This is my take on what I have I have learned thru research, and I am at the beginning of the learning process. The truth is that there is a whole world of terminology and data that I could site but I prefer to keep it simple because, in the end, all we really want is a good cup of coffee. Right?
Over recent decades more and more interest has developed in coffee origins, varieties, growers, processes, quality, and of course, flavor. Basically, everything about coffee. Because coffee has a wide range of qualities and profiles, all attributable to the things mentioned above, the industry has seen a growing trend towards more specifically identifying the regions and growers, what they are producing and how, the delicious flavor profiles, and how best to roast them. Everyone in the coffee chain plays an important role in quality and flavor.
Ultimately quality and flavor go hand in hand. Green coffee is visually graded based upon number of Primary and Secondary defects. Green coffee gets roasted and “cupping”, the process of tasting the coffee and identifying its characteristics, is the process during which the coffee is scored by a certified individual. Specialty Coffee is any coffee that scores above 80 on a scale of 100.
In future blogs we will explore more details, but I think you can see how, like with wine, beer, cheese, and other products, the details can be interesting, and they are the reason behind the flavor and the growing interest in Single Origin, Specialty Coffee.
