What exactly is SCAA?

I think the handsome word "Specialty coffee" is about to become a household name in Taiwan. There are many cafes with the name of boutique coffee in Taiwan (of course, vvcafe also hangs), but in fact, the meaning of the word "boutique coffee" is not so clear, so most people still can't tell whether it is in line with the spirit of boutique coffee. Let's talk about the definition of boutique coffee.

Boutique Coffee definition SCAA

The following is what is premium coffee (what is premium coffee) on the website of the American Fine Coffee Association? )

Professional coffee can exist consistently through the dedication of employees who are committed to improving the quality of life and work. This is not the work of only one person in the coffee bean life cycle; professionalism only happens when all participants in the coffee value chain coordinate and maintain a passion for standards and excellence. This is not an easy task, but because of these professionals, there are a lot of specialty coffee around the world that may be in your corner.

The sustainable development of fine coffee must be through the contribution of a group of people committed to maintaining high quality, not just one person in the coffee bean production process.

From the beginning to the end, all links in the production chain must work together, abide by the norms and continue to improve in order to create boutique coffee.

This is not a simple achievement, because a group of dedicated operators, there are a lot of boutique coffee blooming around the world, even around you.

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In the past, the eyes of fine coffee sometimes focused on the production process of raw coffee beans, sometimes on roasting, sometimes out of the cup.

At present, SCAA seems to want to tell consumers that the "boutique coffee" that is really delivered to you is the result of the joint efforts of every link, which is actually a relatively pertinent definition, because if anything goes wrong, the boutique coffee in front of you may really become a bad bad coffee.

SCAA also describes the important roles in the production process, so let's move on:

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Get to know people who are committed to fine coffee

Definition of boutique coffee

Farmers

Great coffee begins with producers, and their families may have spent generations perfecting their methods to grow the best coffee. Before the first harvest, cultivated and cultivated in selected heights and climatic conditions for several years, the producers of special coffee are committed to improving and perfecting the highest quality coffee on the planet. For them, quality and quantity are not the most important considerations. Only coffee has no defects, and picking at the peak of maturity will continue to the next hand that will shape them. For farmers, the ability to connect with quality-conscious buyers ensures higher profit options, thereby supporting individuals, families and communities around the world.

Farmers

High-quality coffee began with generations of producers who tried their best to grow high-quality coffee and had to take good care of the selected altitude and climate for several years before the first harvest. The boutique coffee maker dedicated his or her life to improve the best quality coffee in the world.

For them, quality is the most important consideration, not production. Only when the coffee is flawless and in the most mature state can it move on to the next production process.

For farmers, trade with quality and conscientious buyers as much as possible in order to make higher profits to support their personal, family and community lives.

Green coffee buyer

Next, the green coffee is transferred to the green coffee buyer, who can pass SCAA certification as a certified coffee taster or coffee quality research institute (CQI) as a licensed Q. They taste as good as sommeliers and can acutely identify the quality of coffee by cupping or systematic tasting of brewed coffee. Through cupping, coffee tasters can evaluate the score of coffee and determine whether it is of professional quality, determine the coffee they will include in their products, and often develop tasting notes and descriptions of coffee on their final packaging. Green coffee buyers play an important role in conveying coffee messages to bakers and cafe staff.

Raw bean merchant

The raw beans are then taken over by raw bean merchants, some of whom are certified by SCAA cup side specialists or coffee quality appraisers of the Coffee quality Institute (CQI).

Their professional cup testers can acutely distinguish the quality of coffee through cup testing and systematic brewing of coffee.

Through the cup test, cup testers will grade the coffee and determine which ones meet the quality requirements of the selected coffee to determine the items to be purchased, and they will also share their flavor description in the product packaging.

Raw bean merchants provide a great deal of information to coffee roasters and coffee workers.

Baker

The next step is to transfer high-quality coffee to a Roasters Guild-certified coffee roaster who has completed hours of courses and hands-on training to roast specialty beans skillfully. Coffee roasting is an art that requires a high degree of knowledge and experience to produce professional baking profiles. Coffee must be closely monitored during roasting, and the scientific principles of heat conduction, thermodynamics and coffee chemistry must be adopted to ensure that the quality and flavor of the final roasted beans meet the highest standards.

Baker

The high-quality coffee is then transferred to the roasters, some of whom are certified by the American Baker Association (RG) to complete multi-hour roasting courses and practical training in roasting high-quality coffee raw beans.

