So the buzz about Specialty coffee has finally reached you, and you are wondering if you are missing out on something. Your usual instant coffee gives the perfect start to your morning, and you couldn’t ask for more. Well, it turns out, you could ask for more, a lot more. A single sip can catapult you into a stimulating world of flavours like chocolate, caramel, floral, berries, citrus and many more. Welcome to the world of premium Specialty coffee blends. This is where your passionate love for coffee will attain its true meaning. To appreciate the difference, let us first try to understand instant coffee.
What is Instant Coffee?
Instant coffee is made from green coffee beans. The coffee beans are roasted by heating them in large rotating drums. Once roasted, the beans are crushed into a coarse powder, following which the coffee is brewed in giant columns using hot water and high pressure. Instant coffee is brewed in massive quantities. After the brewing process is over, the concentrated liquid coffee is dried in factories using one of the methods – spray drying or freeze drying. This process results in coffee granules or powder that can dissolve instantly after coming into contact with hot water. Due to its mass production, instant coffee is usually affordable. It is convenient to use and has a long shelf life.
What is Specialty Coffee?
Specialty coffee is a different world altogether. Specialty coffee is the finest grade of coffee available. Premium Specialty coffee blends score 80 points or above on a 100-point scale certified by the Specialty Coffee Association. These are 100% handpicked beans grown in an ideal climate at high altitude, with full traceability to specific farms. The soil is nurtured for months to plant the right coffee variety at the desired altitude and location. A seasoned farmer picks the ripest cherries and diligently sorts the best from the rest. Post-harvest processing includes meticulous sorting, advanced fermentation techniques, and precise drying methods, all of which contribute to the distinctive flavour and clarity of the extracted green beans. Roasting is done by subjecting small batches of raw green beans to controlled heat in a rotating drum roaster. During the roasting process, the concept of first cracks helps preserve the bright origin characteristics, delicate sweetness, and unique environmental factors that contribute to the taste of coffee beans. First crack is a loud, popping sound that happens when internal steam and carbon dioxide pressure fracture the coffee bean during roasting
How does Specialty Coffee taste different?
Specialty coffee for home delivers a more evolved taste with intricate layers of fruit, floral or chocolate notes. These are called terroir notes that highlight the qualities of the region where the coffee is grown. There is an inherent sweetness that is characteristic of Specialty coffee. This sweetness is a result of the ripest, best-quality beans picked for Specialty coffee. Precise roasting transforms this sweetness into aromatic caramel or fruity notes that become the hallmark of fresh roasted coffee beans. Instant coffee, on the other hand, offers a standardized taste that lacks distinct regional subtleties and sweet aromas as a result of harsh industrial drying processes.
What’s special about Specialty Coffee: The Quality Comparison
Specialty coffee is the highest quality of coffee available that scores 80 points or above out of 100 on a professional tasting scale set by the Specialty Coffee Association. This certification assures zero primary defects and full traceability to distinct regional farms. Specialty coffee offers authentic flavours that are preserved and protected all through farming, harvesting and processing.
Instant coffee quality can be highly irregular as it depends mainly on the processing method and the bean type.
How is Specialty Coffee brewed?
Instant coffee does not need brewing as it is prepared from coffee beans that go through industrial roasting, grinding and brewing before being dried into soluble crystals or powder.
Brewing Specialty coffee for home, on the other hand, is a beautiful science that highlights the distinct taste profiles of each fresh roasted coffee beans. Some popular Specialty Coffee brewing methods are:
- Pour -Over: It works with medium to medium coarse grind size coffee. Coffee is brewed by percolation, in which hot water passes through a paper or metal filter containing coffee grounds. It yields an exceptionally clean and bright flavour profile.
- French press: It works with coarse ground coffee. Coffee is brewed by immersion as coarse coffee particles steep completely submerged in hot water before a mesh plunger separates the grounds. It yields a heavy-bodied and deeply textured profile.
