What is specialty coffee and what characterizes it?

Have you heard of specialty coffee? The term may not be very familiar to you, but don't worry, because we will tell you what specialty coffee is.Specialty coffee is a term first used by Erna Knutsen of Knutsen Coffee Ltd. during an international coffee conference in France in 1978. That first use encompassed a simple concept, where 'special coffees' referred to those beans produced in special geographical microclimates with unique flavor profiles.Behind this idea was the fundamental premise that specialty coffee beans would always be well-prepared, freshly roasted, and properly brewed. Thus, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) continues to define specialty coffee in this context and is based on it.What characterizes specialty coffee?Specialty coffee requires high-quality work throughout its process, from planting, harvesting, to roasting and grinding. In addition to a lot of knowledge, there are certain keys to ensuring that the coffee is specialty.The first key is potential, as until the roasted coffee is brewed and transformed into a beverage, the concept of specialty coffee is just a possibility, only a potentially wonderful tasting experience. In this regard, it should be considered that a coffee variety at the wrong altitude or in the wrong soil may not produce any special product, and thus, may lack quality potential. Ultimately, the cultivation of plants is essential for preserving potential.The next key concept is preservation. A coffee cherry ripening on a healthy plant of suitable lineage, planted in the right soil, blessed with the right climatic conditions and properly cared for, must be harvested at the peak of ripeness to preserve the potential for greatness it holds. In other words, only ripe cherries should be harvested.From the point of harvest arises a new round of traps. The coffee cherry must undergo initial processing right after harvesting, as the time that elapses between harvest and the start of processing can dramatically impact the final results of the coffee. Specialty coffee depends on a quick delivery to the mill to conserve its potential.After the coffee is depulped and processed, it must rest before undergoing the final stages of raw processing and preparation for shipment. At this moment, key factors include relative humidity, temperature, and the containers and storage conditions. Finally, this leads to the selection of packaging or storage conditions.Specifically, specialty coffee must meet three basic rules: The beans must be 100% ArabicaThe cherries must be harvested only when they are ripeAchieve a score of over 80 points in the quality assessment based on SCA standardsFor all coffee lovers, recognizing what specialty coffee is begins with being informed, and then they can enjoy it with all the quality that characterizes it.