Let's save specialty coffees from fad...
Finally, a turning point has arrived, even for the world of coffee. We are still far from the level that one would expect from a country like Italy , but things are changing and the coffee scene of the Peninsula is becoming more and more interesting. Specialty is no longer an unknown word, but a sort of declaration of intent: a new place is arriving in the city with the aim of producing quality and, among the various proposals, it also includes specialty coffees. The combination of the moment? Natural wines and specialty, a combination that seems to be consolidating more and more.
10 Reasons Why a Bar Calls Itself a "Specialty"
But is it enough to include a single origin or a better blend on the menu to be considered a “specialty” bar? Let’s be clear, if only there were businesses that pay more attention to the cup. It’s still premature to talk about popularity, but there is greater awareness among industry insiders, and above all there is a trend, even on social media. And as always, when we talk about trends, the risk that the phenomenon will overshadow the content is high. Here, then, is a decalogue to understand what it really means to open a “specialty bar”.
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Differentiation
Let's be clear, having a good basic blend is a great starting point. But the world of black gold is made up of nuances of tastes, aromas, sensations, just like wine. Having only one proposal on the menu is a bit like offering a single bottle: even if it's very good, it's limiting for those who want to discover something more about the product. Varying between different roasters, then, allows consumers to discover other realities, and perhaps support them later with purchases for home.
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Service
Coffee must be communicated first and foremost. Even in Italy, especially in Italy, where the ancient culture of the cup has held back the development of a new, more modern and conscious approach for a very long time. Extracting it at its best is not enough, it must be explained, accompanying customers through the tasting, especially if you are dealing with people who are tasting a specialty for the first time.
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Training
Like waiting staff, chefs and hoteliers, baristas need training. Each bean has its own characteristics and deserves precise attention, particular extraction times and temperatures. Each extraction method has its own rules, each manufacturer its own peculiarities, each espresso machine its own needs. Constant training and updating, these are the foundations for a specialty coffee shop.
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Adequate gastronomic offer
Over the years we have repeatedly said how important it is for establishments to highlight the cup, the last memory of a meal. Just as a good restaurant cannot ignore the choice of coffee, a good bar specializing in black gold must also pay attention to the gastronomic sector. Talking about sustainable, superior quality beans, roasted by micro-roasteries and then serving frozen croissants next to the drink is a contradiction. It may be an initial compromise, but a successful specialty bar must maintain an adequate standard across the board.
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Forget the trends
Trends exist in every field, gastronomy first and foremost. What we eat is partly decided by social media. And that's fine. Creating trends can be useful, but chasing them at all costs is often counterproductive. Above all, inconclusive: you don't need to have a croissant roll to gain the public's favor, just as you don't need to overdo the Latte Art decorations on cappuccinos. If it doesn't interfere with the rest of the offer, the fruits of trends are also welcome, otherwise a balanced cappuccino with expertly frothed milk is more than appreciated. Even without a elf drawn on it.
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Price
Espresso is the only product in Italy that never increases , if not very much. And it is instead the one that most deserves a price increase. A specialty bar chooses quality coffees, from a traceable and transparent supply chain, roasted by small businesses (local or otherwise) and finally extracted by trained personnel. All this has a cost, which must influence the final receipt. It depends on the valorization of the raw material, and above all of those who work it.
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Environment
Atmosphere is everything, Starbucks teaches it . If specialty coffees are “meditation” coffees, to be sipped calmly, capturing every nuance (especially if we are talking about filter), then the bar must be the ideal temple in which to stop and reflect. A relaxed, informal and welcoming atmosphere, attentive but not intrusive service. In short, the most refined selection is not enough if there is no suitable environment in which to contemplate it.
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Specialty without special effects
In recent years, a very specific aesthetic has been defined for specialty baristas: denim aprons, visible tattoos (with at least one branch of coffea arabica if possible), long beards for men, large colored hair bands for women. A hipster look that has overwhelmed various sectors, and just like the baristas' outfits, the furnishings of the premises have also become uniform. It would be nice, instead, to see different coffee shops, less wood, less industrial, less "specialty-style". Let's be clear, there are alternatives in Italy, but we hope that every new young entrepreneur can find their own path without following pre-set standards. Aprons and "uniforms" are welcome, but without the need to amaze with special effects.
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Inform, without judging
This is perhaps the most difficult point, which involves all categories of the sector. Coffee is no exception, indeed: in Italy, especially, there are many false myths to dismantle. And precisely for this reason, a generous dose of patience is needed: the ritual of the cup is something sacred for Italians, dispelling clichés - from the cream that indicates the quality of the coffee to the myth of the "ristretto" - is an operation that must be done with delicacy. In any case, making customers feel judged is always wrong and disadvantageous.
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Specialty Coffees Are Dead. Long Live Specialty Coffees
Some, perhaps, would say that they were never born in Italy. But that's not the case. They were born, they are growing and, sometimes, even dying. They die in businesses that decide to follow the fashion of the moment, putting the word specialty on the blackboard in full view outside the shop, without understanding its meaning. They die when they are badly extracted, mortified by baristas without adequate training, when they are debased and sold off in order to remain competitive on the market. When "specialty" becomes just a label, then good coffee dies. But the world of quality black gold, with its pioneers and spokespeople, with new talents and innovative formats, with coffee championships and dedicated events, but above all with a new group of consumers who are starting to approach a different product, is more alive than ever.
Faraglia official website: www.faraglia.it
Long live specialty coffee.
Original article in this link: https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/salviamo-gli-specialty-coffee-dagli-specialty-coffee/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-it-it