Differences between specialty coffee and commercial coffee

Did you know that specialty coffee has aromas of flowers and citrus, berries, hazelnuts, and even caramel and cinnamon? And did you know that commercial coffee barely has any nuances? Well, this is where you'll find one of the biggest differences between specialty coffee and commercial coffee.

According to the Specialty Coffee Association, specialty coffee is produced through the dedication of people who have made quality their top priority. These coffees are flawless and receive 80 points or higher on a scale of 100 from certified cuppers, who consider the care taken to ensure the aromas from cultivation to cupping.

Commercial coffee, on the other hand, is of lower quality and generally does not meet the minimum grade required to qualify as a specialty coffee because it is produced with defective beans and is intended for mass consumption.

Before telling you about the differences between these two types of coffee, it's important to inform you that to produce a specialty coffee, in addition to paying attention to the entire process, the following quality control points must be taken into account:

1. Previously, pickers were instructed to pick all the cherries, whether green, yellow, red, or black. They were paid based on quantity, not quality. Currently, on specialty coffee farms, they are taught to pick only red, ripe cherries, as a dull or overripe cherry can result in a cup with a sour or bitter taste.
2. After the cherries have gone through the wet processing and drying process, hulling follows, i.e., the second quality control process. Parchment coffees with visible defects are hand-selected and added to the pasilla, which is the defective coffee that is said to be the one we Colombians consume commercially.
3. After hulling, roasting follows. Therefore, it is necessary to manually sort through the beans, discarding any defective green beans. The beans will then be ready to be roasted, free of defects and full of flavor.

Differences between specialty and commercial coffees

1. Roast date and expiration date: Specialty coffee packaging indicates the date it was roasted and the expiration date. Commercial coffee only displays the expiration date.
2. Flavors: Specialty coffee exhibits natural flavors with good acidity, cleanliness, and consistency. Commercial coffee is flavored, with the addition of ingredients such as sugar, cloves, vanilla, or panela.
3. Purity: A cup of specialty coffee is free of impurities because it has already achieved a score of more than 86 out of 100 in its tasting. A cup of commercial coffee never reaches this score due to its defects and its unknown origin.
4. Altitude: Specialty coffee is grown and produced at over 1,100 meters above sea level in high mountain forests under cloudy, humid, and cool conditions that allow for slow, high-quality growth. Commercial coffee is grown at sea level with early and disproportionate ripening.
5. Variety: Specialty coffee is an Arabica variety distinguished by its excellent aromas and flavors. Commercial coffee is a Robusta variety, characterized by its bitterness, dry taste, and twice the caffeine content.
6. Price: Specialty coffee has a price that you can't consider expensive. It's more accurate to say that specialty coffee has a fair price, as it takes so much care from the cultivation and harvesting process, selection, roasting, and flavor to the moment you enjoy it in your cup. Furthermore, the work of harvesting the coffee isn't paid for by the quantity, but by the quality of the cherries. Commercial coffee, on the other hand, isn't as expensive, as it's not the quality of the cherries that matters most, but rather the quantity.
7. Growing Areas: Specialty coffee is grown on small plots of land owned by small producers. Commercial coffee is grown on large plots of land.
8. Packaging: Specialty coffee is packaged as whole beans and must be ground just before use. Commercial coffee comes pre-ground or in instant form.
9. Roasting: Specialty coffee is roasted in small factories or shops and sold where it's roasted. Commercial coffee is roasted in large plants and sold in a commercial format.
10. Options: Specialty coffees offer a variety of options, whether based on the bean's place of origin, roast, or blend. Commercial coffees don't always indicate their origin and offer a very limited selection of blends and roasts.

Finally, it's important to understand the importance of cupping. Specialty coffee is, above all, about flavor. This is why the cupping process is carried out, evaluating the fragrance, aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, and consistency. Once the process is complete, coffee with these three ratings will be classified as specialty coffee : Exceptional Specialty, Excellent Specialty, and Very Good Specialty.

So you know, if you want to surprise a true coffee lover, invite him to a delicious and exquisite specialty coffee .