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There are two types of people in the coffee world: those who drink it to wake up in the morning and those who savour every sip as if it were a ritual. Neither category is better than the other, but if you've ever wondered why there's such a difference in price and taste between supermarket coffee and speciality coffee, this article is for you.
The term «specialty coffee» is not hollow marketing. It is an official category within the sector that requires coffee to achieve a minimum score of 80 out of 100 on the scale of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)This score is awarded by a certified taster, known as a Q Grader, who assesses aspects such as aroma, acidity, body, sweetness, and aftertaste.
To reach that score, the coffee must have undergone an impeccable process: from high-altitude cultivation – generally above 1,000 metres – to the manual harvesting of ripe beans, through careful processing and traceability that allows you to know exactly on which farm and in which country it was grown.
The result is a coffee with a complexity of flavours that goes far beyond a generic bitterness: fruity, floral, chocolate, caramel, or nutty notes can appear, depending on the origin and process.
Roasting is one of the factors that most influences the result in the cup. In speciality coffee, medium or light roasts are primarily used, which preserve the characteristics of the origin. A lightly roasted Kenyan coffee might be reminiscent of blackcurrant or grapefruit; one from Guatemala, of chocolate and nuts.
In contrast, a dark roast —the usual in commercial coffee— tends to develop flavours smokier, bitter and more intense, masking the terroir of the bean. It's not bad if that's what you're looking for, but if you want to explore the nuances of coffee, you need to move away from dark roasts.
At Marabans, we work with roasts that respect the origin of each coffee., designed for both those new to the world of specialty coffee and for the most discerning palates.
If you want to make the leap into speciality coffee, there are four pieces of information you should look for on the packaging:
The originIf possible, with the name of the farm or specific region, not just the country. The more information, the better.
The processwashed, natural, honey… Each processing method offers a different flavour profile. Naturals tend to be sweeter and fruitier; washed ones, cleaner and more acidic.
Roast dateSpecialty coffee has an optimal window for consumption that typically ranges from 7 days to 8-10 weeks after roasting. Avoid buying coffee without a roast date.
Tasting notesThese are a guide, not a promise, but if you see that a coffee has notes of red berries and that appeals to you, you'll probably like it more than one described as «chocolatey and intense.».
The price difference between commercial coffee and speciality coffee exists, and it is real. A speciality coffee bean can cost between three and five times more than one from the supermarket. But there's important context here.
First, The price reflects much more painstaking and careful work throughout the entire chain.The farmer is paid better, the roast is artisanal and in small batches, and quality control is rigorous. Secondly, if you prepare it well at home – using a French press, a V60, or even a good moka pot – the cost per cup remains very reasonable compared to any coffee from a café.
And thirdly, the experience is directly different. There are people who, after trying a good specialty coffee, It's very difficult for them to go back to how things were..
If you're curious or want to get started without any risk, At Marabans, you can find a selection of coffee beans from different origins and profiles, so you can discover which style suits your palate.. Sometimes, the best way to understand the difference is simply to taste.
