What is specialty coffee?
Coffee that scores at least 80 out of 100 points in a standardized SCA tasting. Evaluated criteria include aroma, acidity, body, balance, and defects. The term encompasses the entire supply chain, from cultivation to brewing.
Why that is
"Specialty coffee" is not a marketing term, but a measurable level of quality. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has defined clear criteria for evaluating coffee. Not every good coffee is specialty—and not everything that calls itself specialty deserves the title.
The scoring system:
Trained Q-Graders (certified coffee tasters) evaluate green coffee in a standardized cupping process based on ten criteria:
| Points | Classification |
|---|---|
| 80–84.99 | Specialty (Very Good) |
| 85–89.99 | Specialty (Excellent) |
| 90–100 | Specialty (Outstanding) |
| Below 80 | Not Specialty Coffee |
Only a few hundred coffees worldwide achieve over 90 points each year. In the supermarket, you'll generally find coffees under 80 points—so-called "Commercial Grade."
What defines specialty coffee — the entire chain:
- Cultivation: Often at higher altitudes, selective harvesting (only ripe cherries), careful processing.
- Processing: Washed, natural, or honey—each method creates different flavor profiles. Care and control are crucial.
- Roasting: Small batches in drum roasters, customized profiles for each bean. The goal: to highlight the origin flavors, not cover them up.
- Brewing: Controlled parameters (water, temperature, grind size, brew time) to unlock the bean's potential.
- Transparency: Origin country, region, farm, processing method, harvest year—everything is communicated.
Specialty vs. supermarket coffee:
Supermarket coffee is roasted industrially (2–5 minutes at high heat), from anonymous blends of various origin countries, often with a proportion of Robusta. Specialty coffee is drum-roasted more slowly (about 9–15 minutes), mostly single-origin or an intentional blend, with full transparency about its origin.
In practice at Green Wall Coffee
At Sophienstraße 27, we work exclusively with specialty coffee, meaning coffees scoring over 80 SCA points. Our single origins are named after where they come from — so every guest can trace what's in their cup.
Stop by Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg — Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.
Further reading
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- What do terms like fruity, chocolatey, nutty mean on the packaging? — Flavor, Sensory & Aromas
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All questions in this topic: Specialty Coffee & Industry