“Third Wave” Coffee

Hello! Welcome to a new coffee segment from your unpretentious barista.

Whether you are a person with minimum knowledge of coffee, any interest at all, or a true coffee snob, you may have heard the phrase “third wave coffee” tossed around or the conversation of Second versus Third, and so on. Of course, this could be the very first you are hearing of it. There are three tiers, or waves, of the global craft coffee movement. The big question tends to remain the same. What makes coffee Third Wave?

The best way to start is by breaking down these tiers. The first “wave” of coffee is the traditional homey coffee one chucks in the pot, usually pre-ground and fairly dark roasted and can be purchased from any store. This is where most of us got to know coffee and either grew to love or loath it. If this is the only coffee you know, there is no judgment here; however, I strongly suggest you skip right over to Third Wave and ask your local barista for a Pour Over. Trust me.

The second wave is your grab and go, typically sugary and foam-topped drinks. You can find this at Starbucks, Dunkin’, Tim Horton’s, and so on. This goes for your local shops that dabble in specialty coffee, but do not reach the standards set by craft Third Wave shops. What are those standards? In the second wave, you are presented with old school coffee. This traditionally consists of dark, robust espresso, foam-topped cappuccinos, french presses, and simply fast strong coffee. Either you love it or you hate it, and either way, you probably don’t know just how good coffee can be. What Second Wave lacks is the next level of business which the craft coffee lovers strive for.

Third Wave simply means coffee at its best and, most importantly, its purest. It isn’t to be pretentious or snobby or even “boujee”. It means that the very beans were thoughtfully sourced and roasted and that the method for brewing is intentional and thoughtful. It means someone cares, just as in any craft food or beverage. Think of coffee like wine, they are very similar! When you have really good coffee from someone who cares to know good coffee, it changes your view and expectations of what you thought you knew of coffee. Third Wave is where baristas go to master the craft and even go as far as competing in many sorts of competitions locally as well as globally. This is truly a craft and skill level that I believe should be ranked to Fourth Wave, if it is not already.

I personally have worked my way up in the coffee industry from First to Third, and without knowing there was such a thing. I simply cared to learn more about coffee, from plant to pours. This brought me to the world of Third Wave. Know that when you go into a craft coffee shop, that when your barista is explaining origins and methods and geeking out over knew products, it isn’t because they are pretentious (most of the time) but it is because they care. A common misconception is that these craft coffee shops are just trendy cafes with over-priced “fancy” coffee and overrun by hipster millennials taking Instagram photos. A lot of this is true, but that is not the point in the slightest.

From the environment of the shop, the simplicity of the menu, and the art on your latte, Third Wave shows great pride, passion, and knowledge. If you are into beer, wine, or cheese, then this may ring true for you in your craft and can help you better understand the fuss around the coffee movement. This isn’t your grandmother’s coffee. What sounds fancy, is really just good coffee, pure and simple. From the complexity of notes to micro-foamed, well-textured milk, Third Wave is in a class all its own.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop some below for your favorite barista!

Tell me, how do you take your coffee? Did you learn anything new?

The next addition will be on how to order third wave without feeling intimidated! Stay tuned.

Until next time,

Cheers!