Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Specialty Coffee Association of America
What is the SCAA?
The SCAA, or (Specialty Coffee Association of America), is an organization that promotes quality. The "SCAA is dedicated to creating a vibrant specialty coffee community, recognizing, developing and promoting specialty coffee by setting and maintaining quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for its members" (SCAA.org).
Does the SCAA support baristas and offer professional development?
The SCAA does indeed support baristas by offering courses which can count towards professional certification and/or credentials, which provide international recognition along with personal accomplishment (SCAA.org).
Cup Of Excellence
What is the Cup of Excellence?
The Cup of Excellence is basically the most distinguished award given to top notch coffee. Only the best of the best is awarded this prestigious title. A rigorous competition determines which coffee will receive the prize. The coffee comes from many different countries, but only very few are awarded the title of excellence.
"Coffees of this exemplary quality are very rare. These coffees are perfectly ripe, carefully picked with well developed body, pleasant aroma and a lively sweetness that only extremely high quality specialty coffees contain. Each winning coffee has its own flavor signature from the earth where it grows and all have been handcrafted in such a way as to enhance these unique characteristics" (cupofexcellence.org).
Why is the COE important?
Why is the Cup of Excellence Important?
• The Cup of Excellence greatly alters our view and expectations of quality coffee.
• Encourages farmers to strive for quality.
• Instead of muddled coffee with no distinguishable characteristics or individual uniqueness, the COE promotes flavor filled coffee for even the trained conoisseur's palate.
• The individual farmer is recognized for his product.
• The COE draws upon a new niche of customers that pay a premium amount for top quality, which helps the businesses of roasters and importers who support COE.
• Consumers look at the COE as a sort of guarantee that the coffee they are purchasing is top notch, because it is judged by professional cuppers.
• The payment to the coffee farmers for their coffee is more than Fair.
• "The Cup of Excellence program builds the bridge between the high quality farmer, the high quality trade and eventually the consumer who finds coffees he truly loves and at the same time knows that the farmer has been well compensated" (cupofexcellence.org).
• The COE has built many international relationships, friendships and partnerships.
• COE is a program that puts its main focus on individual empowerment, training and education with no consideration of gender or economic status (cupofexcellence.org).
• The Cup of Excellence greatly alters our view and expectations of quality coffee.
• Encourages farmers to strive for quality.
• Instead of muddled coffee with no distinguishable characteristics or individual uniqueness, the COE promotes flavor filled coffee for even the trained conoisseur's palate.
• The individual farmer is recognized for his product.
• The COE draws upon a new niche of customers that pay a premium amount for top quality, which helps the businesses of roasters and importers who support COE.
• Consumers look at the COE as a sort of guarantee that the coffee they are purchasing is top notch, because it is judged by professional cuppers.
• The payment to the coffee farmers for their coffee is more than Fair.
• "The Cup of Excellence program builds the bridge between the high quality farmer, the high quality trade and eventually the consumer who finds coffees he truly loves and at the same time knows that the farmer has been well compensated" (cupofexcellence.org).
• The COE has built many international relationships, friendships and partnerships.
• COE is a program that puts its main focus on individual empowerment, training and education with no consideration of gender or economic status (cupofexcellence.org).
What is Specialty Coffee?
Specialty coffee is coffee that has been sustained and maintained from farmer to brewer. The farmer, miller, roaster, and brewer must handle the coffee carefully to ensure that the coffee reaches its full potential. Specialty coffee has been maintained throughout the entire process. The article below explains each of the steps.
"So how do we define specialty coffee? Well, in the broadest sense we define it is as coffee that has met all the tests of survival encountered in the long journey from the coffee tree to the coffee cup. More specifically, we measure it against standards and with methods that allow us to identify coffee that has been properly cared for. For example, while it is not possible to inspect every bean from every farm at the point of harvest, or during processing or drying or shipping, it is possible to employ the standards developed by SCAA to make a meaningful judgment on the preparation of the coffee through aspect grading and to employ a standard cupping protocol to assess the quality of the cup and to discover any defects caused by poor practices that result in a loss of potential for the coffee" (SCAA.org).
"So how do we define specialty coffee? Well, in the broadest sense we define it is as coffee that has met all the tests of survival encountered in the long journey from the coffee tree to the coffee cup. More specifically, we measure it against standards and with methods that allow us to identify coffee that has been properly cared for. For example, while it is not possible to inspect every bean from every farm at the point of harvest, or during processing or drying or shipping, it is possible to employ the standards developed by SCAA to make a meaningful judgment on the preparation of the coffee through aspect grading and to employ a standard cupping protocol to assess the quality of the cup and to discover any defects caused by poor practices that result in a loss of potential for the coffee" (SCAA.org).
Espresso
What is espresso?
Espresso is a caffeinated beverage that is made by forcing a portion of water of about 203 degrees Fahrenheit through very finely ground coffee beans.
How many layers are there?
There are three layers
crema - top layer
body- middle layer
heart-bottom layer
HEART— The heart of the espresso shot is the deep rich brown part of the at the very bottom. It is this section of the espresso shot that contains the bitterness and provides a balance to the sweetness of the espresso’s aroma. If the espresso is ground too coarse or tamped too lightly, the heart will blend with the body and the shot will be weak.
BODY— The body of the espresso shot is the caramelly-brown colored middle layer. If the espresso is ground too finely or tamped too hard, the body will be black or dark brown and the espresso will taste burned.
CREMA— The thin and foamy golden-brown top layer is the crema of the espresso shot. This thin foam of oils contains the espresso's finest aromas and flavors. The flavor and consistency of the espresso can be affected by minor problems, like over or under grinding the beans or tamping the ground espresso beans too lightly or using too much pressure (magscoffee.com).
Espresso is a caffeinated beverage that is made by forcing a portion of water of about 203 degrees Fahrenheit through very finely ground coffee beans.
How many layers are there?
There are three layers
crema - top layer
body- middle layer
heart-bottom layer
HEART— The heart of the espresso shot is the deep rich brown part of the at the very bottom. It is this section of the espresso shot that contains the bitterness and provides a balance to the sweetness of the espresso’s aroma. If the espresso is ground too coarse or tamped too lightly, the heart will blend with the body and the shot will be weak.
BODY— The body of the espresso shot is the caramelly-brown colored middle layer. If the espresso is ground too finely or tamped too hard, the body will be black or dark brown and the espresso will taste burned.
CREMA— The thin and foamy golden-brown top layer is the crema of the espresso shot. This thin foam of oils contains the espresso's finest aromas and flavors. The flavor and consistency of the espresso can be affected by minor problems, like over or under grinding the beans or tamping the ground espresso beans too lightly or using too much pressure (magscoffee.com).
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