The Newsletter February 2024

The Newsletter February 2024

Issue #12: We're looking at Fourth Wave Speciality Coffee, coffee outside of drinking, and our wholesale partners Dice Saloon.

Waves of speciality coffee

Waves of Speciality Coffee:

When someone refers to 'Speciality Coffee Waves' they are referencing the composite evolution of speciality coffee. Waves 1-4. They focus more on western trends in consumption and sourcing of coffee throughout the 20th and 21st century..

Wave 1, coffee is a commodity, little is known about the origin and it is consumed mostly for it's caffeine content.

Wave 2, more is being shared about the origin of the coffee, espresso machines are outsourced from Italy to the U.S and UK, the Speciality Coffee Association of America is founded (1982).

Wave 3, Speciality Coffee stores are found in every city, there is more focus on origin, transparency of product, a variety of brewing methods and the sourcing of the highest quality of coffee beans in the world, often traded directly.

Wave 4, home brewing and experimentation with brewing methods in a domestic environment.

We are currently in Wave 3 and 4. The waves aren't a criteria, they are more of a generalisation of the evolution of coffee.

Fourth Wave:

Arguably, the isolation of individuals to their homes due to the global pandemic throughout 2020 and 2021 forced the newest wave of speciality coffee. The fourth. The home brewers, the domestic experimenters, the remote workers. People, whom bought into the purchasing of mini espresso machines, filter coffee machines and the Aeropress.

Speciality coffee has boomed throughout the third wave, and with it brought greater accessibility to corners of the industry previously thought of as premium and niche.

You can walk into most speciality coffee shops nowadays and buy an Aeropress, or a ceramic v60. And it only takes a few clicks to find content on how to brew with them = and a few more clicks to find out there's a lifetime of experimentation available, if you've got the time.

With the Aeropress, for example.. you can brew coffee in the regular way, with percolation the main aim, but you can also invert the Aeropress to combine immersion brewing with percolation. You could see how many filter papers it takes to create a super clear tasting profile. You could try new recipes, like 1:2 ratio brews to imitate espresso. You can choose not to apply the pressure yourself and brew the coffee more like a drip coffee brewer, with systematic pours and pouring techniques.

Where previous waves have relied on commuters and shared communal spaces, the fourth relies heavily on remote workers. Moreover, 20% of remote workers own a hand brew, pour-over coffee set, compared to less than 10% of non-remote workers.

 A lot of this information was extracted from a great article by Mintel, follow the link below to read it yourself.

Coffee outside of drinking:

We all know coffee as a drink to give you that extra kick in the morning, or that satisfying finish to a great meal, but coffee can be used in all sorts of different ways. Not only the beans themselves, but also the 'used' coffee grounds. Even if you don't make a lot of coffee at home, many stores donate their used grounds to small beauty & health care, and horticultural businesses.

Coffee as fertiliser:

Adding used coffee grounds to the soil can help to fertilise your garden. Coffee grounds are rich in nutrients including potassium and phosphorus.

Spreading a thin layer instead of clumping it can help reduce the amount of caffeine in one spot. This is a practical way of using the waste product of coffee. Using fresh (dry, unused) coffee grounds is not recommended to fertilise your garden but can be used in small doses to keep pests away from growing veg!

Even if you don't use your coffee grounds straight away, you can compost them. One study even found that compost made with coffee grounds and kitchen waste was richer in nutrients than compost made with waste alone.

Exfoliate:

Ground coffee has the perfect consistency to be used as an exfoliating scrub to help remove dirt and dead skin. It's said that simply adding water or coconut oil with the grounds creates an amazing exfoliating scrub for your face.

Coffee also contains antioxidant properties to help create a natural protection from sun damage, also helping blood flow to increase overall skin health.

 Cooking:

Coffee can be used to bring out natural flavours of meat. You can use it as a spice rub and crusts with anything like chicken or beef. Using brewed coffee with braising meats can create a rich bodied gravy to go with it.

Many popular desserts are made by using coffee. From Affogato and chocolate mousse to an Irish coffee cake and tiramisu.

Wholesale partners: Dice Saloon Brighton

Sitting in the heart of London Road, Brighton, Dice Saloon offers a safe space for gaming. Filled with more board games you thought possible, the team there offer advice on what games are best suited to your desires, whilst serving coffee, food, booze, you name it.

We love visiting them, the space was converted from a church so the building is beautiful, outside and in.

Location: 88 London Rd, Brighton and Hove, BN1 4JF