"[sipping a freshly-made coffee] Mmm. Goddamn, Jimmie. This is some serious gourmet shit. Me and Vince would've been satisfied with some freeze-dried Taster's Choice, right? Heh! And he springs this serious gourmet shit on us."
—jules WInnfield in Pulp Fiction
Coffee has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a bitter, utilitarian beverage brewed for a caffeine fix. The First Wave brought coffee into homes and diners as a mass-produced commodity, while the Second Wave turned it into a cultural experience with the rise of espresso drinks and coffeehouse chains. Now, the Third Wave treats coffee as a craft—focusing on origin, quality, and method—elevating it to an artisanal product where every bean, brew, and barista choice matters.
The third wave is a response to the sameness of many commercial coffees, afficionados seeking out improved flavour, notably tapping into the smaller "artisanal" specialty growers and roasters. Focusing on single origin coffee, the third wave concentrates on flavour above profit in the café, and, in the home, as a rewarding hobby. In recent years, there has been good growth in numbers of small-scale roasters, buying sustainably-grown coffees often direct from the growers. These days it's not uncommon to find a cafe that is attached to a roaster, as Pachamama Coffee in Sacramento and Stumptown Coffee in Portland, Oregon. I's not unheard of for small cafes to buy a roaster to roast on the premises, and more people are taking up the pleasurable challenge of roasting their own beans at home. What these folk have in common is the desire to turn a commodity into a delight, and while a majority of people will still be making their Nescafé Instant at home, more and more folk are discovering that buying freshly-roasted beans and brewing them makes a tastier, more satisfying and responsible beverage.
"Responsibility" is also a part of the third-wave mantra.Roasters are buying directly from the grower, roasting in small batches and often dealing directly with the consumer, and more of the bottom-line cost of the coffee goes to support the farmers and the communities dependent on them. Tastier coffee with less bitterness for the producer? Sounds good to me. I'll gladly pay a few cents more for my coffee for that.
As more and more people discover the range of flavours available, and more companies produce equipment to cater to them, we're approaching the fourth wave. I believe it may already have begun. James Hoffmann believes that home espresso maniacs are focusing on wringing out every last iota of taste in their drinks, applying techniques and hacks unheard of before. Whereas the best espresso may once have come from cafes with their expensive commercial machines, more home baristas are learning to hack and upgrade even inexpensive machines at home to produce better-than-ever coffee. New technologies and hacks will continue to surface, and the fourth wave will start with that. Of course, this is just opinion, but watch this space. it's coming, and I want some of it.
For
Peaceful Chicken, who says "Have you considered doing a writeup on the different "waves" in the coffee movement?"
No, i had't until now. Enjoy this, dedicated to you.
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