How Green Coffee Becomes Specialty Coffee
(A Look Into Coffee Grading and Quality Standards)
If you've ever wondered how coffee earns the title of "specialty," you're not alone. Specialty coffee isn't just a marketing term—it’s a rigorous standard based on quality, traceability, and flavor. In this guide, we’ll explore how green coffee becomes specialty coffee, how it's graded, and why honest evaluation is critical for maintaining quality across the industry.
What Is Specialty Coffee?
Specialty coffee refers to coffee that scores 80 points or higher on a 100-point scale during a professional cupping evaluation following Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards. It represents the very best of what coffee can offer—unique flavors, precise cultivation, and careful processing from farm to cup.
Unlike commodity coffee, which is mass-produced for quantity, specialty coffee focuses on excellence in every stage, including growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, and brewing.
How Green Coffee Is Selected and Graded
The journey to becoming specialty coffee starts long before roasting. It begins with how the coffee is cultivated, picked, and processed at the farm level.
1. Careful Harvesting
Specialty coffee farmers typically hand-pick only the ripest cherries. Selective harvesting ensures that only fully developed beans, rich in sugars and complexity, move forward in the process.
2. Precision Processing
The method used to process coffee cherries significantly affects flavor:
- Washed (Wet Processed): Produces clean, bright flavors.
- Natural (Dry Processed): Brings out fruity, complex notes.
- Honey Processed: Adds sweetness and body.
Each method is chosen carefully to enhance the coffee’s natural character.
3. Physical Grading of Green Beans
Before roasting, green coffee undergoes a detailed inspection:
- Defects are counted (Specialty coffee must have fewer than five defects per 300g).
- Moisture content is checked (ideal range is 10–12%).
- Bean size and color are evaluated for consistency and freshness.
4. Sensory Evaluation (Cupping)
Certified Q Graders roast a small batch and cup the coffee following SCA protocols. Coffees are scored on attributes like aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, and balance.
If the coffee scores:
- 80–84.99 points: Very Good Specialty Coffee
- 85–89.99 points: Excellent Specialty Coffee
- 90–100 points: Outstanding Specialty Coffee
Only then is it officially considered specialty-grade.
Can Poor-Quality Green Coffee Become Specialty After Roasting?
No. Roasting cannot turn a low-grade coffee into specialty coffee. If the green beans do not meet specialty standards from the beginning, even the best roasting techniques won't create the clarity, sweetness, and complexity required.
Some brands might market dark roasted or "gourmet" coffees as specialty without proper evaluation, but true specialty coffee must meet the strict SCA criteria before roasting.
How Farmers Get Their Coffee Evaluated
Farmers who want their coffee recognized as specialty must submit samples to certified cupping labs:
- Small 300g samples are graded for defects and moisture.
- The coffee is roasted and cupped by Q Graders.
- If the sample meets the standards, the farm receives an official score and documentation for that specific lot.
This certification is valid only for that harvest year and only for the batch evaluated.
Why Re-Evaluation Is Required Every Year
Coffee is a seasonal agricultural product, and its quality changes from year to year due to weather, soil conditions, and processing variations. That's why:
- Specialty certifications expire with each harvest season.
- Farms must resubmit coffee for grading every year to maintain specialty status.
- Buyers expect fresh crop coffees with current evaluations.
Protecting Against Misleading Practices
While it’s possible for a farm to submit a perfect sample and mix in lower-quality coffee for sale, reputable specialty buyers prevent this by:
- Requesting multiple samples from different bags.
- Randomly inspecting shipments upon arrival.
- Building direct trade relationships for full transparency.
If inconsistencies are found, buyers can reject shipments, renegotiate pricing, or cut ties permanently.
Final Thoughts
True specialty coffee represents dedication at every step—from growing and harvesting to grading and roasting. It cannot be faked after the fact, and quality must be proven fresh, year after year.
When sourcing specialty coffee, always look for:
- Verified SCA scores
- Full traceability (farm name, region, altitude, variety)
- Fresh harvests
- Transparent, trusted suppliers
Knowing what to look for empowers you to enjoy the very best coffee experiences and support farmers committed to excellence.
Cheers!
Written by
Soft meets Bold coffee
by Thálita Castro