Third-wave coffee

Third-wave coffee is a movement that considers high-quality coffee as an artisanal product, like wine, rather than a basic commodity. This movement involves improvements at all stages of production, from improving coffee plant growing, harvesting, and processing, to stronger relationships between coffee growers, traders, and roasters, to higher quality and fresh roasting, at times called "microroasting" (by analogy with microbrew beer), to skilled brewing and serving.

History

The term "third wave" was coined by Trish Rothgeb of Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters in a 2002 article in The Flamekeeper, a newsletter of the Roasters Guild. The first wave of American coffee culture was probably the 19th-century surge that put Folgers on every table, and the second was the proliferation, starting in the 1960s at Peet's and moving smartly through the Starbucks grande decaf latte, of espresso drinks and regionally labeled coffee. We are now in the third wave of coffee connoisseurship, where beans are sourced from farms instead of countries, roasting is about bringing out rather than incinerating the unique characteristics of each bean, and the flavor is clean and hard and pure.

Characteristics

Third-wave coffee has several key characteristics. These include high-quality beans, often single-origin; direct trade; lighter roasts; and skilled brewing. Third-wave coffee places a large emphasis on quality and sustainability, from the farming and harvesting of the coffee beans to the distribution and brewing of the coffee.

High-Quality Beans

Third-wave coffee roasters often use high-quality, specialty coffee beans. These beans are often single-origin, meaning they come from a single country, region, and farm. This allows the unique flavors and characteristics of the coffee to shine through.

Direct Trade

Direct trade is a common practice in third-wave coffee. This involves the roaster buying directly from the coffee farmer, cutting out any middlemen. This not only ensures the quality of the coffee, but also allows the farmer to receive a fair price for their product.

Lighter Roasts

Third-wave coffee roasters often favor lighter roasts. This allows the unique flavors of the coffee to come through, rather than being masked by the flavor of the roast.

Skilled Brewing

Third-wave coffee also involves skilled brewing. Baristas are trained to understand the science of brewing coffee, from the grind size to the water temperature, to ensure the best possible cup of coffee.

Impact

The third-wave coffee movement has had a significant impact on the coffee industry. It has led to a greater emphasis on quality and sustainability, and has changed the way many people view and consume coffee. It has also led to the growth of many small, independent coffee roasters and cafes.

See Also

• Coffee roasting
• Specialty coffee
• Direct trade
• Single-origin coffee

References

• "From Farm To Cup: Third Wave Coffee Movement Makes Waves"
• "What Is Third Wave Coffee, and How Did We Get Here?"
• "Third Wave Coffee: What Is It and How Did We Get Here?"