Understanding Specialty Coffee: Consignment Terms

To satisfy the huge spectrum of specialty coffee buyers, there have been many terms coined to represent the various coffee units distinguished by the origin, packaging, quality, and other inherent characteristics including the processing method and mode of shipment.

Specialty coffee is coffee that scores highly after analysis. Coffee that scores above 80 points is considered a specialty coffee and is the most sought-after. The other types are premium coffee and commercial coffee, however, specialty coffee is the most expensive one and it is of very high quality to maximize its potential, and coffee buyers and roasters have a specific way of sourcing it.

Specialty Coffee Terms.

To attain specialty classification, Specialty coffee has to have a minimum number of allowed defects, score highly on the cupping scores, and be very presentable in the roast phase. Some of the terms that are used in the specialty coffee world include Micro-lots, Single-origins, Blends, and Single-farm among others. Let’s expound on each and why there exist so many terms to refer to green coffee consignments.

Micro-Lots.

There is no universal agreed meaning for this term but in general, a micro-lot is a small, exclusive, and traceable lot(s) of coffee. It is very important for a roaster or any coffee buyer to understand that there exist several definitions as to what a Micro lot means. Depending on who you ask, the meanings differ but all agree on one aspect: exclusivity.

Micro lots in coffee are “pure” coffees, so to speak. This means they are unmixed with any other lots. The base is green coffee from the same area, harvested at the same time, processed together under similar conditions, and stored together. The coffee is graded to complete the definition of micro-lots.

Ungraded coffee is not a very good seller due to inconsistencies in roasting. After grading, each grade is packaged separately into micro-lots. For instance, a graded micro-lot will have an AA Micro- lot, a PB micro- lot and so on.

Micro–lots are expensive, unique in taste and flavors, and usually sold as limited editions. Micro-lots may later be mixed with other lots to have some high-scoring blends.

Single – Origin Specialty Coffee.

Single-origin coffee refers to specialty coffee that has been sourced from the same geographical region in a producing country. This may be a location or region with the same climatic and topographical conditions that ensure the coffee from that region generally has similar quality characteristics.

It is important to note that even though some coffees are labeled as single origins, they may have vast differences in their cup profiles. In some coffee origins, the growing areas have very different growing conditions. For instance, green coffees from a single-producing country may come from the lowlands while others from the same country may come from the highlands.

Green coffee from the highlands matures at a slower rate than the one from the low-lying areas due to the altitude and temperature difference. Therefore, the highlands coffee will be more balanced with a fuller body while the coffee from the lowlands will be less full. But all this coffee is labeled as a single origin.

Specialty coffee from one cooperative society may also be termed as Single – Origin. This will be coffee from various farms but will be processed and stored together. This gives some distinct flavor profiles and is close to single-farm quality. Coffee from cooperatives usually has uniform roast profiles because it is produced as a unit by the farmers who follow set guidelines.

Single – Farm / Single – Estate Specialty Coffee.

These are specific single-origin coffees. Single farm refers to coffee that is from the same season/crop, same harvesting period, same processing, and subsequent storage. The single estate is similar to a single farm with the exception that estates are usually larger farms with processing and marketing capabilities.

It is very easy to trace these specialty coffees back to the originating farm and even the conditions that the coffees were subjected to such as agronomic practices, region altitudes, processing methods, and even packaging methods. These single farms or single estates are mainly used to brew black coffees such as espressos due to their uniform characteristics.

Blends.

A coffee blend is a coffee lot that contains a mixture of coffees from different origins. This means that the coffee cannot be traced to a single origin. Usually, these blends are used by cafés to brew milk-based coffees such as cappuccinos, lattes, or even flat whites.

Blends may be single–origins, single farms, or single–estate coffees that have been mixed with other coffees to produce a coffee with unique flavor characteristics. Roasters blend these specialty coffee depending on cupping profiles to come up with a distinct coffee that is unique and complex.

Blends are also very popular in coffee championships such as barista competitions. One can easily layer in bodies to coffees that have the right acidity and flavor but lack body. Similarly, one can blend coffees with light acidity with bright acidity coffees to have a well-balanced cup.

Blends are tricky to prepare and require some in-depth knowledge and awareness of green coffee. Each constituent coffee in the blend is carefully selected based on its characteristics and the ratios are carefully calculated so as to have the desired quality scores. If the ratios are wrong, the whole blend will lose value and will be a huge loss to the roaster.

The ratios depend on the coffee being blended. For instance, if the base coffee is brightly acidic, the layer should not be acidic so as to compensate. Blends give the roaster flexibility and the ability to attend to a large spectrum of clients.

Blends give the roasters and the coffee shops flexibility and a chance to be creative and play around with the various profiles. A Ugandan Robusta blended with a Vietnamese robusta will create a totally different and unique flavor provided the blending was done just right.

Similarly, a PB from Tanzania blended with a Guatemalan PB will create an exciting, wild-tasting coffee that would appeal to a large clientele. The flexibility also extends to seasonality. Roasters can formulate a seasonal blend depending on the season and availability of the constituent coffees.

Proper cupping is required to come up with distinctive and totally unique blends. With proper understanding of the various profiles from different origins is a required skill when developing coffee blends.

Importance Of Specialty Coffee

Knowing the different Specialty Coffee consignment option to use is very important to a buyer, roaster, or coffee shop. It not only saves time but also saves on costs associated with the acquisition of these Specialty Coffee . Understanding the client’s preferences and tastes makes choosing the right options easier.

Green Coffee from a single origin is mostly used for specific purposes such as brewing specialty black coffees such as espressos. Many coffee connoisseurs prefer them over blends due to their unique tastes, flavor notes, and exotic touches. A Kenyan single origin, for instance, will have very bright acidity while a Costa Rica honey processed single origin will have wild flavors that excite the coffee consumer.

Traceability is enhanced by knowing the right consignment options to use. Understanding where the coffee originated from is crucial to a coffee business. It will guide you on what to use the coffee for. Coffees from lower regions are better for espresso-based drinks, for instance. With single origins, it is easy to trace the coffee back to its source and even understand the processes it has undergone.

Specialty coffee sourcing also creates a positive impact on the lives of the producers by creating long-lasting relationships. Most of the coffees that fall under specialty coffee are best sourced directly from their producers. The prices of micro-lots and single origins are higher which allows farmers to earn more for their coffee which provide them with an incentive to produce even higher quality coffee. This is an important part of the coffee sustainability efforts.

In conclusion, it is crucial to understand these different specialty coffee options available and how to acquire the various coffees on offer. At AGnimble, the whole process of acquiring these coffees has been eased and streamlined. Create a free account here to start a whole new journey of sourcing quality specialty coffee directly from farmers.