasting and processing, and last but most importantly, quality control and scoring.

What is Specialty Coffee?

“Specialty coffee is defined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) as a coffee or coffee experience that is recognized for its distinctive attributes, resulting in a higher value within the marketplace.” That is directly from the Specialty Coffee Association website. What does that mean, and how is it measured are important questions.

How Specialty Coffee is Measured

Specialty coffee is measured by key factors. Physical assessment measures qualities like moisture, defects, and size. Sensory analysis includes aroma, flavor, body, acidity, and aftertaste. Affective assessment includes how the coffee is perceived by an audience. Extrinsic assessment takes into consideration the processing method, origin, and sustainability practices. All of these factors combine to evaluate the quality of the coffee and place it in the specialty category. Cupping score is an important part of the sensory analysis but is by no means the only point of evaluation.

What is Commodity Coffee?

Commodity coffee is traded as a standardized product without consideration of quality, but more based on volume. You might hear someone talk about the C-market price for coffee, and that is what they are talking about. This coffee is harvested and priced in bulk. It will score below the 80-point standard for specialty coffee. This coffee is harvested by machines with little consideration for the ripeness of the coffee cherry or the presence of insects, animals, and debris.

Why Specialty Coffee Costs More

The farmers of these coffees are putting a lot of time and money toward cultivating exceptional coffee. They, in return, achieve a much higher price per kilo. They are also harvesting coffee by hand, often returning to the same trees over and over to pick the cherries when they are at their peak, leaving the rest to ripen. Processing is meticulous. They are picking through the cherries after harvest to make sure they meet a high quality standard. Care is used at every step to create a special product. This takes time, and farmers are rewarded for it when they produce a special cup.

Microlots and Smaller Quantities

You may be buying a microlot. This just means a small amount is available. It may be a small farm and only produce a little bit. These can be more expensive to export. They may have a special cultivation or process that takes a little longer and can only be done in smaller batches.

Your roaster may be buying smaller quantities. This is a great thing because it keeps coffees fresh. Even if they are buying the same coffee from the same harvest, often it is stored in special climate-controlled warehouses and shipped to the roaster as needed.

Special Reserves and Awards

Special reserves and award-winning coffees are the highest-priced coffees within the specialty category. These have been judged by expert peers in the coffee community for exceptional quality. Awards like Best of Panama or Cup of Excellence are highly respected, and these coffees achieve a high price.

Why It Matters to You

Specialty coffee has some built-in benefits. Higher wages for workers and farmers in coffee-producing countries are great for the people. The care that is given to the environment is good for the land. When coffee farms are cultivated within the forests, for example, keeping the ecosystem balanced and harnessing the naturally occurring systems around them instead of pesticides and herbicides is good for the planet.

When you buy specialty coffee, you are funding programs often without knowing it. Many of the cooperatives that we buy coffee from have education and scholarship programs for their employees and children. They fund medical care and protect women from domestic violence. You are buying into a system that cares deeply about people and is working to grow sustainable and healthy practices across the whole chain.

How to Identify Specialty Coffee

Don’t look in the grocery store. You are not likely to find it. Look around your town for a local roaster. Look at the website and look at the label. On the label, you should find very specific information. Here are some things to look for.

Country of origin: Ethiopia, Colombia, etc.

Region: This dials down to a specific place in the country like Yirgacheffe or Cauca

Varietal: This details the plant itself. Is it a Caturra, Bourbon, Typica — or sometimes it’s a mix. That’s ok.

Elevation: Look for over 800 meters above sea level or MASL for short. Most specialty coffee is grown at higher elevations.

Process: All processes can be specialty, but it should be listed. Honey, natural, and washed are common. Anaerobic and co-fermented are secondary processes that might also be listed.

If you don’t see it on the label, check the website. If your local roaster is selling online, maybe they didn’t want to clutter up the label, and more information will be available online. Information and traceability are hallmarks of the specialty coffee industry.