It's a common situation: you go on vacation, you stay in a wonderful hotel, you go down for breakfast, the food is delicious, but the coffee? Terrible. Things get complicated when you go out for a walk and try to avoid Starbucks, without success. Fortunately, there are more and more specialty coffees in Europe, but sometimes it is not easy to find them.
But the specialty coffee map comes to the rescue. It is a constantly updated compilation of establishments, roasters, restaurants, markets, hotels or grocery stores where coffee is respected. In addition, you will avoid classic bar problems such as used milk.
The project is carried out by Ana from Coffee & Translation, who not only updates the map frequently, but also constantly tests new coffee shops on her Instagram account.
What is specialty coffee?
In order to be considered a specialty coffee, it must meet two standards: It must only contain Arabica beans. In addition, it must have a score of more than 80 points (out of 100) according to the international quality evaluation system. The qualification is granted by an official taster based on the standards of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
The association grew out of the merger of two others, the European Specialty Coffee Association and the American Specialty Coffee Association. The score from 0 to 100 is based on a series of parameters. This is based on the absence of defects in green coffee beans.
In addition, specialty coffee packages must have clear information that allows traceability, that is, understanding the origin, production, variety, and other data such as:
Height Benefit process Roasting notes Roasting dates You must also maintain important care during the seeding process. The substrates used must be recorded and the size of the bag must be taken into account to avoid root problems or poor development of the plant. Adequate sun and shade conditions must also be recreated.
The harvest must be done by hand, collecting only the ripe cherries, selecting the grain after drying. Afterwards, it must be ensured that the percentages of humidity are adequate during the storage process. In this way, the coffee is prevented from fermenting or becoming contaminated with mold or unwanted odors.
If you visit a specialty coffee shop, the best way to know that you are in the right place is if you can see on the bags that they sell all the data that allows you to know the traceability of the coffee used. Baristas should also know these details and understand the coffee they are serving.
