What Is Specialty Coffee?

Specialty coffee isn't just "good coffee." It's an official classification defined by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and gated by a strict tasting and grading protocol.

The Official Definition

A coffee is "specialty" only if it scores 80 points or higher (out of 100) on the SCA Cupping Protocol. The protocol evaluates 10 sensory attributes:

• Fragrance/Aroma
• Flavor
• Aftertaste
• Acidity
• Body
• Balance
• Uniformity
• Clean cup
• Sweetness
• Overall

How It Differs From Commercial Coffee

1. Species: Specialty is almost always Arabica (sometimes Liberica or Eugenioides). Commercial often includes Robusta or unknown blends.
2. Altitude: Specialty is typically grown above 1,200 m, where slow ripening builds deeper sugars.
3. Picking: Hand-selected — only ripe cherries. Commercial uses machine or strip picking.
4. Defects: In a 350 g green sample, zero primary defects and max 5 secondary defects allowed.
5. Traceability: Specialty traces back to farm, region, varietal, and process. Commercial is opaque.

Why It Matters

You can taste the difference. Specialty coffee reveals notes you don't expect: jasmine, peach, berry, chocolate, honey, citrus. These are natural compounds in the bean, unlocked through correct roasting and precise brewing.

Every recipe and every fact on this site is built on SCA standards. The goal: a cup worth your time.