What is specialty coffee and why does it make a difference?

What is considered specialty coffee?

Specialty coffee is coffee that meets strict criteria for quality, traceability, and bean treatment throughout the entire chain: from cultivation to the cup.
According to international standards, it is coffee that scores more than 80 points out of 100 in professional cupping and has minimal or no defects.

It's not a passing trend: it's an objective quality classification.

The origin of coffee: where it all begins

Specialty coffee begins at its origin, on farms where care is taken with:

• the botanical variety (100% Arabica)

• the altitude

• the climate

• the selective harvesting of ripe beans

Unlike industrial coffee, green, unripe, or defective beans are not mixed here.

100% Arabica: the foundation of quality coffee

Specialty coffee works exclusively with Arabica varieties, because:

• they have greater aromatic complexity

• they offer balanced and pleasant acidity

• they present less bitterness

• they allow natural notes (chocolate, nuts, fruit, caramel...) to be appreciated

At Cafesytes.com, we only work with 100% Arabica coffees, because it is the only possible foundation for high-quality coffee.

Natural process: respecting the bean's flavor

The natural process consists of drying the coffee with the entire cherry, allowing the fruit's natural sugars to influence the final flavor.

This method:

• provides natural sweetness

• enhances body and aroma

• maintains the identity of the origin

That's why all our coffees are Arabica and natural.

Roasting: where everything is gained or lost

An excellent coffee can be ruined by bad roasting.

In specialty coffee, roasting:

• does not seek to hide defects

• does not burn the bean

• adapts to the coffee's profile

We work with Supracafé, roasted in Móstoles (Madrid), which allows us to offer fresh coffee, with roasts designed to respect aromas and balance, not to produce bitterness.

A well-executed medium roast allows the coffee to express its best qualities.

Why does specialty coffee taste different?

Because it is not designed for mass production, but for enjoyment.

In the cup, you notice:

• greater aroma

• cleaner flavors

• absence of burnt taste

• balance between acidity, sweetness, and body

Many customers tell us the same thing:

“Now I understand what coffee really tastes like.”

Specialty coffee at home: no need to be an expert

One of the great advantages of specialty coffee is that it does not require you to be a barista to enjoy it.

With:

• good coffee

• appropriate grind

• clean coffee maker

the difference is immediate.

That's why we recommend starting with a natural Arabica with a medium roast, adapted to your coffee maker.

Our experience at Cafesytes

After more than 30 years working with coffee in a physical store, we know that specialty coffee is not a trend: it is getting things right again.

We select coffees that we would drink ourselves, explain how to prepare them, and guide the customer to truly enjoy every cup.

All the coffee we offer at Cafesytes.com, both in our physical store and online, meets the fundamental criteria of specialty coffee: quality, origin, process, roast, and freshness.

Because good coffee doesn't need artificiality, just respect for the product.