- Aeropress: It works with medium fine grind size coffee. Coffee is brewed through pressure and immersion as air pressure created by manual plunger forces water through grounds and a micro-filter. It yields a clean and punchy textured profile.
- Espresso: It works with finely ground coffee. Coffee is brewed under high pressure as espresso machine forces pressurized water through a tightly packed puck of ultra-fine coffee. It yields a highly intense and dense profile.
Freshness & Roast Quality
Instant coffee’s quality and freshness can vary with the initial bean roast. Also, whether the coffee is freeze-dried or spray-dried determines the shelf life and freshness of the coffee. Instant coffee stays aromatic for a few months or over a few years, depending on airtight packaging.
Premium Specialty Coffee blends maintain distinct origin notes and aroma for a comparatively shorter period, up to 3 months.
Which Coffee Should You Choose?
If coffee for you is just a beverage that wakes you up in the morning and gets you going through the day, instant coffee might be the convenient option for you. But if you truly want to indulge in the magic that a cup of coffee can brew,the world of Specialty Coffee awaits you. With Specialty coffee you enter a whirlwind of authentic flavour, rich quality and distinct taste that is hard to emulate.
Best Specialty Coffee Options for Beginners
If you have decided to dive into the world of specialty coffee, Premium Specialty Coffee blends by Pause & Pour can introduce you to the true intoxication that Specialty coffee is all about. We source our coffee beans from the most exquisite and offbeat coffee estates that bring alive an amalgamation of unique flavours with each batch of coffee. We put our heart and soul into processing the coffee following the most elaborate specialty coffee techniques and bring to your table a cup of coffee that has a special story to tell. Order your first pack of Specialty coffee and you will know that this is your path.
FAQ’s
- Is Specialty coffee healthier?
Yes, specialty coffee can be a healthy choice when enjoyed in moderation. High-quality beans, such as those offered by Pause and Pour, naturally contain antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. The overall health impact also depends on how much coffee you drink and what you add to it. For a simple, healthier option, enjoy freshly brewed specialty coffee with minimal added sugar, cream, or syrups.
2. What is the difference between specialty coffee and normal coffee?
The main difference between specialty coffee and normal coffee lies in the quality of the beans, sourcing, and overall coffee experience. Specialty coffee is carefully grown, selected, processed, and roasted to bring out its unique flavours and characteristics. Normal or commercial coffee may focus more on consistency and large-scale production. At Pause and Pour, we focus on quality coffee experiences with thoughtfully selected and roasted beans, helping you enjoy distinctive flavours in every cup.
3. What are the benefits of drinking specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee offers a richer flavour experience and is naturally packed with antioxidants. Because the beans are carefully sourced and roasted to preserve their unique characteristics, specialty coffee can provide a smoother and more enjoyable cup. Choosing freshly roasted specialty coffee from Pause and Pour can also help you explore very unique coffees from different regions and estates that offer very distinctive flavor notes in your daily cup.
4 . What are some examples of specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee includes single-origin coffees, estate coffees, micro-lots, and high-quality blendsmade from carefully sourced beans. Indian specialty coffees from regions such as Chikmagalur, Coorg, Araku Valley, Koraput, Nagaland and few others are known for their distinct flavors. Pause and Pour offers thoughtfully selected Indian coffees and blends for coffee lovers looking for quality and unique taste.
5. What makes specialty coffee different in taste?
Specialty coffee is known for its more distinct and complex flavour profiles. Depending on the bean’s origin, roast, and processing method, you may notice fruity, floral, nutty, chocolatey, or caramel-like notes. Unlike standard coffee, specialty coffee focuses more on preserving the unique character of the beans.
6. Is specialty coffee good for everyday drinking?
Yes, specialty coffee can easily be part of your everyday routine when enjoyed in moderation. Freshly roasted specialty beans can offer a smoother, more flavorful cup, often without the need to add sugar or artificial flavors. Pause and Pour makes it easy to enjoy quality coffee as part of your daily coffee ritual.
