What is Specialty Coffee and Why Does it Matter?

We are committed to sourcing and providing high-quality specialty coffee. This sets us apart from most roasters and coffee sellers, though the popularity of specialty coffee is growing. And for good reason.

Specialty coffee is the highest grade of coffee available. Specialty coffee is coffee that scores 80 or more points on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point grading scale. Potomac Roasting sources beans always score 84 or higher. 

The Finest Roast coffee blog describes specialty coffee as “meticulously grown, harvested, and processed to ensure exceptional flavor profiles and qualities. Unlike commercial or traditional coffee, specialty coffee is evaluated by certified Q-graders who score it based on various criteria, such as: aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, and balance.”

Specialty coffee has more complex flavor profiles and tasting notes. It is often grown in higher altitudes, where it takes longer to develop and produce more distinct flavors. Producers take care to only pick coffee cherries when they are ripe, often making multiple passes in a harvest to make sure every cherry has time to properly ripen.

Specialty coffee beans are often single-origin, meaning they come from one location — a specific country, region, or a single farm—that prioritizes sustainable and organic farming practices. This traceability ensures the unique flavor profiles associated with different coffee-growing regions are preserved.

As a coffee roasting company that uses only specialty coffee beans, we are committed to roasting our beans in small batches and delivering it fresh so that it maintains its unique flavors and aromas.

We believe that drinking specialty coffee will change our customers from coffee drinkers to coffee lovers.

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