Specialty coffee in Málaga: what it means and how to spot it
The term is on half the signs in the city. Here is what it actually means and the questions that tell you whether a place means it.
"Specialty coffee" has become a decorative phrase. It does have a precise meaning, and it is worth knowing.
The technical definition
Specialty coffee is coffee that scores above 80 out of 100 when cupped by a certified Q Grader. To get there, everything has to go right: variety, altitude, picking only ripe cherries, processing, roasting and finally extraction.
It also implies traceability. A specialty coffee can usually be traced to a farm, a producer and a harvest date.
How to spot a place that means it
Four questions, none of them rude:
- "Who roasts your coffee?" A real answer is a roaster's name. Ours is Nomad Coffee, from Barcelona.
- "What is in the grinder today?" If they know the origin and the process, that is a good sign.
- "When was it roasted?" Specialty bags carry a roast date, not just an expiry date. Coffee is at its best two to six weeks after roasting.
- Look at the grinder. Is someone weighing doses and checking shot times? That is calibration, and it is what makes your cortado taste the same on Tuesday and Saturday.
Why the roast is lighter
Commercial coffee is roasted dark to hide defects and to survive long storage. Specialty coffee is usually roasted lighter, because there is nothing to hide and because the origin's character survives.
This is why a specialty espresso can taste bright, fruity or acidic. That is not a mistake. If you prefer something rounder and heavier, ask — there is almost always an option.
What to order to judge a place
A batch brew filter. It is cheap, usually around 3 €, and it is the cleanest way to taste what a coffee actually is. Drink it without sugar the first time.
Coffee beans to take home
If you like what you drink, ask whether they sell beans. Buy small bags often rather than one big bag: coffee fades. And grind it at home, right before brewing — a modest hand grinder improves your cup more than an expensive machine.
Where to find us
La Galga, Calle Pintor Casilari Roldán 12, La Malagueta, Málaga. Open from 8:30 on weekdays and from 9:00 at weekends.
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