Speciality coffee refers to the highest grade of coffee available, and applies to the entire supply chain - from the farmer, to the buyer, to the roaster, and finally either your barista, or yourself if you’re brewing at home.
For coffee beans to be graded as ‘speciality’, they must score at least 80 points on the 100-point Coffee Review Scale set out the Speciality Coffee Association. They are scored on their uniformity, aroma, flavour and body, and must have little to no defects.
“The bonus of buying beans from your local coffee shop or roaster means your coffee will be fresher. To get the best flavour, you should grind your coffee as close as possible to when you will be brewing it. At Applaud, we source our coffee from Butterworth and Son, an award-winning coffee roaster in Bury St Edmunds.” adds Hannah.