Specialty Coffee Connoisseur - What is Specialty Coffee?

Issues

After much effort to write blog posts, this is my first post about coffee, especially Specialty coffee. This is a personal experience article and does not provide a complete and accurate definition of Specialty coffee, so please take it as a reference only.

Surely those of you reading this article have tasted coffee or are using it daily. Coffee is a national drink that helps us stay awake to write code that changes the world.

If you pay attention, there are many methods to brew a cup of coffee. Each method extracts different flavors from the coffee beans. But wait, isn't all coffee bitter? That's probably what many people have thought all along. But the bitterness of coffee is formed when it is roasted, simply understood, the darker the roast, the more bitter the coffee will be, and vice versa, the lighter the roast, the more acidic it will be.

In Vietnam, the most common type of coffee that is grown and used is Robusta. If you go to a coffee shop and order a black iced coffee, there is a high chance you are enjoying a cup of Robusta. These Robusta beans have a distinct bitter taste and are often used to brew bold and creamy coffee.

Contrary to Robusta, Arabica is a type of coffee bean with a distinct aroma and is very fragrant. Arabica is often extracted by special methods. This is why Arabica is lightly roasted. In particular, this type of Arabica coffee is privileged for a Specialty coffee standard.

Specialty Coffee

True to its name, Specialty coffee is Arabica beans that have a distinct taste or represent a particular region. It can be the sour taste of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, or the sweet taste of grapes, blueberries… or other fruits found in nature. The tastes are so many that they have created a statistical table of the flavors that can be found in Specialty beans.

Even though there are so many flavors, it is not necessary that we can fully perceive all the flavors in Specialty beans. To be able to classify, we have to rely on experts. They are people with a "super" sense of taste who can recognize the different flavors in the beans and classify them while scoring them to see if they meet the Specialty standard.

Specialty also has a specific scoring scale. According to the SCA evaluation criteria, Specialty coffee must score 80 points or above. The details of how to score are available at the link above. In summary, the criteria for scoring a Specialty coffee are numerous and rigorous.

For me, I may not have the ability to identify all the flavors in each type of Specialty, but I can enjoy and feel whether the coffee suits my taste or not.

How to Enjoy Specialty Coffee?

When entering the world of Specialty, there are many things you need to learn, especially the more you learn, the more you will find the art and sophistication of coffee connoisseurs.

First, you should spend time reading articles introducing coffee and its history so that you can learn the basics to build a solid foundation for your journey to conquer the coffee world. Then, explore the characteristics of coffee in different regions around the world. After that, learn the brewing methods to extract the flavors of coffee. As I mentioned, there are many methods to brew coffee, you may come across methods such as Filter, French Press, Espresso, Cold Brew… there are many and each method has its own unique taste.

Invest in coffee brewing equipment to become a professional "bartender." Each brewing method requires different tools, so don't be surprised if one day your collection takes up an entire large table. Start with basic tools like a coffee grinder (or a coffee grinder :D) and a small scale.

Find a reputable Specialty coffee supplier as the next step. Look for and try to find where the coffee is tasty, affordable, and of good quality. Don't hesitate to explore new places because what's important is that you have to try a lot to know which places are good and which places are not. And remember to choose whole bean coffee to preserve its flavor best. Only buy enough coffee for 1-2 weeks and roast it within that time frame.

Lastly, the budget is something to consider because this type of coffee is more expensive than regular Arabica beans. However, occasionally spending money to try a new type of coffee that you want to taste is not a problem :D.

Benefits of Enjoying Specialty Coffee

As you enter the world of coffee connoisseurs, the first thing is that you will become addicted. Addicted to coffee, addicted to brewing, addicted to the aroma… The more you play, the more you will be fascinated. You will have many topics to discuss, find new friends, and acquire new knowledge.

You will get to experience many flavors of coffee, and each aroma will leave an impression on you. Sometimes it even represents the weather and your mood. For example, a cup of morning coffee will be very different from a cup at noon, and coffee on a rainy day is just wonderful… It's really fascinating.

A cup of pure coffee will help your mind stay awake and is also good for your health. Research has shown that a cup of pure coffee contains 0 calories and many antioxidants. However, don't drink too much in one day.

Conclusion

Specialty is a standard to assert the quality specifically for Arabica coffee beans. With Specialty, you will find the rich flavors of coffee. When entering the world of coffee connoisseurs, you will find the art and sophistication of playing coffee. Don't be surprised when your "coffee toy" collection quickly grows.