Why is Specialty Roasted Coffee the Best?

Specialty roasted coffee, or third-wave coffee, has had a quick growth in recent decades. Cafes are becoming commonplace in cities around the world, and special brewing techniques from unique coffee regions are discovered every day. With such a strong culture around it, why is specialty roasted coffee the best, and why should you start drinking it?

It’s a Fresh, High-Quality Product

One of the main reasons specialty roasted coffee is the best option is how it is processed. There are a variety of processing methods, such as natural, washed, or honey processes, but each of these unique processing methods lends a particular flavor to the coffee before it is roasted. Specialty roasted coffee works in smaller batches unlike large-scale supermarket coffees and receives its high-quality flavor from the growing conditions they are exposed to. Due to the particular production processes of specialty coffee, it is frequently much fresher and of higher quality than supermarket or mass-produced coffees.

It Tastes Better 

Specialty roasted coffees always have the best flavor available in the coffee market. Since it’s fresh, all of the natural sweetness, fruit flavors, and body are accentuated when you brew it. When brewing with specialty techniques like espresso or a moka pot, the difference is clear in the visuals and the flavor — fresh coffee always has a strong layer of crema and a deeply nuanced flavor profile, compared to the empty and hollow-tasting mass-produced alternatives.

The best specialty coffee gets its flavor profile from its growing environment, taking on characteristics that are unique to its region, soil, elevation, and even water source. Each of these factors is something that is, to a large degree, left up to nature, making each harvest and roast cycle a window into the microclimate that produced that coffee. Based on origin, experienced coffee drinkers can pick out the best and most indicative flavors — lemon fruitiness from Ethiopia, spice earthiness from Sumatra, or the nuttiness of South American coffees are all classic notes in the best specialty roasted coffee you can find.

It Supports Communities Around the World

One of the best effects of specialty roasted coffee has been how it uplifts producing regions of the countries coffee is sourced from. Coffee has come a long way since its discovery in Yemen in 1450, and the producing regions that commonly grow coffee today have become increasingly dependent on the industry. As a booming market, lots of money is exchanged in the coffee industry, leading many specialty coffee roasters and cafes to partner directly with farms to source high-quality and ethically-produced coffee from the farms they buy from.

Specialty coffee roasting and production have brought infrastructure and jobs to regions that were lacking them and continue to provide a spotlight on these regions for the world stage. As more coffee is produced under ethical conditions, more producing regions can afford to improve their local communities in ways that matter, further enabling that community to grow. Though not all of this is caused by the coffee industry, it can have a strong impact on the growth and prosperity of a region with the right organization.

It’s a Fun Hobby

The best and highest quality specialty roasted coffee doesn’t have to be reserved for cafes! Specialty coffee is an incredibly deep hobby, with lots of room for exploration, growth, and community to take part in. From coffee enthusiast events like latte art throwdowns to cafe tours in the best coffee cities, specialty roasted coffee has a tightly-knit community full of helpful individuals with a passion for coffee. There are hundreds of special brewing techniques and dozens of special tools and brewing equipment sets to experiment with, each with a particular flavor that makes them unique.

Cupping coffee with friends or developing recipes to try at parties are great ways to bring coffee to your own community, too! Coffee has always been an incredibly communal beverage, and unique ways of drinking it are developed every day on social media and in cutting-edge cafes. Everywhere around the world has its own way of drinking coffee, making it a drink that is truly representative of the community that created it.

Drink High-Quality Specialty Coffee

There are many reasons why specialty roasted coffee is the best coffee to buy, and most of it comes down to quality. Specialty coffee is fresher, has more nuanced flavors, and is a special way of interacting with communities around the world! Almost every place in the world has access to specialty coffee, making it easy to find good coffee no matter where you go. Whether you are pursuing specialty coffee at home or are looking to find the best cafes near you, drinking specialty coffee from third-wave coffee shops and roasters will always steer you in the right direction.