Coffee roasting is an art, must have a wealth of knowledge and experience in order to complete the boutique level of coffee roasting.

Coffee roasting must be closely monitored in the early stages of conductivity, thermodynamics and chemistry to ensure that the final roasted coffee beans have the highest quality and flavor.

Once the special coffee beans reach the retail environment, they have passed the level 3 inspection to ensure a very high level of quality control, but this process has not yet been completed. The BARISTA, which may be certified by the American baristas Association as having completed a large number of course assignments and hands-on training, is the ultimate coffee professional to ensure the completion of the professional bean life cycle. Professional Baristas is not only skilled in the operation of brewing equipment; they often have an in-depth understanding of the origin of coffee beans and the flavor characteristics of coffee beans in the brewing process. If special beans are not brewed correctly, their true taste may be lost; Barista ensures that each bean meets the promise of full brewing.

Barista

Once the boutique coffee beans reach the retail channel, it means that they have passed the high standards of quality control in the first three stages, but have not yet completed all the processes.

Some baristas are certified by the American baristas Association to complete multi-hour bar courses and practical training to professionally complete the final stage of boutique coffee bean production.

Professional baristas are not only adept at operating coffee brewing equipment, but also have an in-depth understanding of the production experience of coffee beans and are able to dig out the flavor hidden in coffee beans.

If the boutique coffee is not extracted as correctly as possible, it may lose its true flavor. The barista ensures that every coffee bean is fully extracted.

Definition of SCAA Fine Coffee

Comsumer

Don't want to see yourself on this list? In fact, consumers complete the life cycle of special coffee beans by actively looking for and choosing special coffee options. When you take the time to find a local coffee bar or restaurant dedicated to improving the quality, or take the time to learn from your baristas the people whose hands and passions produce the cups you are enjoying, so that you can learn more about the choices. You show not only a commitment to a higher standard of taste and taste, but also a commitment to a higher standard of living for everyone who contributes to it.

Consumer

Didn't you think you were part of the boutique coffee industry? In fact, it is consumers who actively seek and choose to complete the final production of boutique coffee.

When you take the time to find a high-quality local coffee shop or bean roaster, you can further learn from the barista that enjoying a cup of boutique coffee depends on the dedication and enthusiasm of many people, which will enable you to make smarter choices. you pursue not only the highest standards of coffee quality and flavor, but also the excellence of every character in the boutique coffee production process.

Boutique coffee is also known as rare coffee or precious coffee, boutique coffee can only grow in the ideal growing environment.

Because it is planted in the unique local conditions, boutique coffee has a special flavor.

Erna. Rna Knutsen

Coffee beans with unique flavor are produced under special local conditions.

It can be seen that the above two definitions are based on the growth environment and flavor of coffee beans, and do not extend to other parts.

On the other hand, the latest definition of SCAA boutique coffee extends to the entire coffee production process, from the cultivation, processing, raw bean merchants, bakers, baristas and even consumers of coffee beans.

I quite agree with the definition that this link is very long and the quality requirements are a bit exaggerated, because it more faithfully reflects the current situation of fine coffee.

Of course, Taiwan is a region with relatively developed boutique coffee. at present, there are more than 3000 roasters (including cafes, roasters, baking studios, individuals, etc.) in Taiwan, which is ridiculously high in terms of Taiwan's population and area. it makes sense to have the highest roasting rate in the world.

Definition of boutique coffee

Therefore, we may not be able to understand the difficulty of this definition. After all, it is not very difficult to find a coffee shop at the manor level as long as we have the will.

Perhaps only half an hour's drive, all counties and cities can find some cafes that cultivate boutique coffee, roasting super high-end beans of coe in their own small world, telling you the greatness of this cup of coffee in front of you.

Taiwan is the best spokesman for boutique coffee. Fully conforms to the definition

However, this is not the norm in the world. Whether it is a country with a long history of drinking coffee, they may drink a lot of commercial coffee (just as Taiwanese drink soya-bean milk) and never feel the need to look for more high-quality coffee; or countries that do not drink coffee at all. You can't even find a cafe with manor beans, and of course no one thinks of looking for it at all.

That's why SCAA uses this soft appeal to tell more people that the real value of fine coffee is not to stay away from the crowd, but to push back from consumers to the production side and jointly pursue higher quality coffee.