Do you know what boutique coffee is? what's so special about premium hand-brewed coffee?

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What is boutique coffee? I believe many people have thought about this question, both in the coffee industry and coffee lovers will ask the question of boutique coffee, is it expensive in the word "boutique"? What kind of coffee can be called fine coffee, and what is the definition of fine coffee in different countries.

Boutique coffee (Specialty Coffee)

As a proper term, it was first put forward by Ms. Erna Knustsen, who is known as the godmother of boutique coffee, in the Tea and Coffee monthly (Tea& Coffee Trade Journal) in 1974, highlighting that "only in the most favorable microclimate, soil and water, can we cultivate boutique coffee with unique flavor", in order to distinguish it from the commercial coffee in the New York futures market.

In 1972, Ms. Knudsen co-founded the American Fine Coffee Association (SCAA,Specialty Coffee Association of America) with six others, including Donald N. Schoenholt, and the word "specialty coffee" became a global language. Knudsen has always been opposed to the coffee industry blindly pursuing the invariance and monotonicity of flavor with low-cost formula beans, ignoring the unique "Terroir" of coffee from different producing areas, that is, different soil, variety, climate, and soil and water, resulting in different coffee flavor, which is the soul of fine coffee. Without the unique regional flavor, it is not fine coffee, but ordinary commercial beans or canned coffee (large canned coffee beans or powder).

Ms. Knudsen first put forward the concept of boutique coffee, emphasizing the relationship between upstream planting environment and coffee quality. Now, the American Fine Coffee Association has redefined the concept of boutique coffee: carefully select the most suitable variety and plant it in the altitude, climate, soil and water environment that is most conducive to the development of coffee flavor. Careful washing and sun processing, select the most advanced raw beans without defects, and deliver them to customers with zero defects in the transportation process.

After the superb craftsmanship of the roaster, it leads to the richest regional flavor, and then brews delicious coffee in a recognized way of extraction. According to this definition, the connotation of fine coffee not only includes the most core factor of planting environment, but also includes three key processes: raw bean treatment process, baking process and extraction (brewing) process. In short, boutique coffee should be a high-quality coffee with "good raw beans, good roasting and good extraction".

Boutique coffee (Specialty Coffee) has spread to the world since 1980 in the United States. Although there is still no exact definition of fine coffee, but when it comes to the difference between fine coffee and ordinary coffee, that is, the clear information of coffee production and manufacture, and the unique flavor and taste, in short, fine coffee usually brings you a very beautiful or amazing coffee experience. Previously, people mostly focused on coffee roasting differences and brewing methods, but since the rise of the concept of boutique coffee, people's pursuit of the original flavor and quality of coffee beans is also increasing.

Now the American Fine Coffee Association redefines boutique coffee: "carefully choose the most suitable variety and plant it in the altitude, climate, soil and water environment that is most conducive to the development of coffee flavor." Careful washing and sun processing, select the most advanced raw beans without defects, and deliver them to customers with zero defects in the transportation process. After the baker's superb craftsmanship, it leads to the richest regional flavor, and then brews delicious coffee in a recognized way of extraction. "

Characteristics of fine hand-brewed coffee

The whole process of coffee "from seed to cup" is strictly regulated. According to the SCAA scoring standard (out of 100), the cup test score of more than 80 points can be called "boutique coffee". Boutique coffee wins with high-quality "flavor", the quantity is relatively small; the quantity of commercial coffee is very large, and wins by quantity.

To put it simply, high-quality hand-brewed coffee is to taste the original flavor of coffee and feel the taste of coffee contained in different countries, producing areas and varieties, each of which has its own unique flavor.

Coffee has a regional flavor, so the definition of fine coffee is also different in different countries, there is no complete standard to define the meaning of fine coffee, because for different people, there is also a different definition of fine coffee. While we enjoy delicious coffee, we also try to understand the story and history behind coffee. No matter what kind of coffee, as long as guests like it, finding their favorite coffee can be regarded as boutique coffee!

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