In the world of coffee, as well as in various crafts and hobbies, you'll find a plethora of specialized terminology. These terms serve as a quick and concise way to describe specific ideas, methods, or aspects within the field, allowing enthusiasts to delve deeper and explore with ease.
The first couple I'd like to give some insight to are Specialty Coffee and Third Wave Coffee, as they are often confused or mistaken for one another.
Wave coffee
Back in the 1960s, coffee consumption began to grow exponentially. For the first time, coffee became widely accessible. Brazil since the start of the 1900s was already producing over 20 million bags of coffee. This marked the first wave. The second wave came with an increase in the quality of coffee readily available. Big companies – such as Starbucks – started running coffee shops as profitable businesses.
Coffee started to become a luxury product rather a necessity. What’s more is, we started to see more consciousness of the importance of the entire supply chain, from producers to consumers. Green bean buyers started to pay attention to where and how coffee was produced – and this eventually trickled through to consumers. This marked the start of coffee being considered as an artisan foodstuff instead of a commodity.
Third Wave Coffee is simply a title for those who need one. Third wave is not a cup of coffee; it’s a mindset around loving all the things involved with getting a great cup of coffee in your hand.
Increasing coffee quality, more direct trade, a greater emphasis on sustainability, lighter roast profiles, innovative brew methods – these are all intrinsic to third wave coffee. We chase sweetness, complexity, and distinctiveness in our brews. And we’re happy to pay more to receive this.
I (Gareth) first learnt to make espresso coffee when I was 17, 20 years now, but only really have dived completely into the industry in the last 10 years and you would think with all this fancy innovative way to consume coffee, the experience would get better right?
I wouldn’t consider that the case, I’m sure you’ve all had that coffee from the barista who hides behind the espresso machine, and acts like you should be honoured to receive a coffee from them. Nothing grinds my gears more, excuse the pun. Just because you know how to make a cup of coffee doesn't mean you should run a coffee shop, they forget the premise of where they are making this delicious beverage, Its a hospitality business. In a talk at Ozone coffee, guest Emma Webster, the NZSCA (New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association) events director touched on this, she has been in the industry for over 30 years and essence of her speech was, when are we ‘the coffee industry’ going to start giving the people who walk through our doors the same love and attention we give to the beverages we serve. This couldn’t be truer. I for one know at Brewed we try our best to provide more than just a good cup of joe. That's the bare minimum.
The third wave is all about making the consumer (that's you!) feel special. Part of that is customer service, but another part is sharing the story behind the cup. This story is one created by producers, importers, roasters, and baristas. It explains why a coffee is distinctive, why a consumer can taste certain notes, and why high-quality coffee takes so much work. Consumer education, which is why I’m so grateful to share what I’ve learnt so far. This actually ties in with the way technology has improved, as some baristas may be not so excited about the rate of autonomy, but to be honest, this frees up the barista to really build value, just like any wine sommelier (in the coffee industry, they are called Q graders, They are an individual who has undergone specialized training and certification by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). Q Graders are experts in evaluating and grading the quality of coffee beans. They are skilled in sensory analysis, assessing various attributes such as aroma, flavour, acidity, body, and aftertaste. Q Graders play a crucial role in the coffee supply chain by objectively assessing and assigning scores to coffees, which helps ensure consistency and quality throughout the industry.
Specialty Coffee
Third Wave and Specialty are different, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scores coffees on a 100-point scale. Coffees that score 60 points or above are considered commercial-grade; at 80 points or above, they are graded as “specialty”. These exceptional coffees are often the product of specific microclimates and soils, production practices, and careful processing (the removal of the coffee cherry flesh from the beans,
Drinking a specialty coffee that has been produced in the right way, is the basis of a great experience. This experience is a combination of education, knowledge, and hospitality.
At Brewed all of our coffee is specialty graded coffee. With our roaster Stu Hargie being a Q grader himself, and in the past a green bean (coffee before its roasted, the raw ingredient) buyer that took him all over the world. We'll be doing a profile on Stu in the coming months, he is an absolute wealth of knowledge and always welcomes any conversation about coffee...probably why we get along so well.
