We hear about it, but many do not know what it is: so is Specialty Coffee and what it is comes in with the design? Let's try to explain it to you, highlighting the aspects that interest us most: superior quality, gourmet taste, sustainable supply chain and virtuous growth model, obviously not neglecting the design affects the aesthetics, functionality and performance of coffee machines.
When we talk about Specialty Coffee we first of all refer to the product of the highest quality, conferred by the entire supply chain that uses single-origin coffees, which therefore come exclusively from a single plantation and which, if tasted in purity, allow you to rediscover the peculiar characteristics of the soil of origin in the cup.
Coffees from special geographical microclimates - positioned along the equatorial belt like Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua and El Salvador - have special aromatic profiles, which must be processed, toasted and finally extracted in order to respect all their sensory characteristics.
From year to year more and more numerous, the community of Specialty Coffee, made up of real experts and enthusiasts, aims to sensitize the consumer towards the consumption of quality coffee , more sustainable and, of course, tastier.
1. The grower
It all starts with the farmer who sows a variety of Arabica conditioned by the terroir , therefore based on the characteristics of the microclimate and soil. He cultivates it with care, collects it and processes it appropriately: he pays attention to quality more than quantity.
2. The green coffee buyer
Roasted coffee beans are tasted and evaluated by Quality-Graders who follow the standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association: only coffees that receive at least 80 points on a scale of 100 are considered Specialty Coffee. The task of the buyer, who buys a product based on unroasted coffee seeds (called green coffee), does not end in the plantation, but continues in the roasting to which he will give many information on the uniqueness of the product purchased.
3. The roaster
The third extremely delicate step sees the roaster as the protagonist. A specialty green can become a coffee of the highest level thanks to a respectful roasting or it can turn into a charred, angular, too bitter or even bad coffee. Toasting is therefore a art that is in the hands (and equipment) of the roaster.
4. The bartender
The extraction in the cup by the barista is also fundamental, who must know coffee, use and scrupulously maintain the equipment (machine and grinder) and must know how to choose the right settings to best enhance all the characteristics of the coffee so as to offer a high-level taste experience just like when tasting a wine or tasting the exclusive dish prepared by a starred chef.
As for wine: the difference in taste on the palate
To explain what Specialty Coffee is, it is easy to make a comparison with a product that is known to most people: wine. Everyone knows that wine has different characteristics that mainly depend on the geographical origin of the grapes, the vintage and the production method. Let's try to imagine the difference, for example, between a Barolo and a wine from a terroir Grand Cru or a table wine. The same goes for coffee. Tasting a special coffee is like tasting a Barolo. Tasting the aromatic varieties it releases, dwell on the taste, perceive its silky and velvety body: this is the only way to understand what a Specialty Coffee really is.
A sustainable supply chain for a virtuous model that involves all parties
The 'movement' Specialty Coffee first of all promotes a sustainable supply chain in which each link in the chain has the right weight and therefore recognition. A virtuous model of growth of coffee communities: from certifications that respect the rights of workers of farms to the social impact that coffee production has on the territory and on the economy of the nation. In many countries, coffee is in fact one of the leading businesses and therefore a job opportunity for many young people.
The machines for coffee (design) lover
There are several ways to extract Specialty Coffee, including filter coffee and Cold brew, for espresso machines, Victoria Arduino was able to intercept the needs of the Specialty world at different levels, from coffee lovers to baristas, roasters, microroasters and chains to champion baristas in national and international competitions. And, last but not least, she has been able to please the lovers of design. With minimal, dynamic and streamlined lines, the unmistakable shapes of the Victoria Arduino machines are extremely elegant also thanks to the materials and finishes available.
A coffee experience not only in a coffee shop
The required type of coffee and its consumption are changing: we are looking for more and more Specialty products prepared with prime gourmet and respectful of ethical and sustainable principles. Quality coffee is therefore increasingly becoming a lifestyle phenomenon. Thus, the coffee experience can be lived also in contexts not necessarily linked to the coffee shop, as a food truck, boutiques, offices, hotels, homes, halls of condominiums...
The democratization of Specialty Coffee
To respond to these new trends, Victoria Arduino proposes E1 Prima, the professional 1-group espresso coffee machine, which allows a sort of democratization of Specialty Coffee, accessible to all, when wants and in different areas . E1 Prima proposes a new way of preparing and enjoying espresso coffee designed for baristas who are developing a coffee business, for roasters who want to offer a pleasant coffee experience to their customers, for professionals who want a high quality espresso coffee also at home and for the entire international community of coffee lovers.
