Specialty Coffee vs. Commercial Coffee: How to Tell the Difference
When browsing the coffee aisle, you’ll encounter two main types of coffee: specialty coffee and commercial coffee. While both can provide your daily caffeine fix, they vary significantly in terms of quality, flavor, production methods, and how they’re evaluated. Here's an in-depth look at what sets these two categories apart and how you can identify the difference between them.
1. Quality and Grading Standards
- Specialty Coffee: Specialty coffee refers to the highest quality beans, often grown in ideal climates and carefully processed to preserve their unique characteristics. To be classified as "specialty," coffee beans must score 80 or above on a 100-point scale established by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). This score is given by certified Q Graders, who evaluate the coffee based on factors like aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and aftertaste. Any defects in the beans must be minimal, ensuring a consistent, premium product.
- Commercial Coffee: Commercial-grade coffee, on the other hand, doesn't go through such rigorous grading. Often, it includes beans of varying quality, and defects like inconsistent size, shape, or minor imperfections are more acceptable. These beans are typically mass-produced and often sourced from multiple regions, leading to a less consistent flavor profile.
2. Production and Sourcing
- Specialty Coffee: Specialty coffee beans are usually traceable to a specific farm or cooperative. These farms often adopt sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. Specialty coffee growers tend to prioritize quality over quantity, focusing on optimal growing conditions such as elevation, climate, and soil composition. The attention to detail extends through the entire process, from selective hand-picking of ripe cherries to careful processing methods that enhance the beans’ natural flavors.
- Commercial Coffee: Commercial coffee is generally sourced from multiple farms or regions, often purchased in bulk through large commodity markets. These beans are typically grown with the goal of maximizing yield, not quality. The focus is on meeting high demand, which sometimes leads to the use of mechanized harvesting methods, where beans of varying ripeness are collected together. This can result in a less nuanced and more standardized flavor.
3. Roasting Process
- Specialty Coffee: Specialty coffee is often roasted in small batches by artisans who carefully monitor the process to bring out the unique flavors of the beans. The roast profile is tailored to each batch, with the goal of enhancing the beans' natural characteristics, such as fruity, floral, or nutty notes. Specialty roasters also aim for a balanced roast that highlights acidity and complexity, whether light, medium, or dark roasted.
- Commercial Coffee: Commercial coffee is usually roasted in large quantities and to a darker level, often beyond what is necessary to mask inconsistencies or defects in the beans. The roasting process is more industrialized and less precise, leading to a more uniform but less distinctive flavor. The focus is typically on creating a consistent, widely appealing taste, rather than showcasing the beans' unique characteristics.
4. Flavor Profile
- Specialty Coffee: Specialty coffee is known for its complex and diverse flavor profiles. Depending on the origin and processing method, you might experience hints of berries, chocolate, citrus, or even floral tones. The flavors are layered and nuanced, making each cup a unique sensory experience. Specialty coffee also tends to have a cleaner and brighter acidity, which contributes to its refreshing and balanced taste.
- Commercial Coffee: Commercial coffee usually has a simpler, more uniform taste. The flavors are often dominated by bitterness, with some earthy or nutty notes, but lacking the complexity and depth found in specialty coffee. Since these beans are typically roasted darker, you might also notice a more pronounced burnt or smoky flavor.
5. Price Point
- Specialty Coffee: Due to the careful production and higher quality, specialty coffee generally commands a higher price. This premium price reflects the costs associated with sustainable farming practices, hand-picking, small-batch roasting, and the overall attention to quality. Consumers are paying for a superior product, and this price is often passed on to farmers, who receive higher compensation for their premium beans.
- Commercial Coffee: Commercial coffee is more affordable, largely because it is mass-produced, with less emphasis on quality. The lower price also reflects the economies of scale, as well as the use of mechanized harvesting and blending beans from various sources to reduce costs.
How to Tell the Difference
- Check the Label: Specialty coffee often provides detailed information on the packaging, such as the farm or region where the beans were grown, the elevation, and tasting notes. In contrast, commercial coffee usually lacks this level of detail, offering only generic terms like "100% Arabica" or "dark roast."
- Look for Certifications: Specialty coffee often comes with certifications like Fair Trade, Organic, or Rainforest Alliance, indicating ethical sourcing and environmentally friendly practices. While some commercial coffees may also carry these certifications, they are more common in specialty brands.
- Evaluate the Price: Specialty coffee is typically more expensive, reflecting the higher quality and production costs. If the price seems too low, it’s likely commercial-grade coffee.
- Observe the Roast Date: Specialty coffee is usually roasted in smaller batches, and the roast date is often printed on the packaging to ensure freshness. Commercial coffee, however, may not always display this information, and it often has a longer shelf life due to mass production and packaging processes.
- Taste the Difference: The most obvious way to distinguish between the two is by tasting them. Specialty coffee will offer a more complex, flavorful, and balanced cup, while commercial coffee will have a simpler, more uniform taste.
Conclusion
The key differences between specialty coffee and commercial coffee lie in the quality of beans, production methods, and attention to detail throughout the entire supply chain. While specialty coffee may come at a higher price, it delivers a superior, more nuanced experience. Understanding these distinctions will help you make informed choices and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into every cup of specialty coffee.
At Jade Tea Lab, we strive to source the best coffee beans with the most unique flavor profiles. Check out our dark roast specialty coffee here.
Click here for our medium roast specialty coffee.