The No-BS Guide to Coffee Grades: What You’re Actually Drinking
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Alright, coffee lovers, it’s time for some real talk. Not all coffee is created equal, and if you’re blindly trusting that bag of beans without knowing its grade, you might be getting played. The coffee industry loves throwing around fancy terms like "premium" and "gourmet," but do you actually know what they mean? Let’s break it down—no fluff, no marketing buzzwords, just the cold, hard facts.
Specialty Grade Coffee: The Top-Shelf Stuff
If coffee had a VIP section, this is where you’d find the best of the best. Specialty coffee is graded by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and must score 80 points or higher on a 100-point scale. It’s free of primary defects (those nasty little bean imperfections that ruin your cup) and boasts flavors that actually make your taste buds happy. Think complex notes of fruit, chocolate, florals, and a smooth, clean finish.
Who should drink it? If you actually care about flavor, freshness, and the craft behind your coffee, specialty grade is where you should be spending your money.
Where do you find it? Usually from small-batch roasters (like us at BS Coffee Roasters), high-end cafes, and direct-to-consumer brands that give a damn about quality. Speaking of which, if you’re looking to buy specialty grade coffee, check out our top picks:
- Single-Origin Indonesian – A rich, full-bodied coffee with smooth chocolatey notes.
- Single-Origin Costa Rica – A bright, well-balanced cup with hints of citrus and honey.
Premium Coffee: A Step Down, But Still Respectable
Premium coffee isn’t garbage, but let’s not pretend it’s the same as specialty coffee. It typically scores in the 75-79 range, which means it might have a few minor defects but is still decent. It’s what you’ll find in many mid-range coffee brands that claim to be "high quality" but don’t quite hit that specialty mark.
Who should drink it? If you want a solid, everyday coffee without going full coffee snob, premium-grade will do the job.
Where do you find it? Supermarkets, online retailers, and some cafe chains that try (but don’t always succeed) to be “fancy.”
Exchange-Grade Coffee: The "Meh" of the Coffee World
This is where things start getting dicey. Exchange-grade coffee falls between 60-74 points, meaning it has noticeable defects, inconsistent flavor, and is often the stuff used in mass-produced blends. It won’t make you gag, but it’s also not going to blow your mind.
Who should drink it? If you’re adding a ton of cream and sugar anyway, you probably won’t notice how uninspiring it is.
Where do you find it? Most grocery store brands, canned coffee, and your standard office coffee pot.
Commercial-Grade Coffee: The Bottom of the Barrel (Literally)
Scoring below 60 points, commercial-grade coffee is the stuff nightmares are made of. Think broken, low-quality beans, heavy defects, and zero complexity. This is the mystery blend you find in diner drip coffee, gas stations, and those big tubs of pre-ground sadness.
Who should drink it? If you don’t care what your coffee tastes like as long as it’s cheap and caffeinated, this is your zone.
Where do you find it? Bulk bins, instant coffee jars, and anywhere that serves coffee for the sole purpose of keeping you awake.
Know Your Coffee, Drink Smarter
If you’re serious about coffee, specialty grade is the only way to go. If you just need a caffeine hit and don’t care about flavor, then, well, do what you gotta do. Just don’t let marketing jargon fool you—"premium" and "gourmet" don’t always mean good. Know your beans, buy smart, and for the love of coffee, don’t settle for garbage.
Looking for specialty grade, freshly roasted coffee without the BS? We’ve got you covered at BS Coffee Roasters. Check out our latest roasts and taste the difference: