3rd Wave Coffee History Leason

News has been that 3rd wave coffee is here, but what does that mean? Will the price of coffee go up? Will I get a better cup?

Essentially you now have a broader range of choices when it comes to your cup of coffee. Think of it like beer. 50 years ago you were limited to a Bud, however today you have a large selection coming from micro breweries throughout the world. 

Coffee has also evolved. This is a short history of the waves.

1st wave coffee - coffee imported and cafes serving coffee in the early 19th century.

2nd wave coffee - Starbucks and other national coffee chain stores who brought coffee terminology to the masses.

3rd wave coffee - The Chosen Bean and others who import, roast and sell gourmet coffees & are considered micro roasters. These roasters focus on the quality of the coffee. 

Prices are competitive and for a cup of coffee you can be paying as low as .20 cents a cup and as much as $4 a cup (if you are brewing the cup yourself at home). 

Tastes are out of this world, with the ability to taste coffees from all over the world, different growing regions with their unique flavors.

Some of the challenges are with availability & consistency. Since coffee is a crop, if it's a bad year, you may not be able to get the coffee you favor. Also, based on natural factors, the crop may not taste the same every year.

To help resolve this, there are national coffee cupping competitions and awards for coffees. The "cuppers" as they are known,  who taste the coffees, give the coffees a mark between 1-10 for taste, acidity etc. This score helps the consumer find an excellent cup of coffee. 

The next time you see the phrase 3rd wave coffee, you will know it means a hipper more exotic cup of coffee.