A glamorous yet accessible gourmet experience, anywhere
Contained in its pure and compact volume, Eagle One Prima can be positioned in small, even very small workspaces, in start-ups and other professional areas but also in domestic contexts, in exclusive boutiques, in premises that often renew their layout and in a whole series of environments where the administration of coffee is not the main activity. Eclectic and versatile, it has always new 'seasonal' looks, as well as trendy colors and finishes that fit perfectly into the most diverse contexts. A unique idea of a glamorous coffe experience open to all , also available in sophisticated author's editions.
The new generations are ever more attentive
Young people pay a lot of attention to the choice and consumption of the highest quality coffee. They are increasingly attentive to everything that revolves around the cup of coffee: design and sustainability strongly contribute to the entire sensory experience.
Coffee shops and design, to be customized
For the new coffee shops , design, performance and sustainability are the main assets to offer a memorable experience. In order to express the personality of the place, the Eagle One machine by Victoria Arduino is extremely easy, as well as to use, also to customize so as to adapt to different types of environments. The materials available are numerous, all of which are precious: from natural materials such as wood, to metals such as steel and aluminum up to resins. There are also special limited editions, such as the one designed by Giulio Cappellini. In addition, in the development of Eagle One, particular attention was paid to the environmental impact of the machine, in terms of both energy and economic savings.
The coffee nerds, for work but above all for passion
Then there are the experts who dedicate their lives to coffee: they run the entire supply chain from the beginning, personally visiting the plantations to choose the highest quality products to offer to their customers or use in competitions. In addition to cultivating a ’ authentic passion, baristas and professionals in the sector have perfected their professional skills with attention and obsessive care. They are extremely prepared, not just for work: coffee is an integral part of their lives, it is an inspiration, a way of conceiving the concepts of superior quality and pure taste that embraces all areas, and a mission, to offer a real coffee experience.
The machine for professionals in the sector
For baristas, Victoria Arduino has specially developed the Black Eagle Maverick. Maintaining the pure and dynamic design that distinguishes the brand, the machine is more solid, with a more impactful aesthetic. In terms of performance, it guarantees more control in the use and complete control over temperature, infusion and steam, but also the opportunity to move instantly between the various types of coffee. Characterizing Black Eagle Maverick is its innovative sustainable technology that offers the same precision and control, using 37% less energy. The a new machine also allows you to make a brand new drink called Pure Brew, an extracted filtrate low pressure that is more full-bodied and syrupy.
The advice is to try it: it will be a sensory journey
We have certainly not exhausted the numerous topics that could be addressed talking about Specialty Coffe, starting from the way it can be extracted and tasted, but we hope to have given you some element of reflection or even just the want to taste it. We recommend it. And we advise you to rely on the experts in the sector who will be able to show you the numerous single origins and the precious blends (blends), telling you the story and extolling the aromas and aromatic notes that distinguish them. Those coffees that will stimulate your taste buds to take you on a journey to countries, and therefore to distant cultures and territories, one different from the other, all Specialty.
Opening photo by Maurizio Valli, (above) owner with his sister Sonia, of Bugan Coffee Lab, artisan mini roasting in Bergamo born from the passion and desire to spread and teach the culture of coffee. A tasting and research laboratory for professionals and coffee lovers at the highest levels. It offers Arabica single origins from all over the world which, thanks to a light roasting, bring out now lost aromas: the acidity, the floral and fruity scents, the delicate aromatic profiles on the palate a persistent but not intrusive flavor. In addition to organizing training courses, a counter in the coffee shop is dedicated to new extraction techniques, such as Filter Coffee, Aeropress, Dripper V60, Cold Brew, Chemex, Siphon and Clever Dripper.
In its two Bergamo stores (in via Quarenghi 32 and in via Colleoni 18, in the Upper Town,) and on the shop on line you can find gift ideas such as some technical equipment, such as the filter coffee kit, the kettle Kettle and the Dripper cup, but also the performing, reusable and totally recyclable Huskee Cup, cups made mainly from the shells of coffee beans (cascara, a by-product that would otherwise be discarded). The novelty proposed by Bugan Coffeee Lab is Eduvina, single origin from Panama: its delicate elegance makes it perfect to be drunk in a filter and to smell every aromatic note: from exotic fruit to peach, from honey to jasmine.