What is Third Wave Coffee?

The three waves of coffee culture at a glance

The three waves of coffee culture around the world began very early. The first wave began at the end of the 19th century and lasted until the 1960s. Then the second wave began, which lasted until the 1990s, and the Third Coffee Wave has been going on ever since. We are slowly approaching the beginning of a possible fourth coffee wave, though. That's another topic.

First Wave – Coffee as an everyday product

The first wave describes the period when coffee became a mass product. The focus was on availability, convenience, and low prices. Instant coffee and traditional filter coffee machines dominated the market. Quality played a secondary role. The only important thing was that coffee was finally available to everyone.

Second Wave – Coffee becomes a lifestyle

The second wave was primarily characterized by large chains like Starbucks. The focus here was on atmosphere, customization (lattes, mochas, flavored syrups), and the coffee experience. Bean quality improved somewhat, but the origin—and thus the producers—often remained opaque and unnoticed.

Third Wave - Coffee as a Craft

The third wave advocates for quality, sustainability, and transparency. Coffee beans are differentiated according to origin, variety, altitude, and processing. It focuses on direct imports, fair payment for farmers, light roasting, gentle preparation, and sensory diversity. In the wake of this wave, organizations have also been founded that have established standards for high-quality and transparent coffees, such as the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the European Coffee Brewing Center (ECBC).

What makes Third Wave Coffee special?

The third wave in coffee culture is characterized by sustainability and a more conscious experience of coffee. Coffee is not simply a caffeinated beverage that wakes you up, but a luxury item. A luxury item whose producers, origin, and production receive as much attention as the "brands" of the finished roasted coffee.

Transparency and origin at Third Wave Coffee

Third-wave roasters provide precise information about their coffees:

Origin: e.g. Finca San Lorenzo in Guatemala or Testi Coffee in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Variety: for example Bourbon, SL28, Typica or the rare Geisha
Processing: “washed”, “natural” (sun-dried with fruit skin), “honey processed” (partially pulped) and many other modern processing methods such as washed must or carbonic maceration
Cultivation altitude: usually between 1,200 and 2,200 m above sea level – higher cultivation produces more complex aromas, lower cultivation is possible, especially for Robusta
Harvest year and lot number: for maximum traceability

Example: Our Brazil Microlot 34. From the Minas Gerais region, from lot 34 on the Sao Silvestre farm, operated by the Andrade Bros. The variety is Red Catuaí, aerobically fermented, and grown at 1,200 meters.

Light roast for complex aromas

Third Wave Coffee relies on light to medium roasts to highlight the specific flavors of each bean. Instead of dominant roasted aromas, which unfortunately still exist in many industrial coffees, you taste:

Fruity notes such as blueberry, apricot or rhubarb, apple and much more
Floral notes such as jasmine or lavender
Light sweetness such as honey, cane sugar or light caramel

The goal is a complex, nuanced taste experience, comparable to tasting wine or craft beer. Of course, Specialty Coffee also offers dark roasts for espressos, but here, too, we take care not to mercilessly "roast to death" the beans, but always maintain an eye for the balance between aromas and roasted notes.

Artisan preparation of Third Wave coffee

Instead of automated systems, manual brewing methods are used:

Hand filter (e.g. Hario V60) – allows fine control over flow and brewing time
Chemex – particularly clear, fine taste thanks to thicker paper filters
Aeropress – ideal for single-cup brewing with plenty of control over extraction
French Press – adds body and depth, e.g., for light roasted Colombian beans

Parameters such as grind size, brewing temperature (usually 89–96 °C), blooming time and run-through time are precisely adjusted.

Sustainable cultivation and processing

Third Wave Coffee also often relies on biodynamic and chemical-free coffee cultivation—at least on our partner farms. The farms and cooperatives also use only sustainably produced fermentation catalysts when processing the coffee. We also take the artisanal approach to roasting our coffees, roasting them at lower temperatures than industrial roasters. This gives the coffees more time to develop.

Training, cupping, coffee events

Third-wave coffee is also about education. Many roasters offer:
Cuppings (tastings): Here you can learn about different origins and flavors. We also use cuppings for quality assurance. You can learn more about this in this blog post.
Workshops: e.g. on brewing methods, sensory analysis or milk frothing
Barista courses: also for hobbyists who want to delve deeper
Coffee festivals or roastery days: Exchange with the community included

The goal is to make the world of coffee accessible, exciting and enjoyable.

Focus on sustainability

Sustainability is deeply rooted in the third-wave philosophy:

Direct trade instead of stock market prices: Farmers receive higher, stable prices from roasters and thus often deliver higher-quality coffee without middlemen
Transparent supply chains: from farmer to cup
Environmentally conscious production: e.g. organic farming, water recycling, compostable packaging
Long-term partnerships: Roasters work with the same producers for years

Example: We have been purchasing coffee from Community Coffee Rwanda and our Brazilian partners, Andrade Bros. , for many years. We also maintain long-term partnerships with many other farmers and regularly visit their farms.
This not only makes coffee better—but also fairer. Whether organic farming, direct trade, or climate-neutral packaging: sustainability is not an add-on, but a central component of the Third Wave Coffee movement.

Third Wave Coffee for Beginners

You don't have to be a pro to enjoy Third Wave Coffee. Here are a few tips:

Start with filter coffee: The variety of flavors comes out particularly well with pour over (e.g. Hario V60) or Chemex.
Buy small quantities of freshly roasted coffee and pay attention to the roast and harvest dates.
Try different origins: Ethiopia (floral), Colombia (balanced), Kenya (fruity)
Use a scale and timer – precision pays off!

Comparison table: Third Wave vs. Industrial Coffee

feature	Industrial coffee	Third Wave Coffee
Roasting	Dark, uniform	Light to medium, variety-specific
transparency	Hardly any information about origin	Exact information on origin, variety, etc.
Purchasing strategy	Stock exchange price, intermediary	Direct trade with farmers
preparation	Fully automatic, capsule	Manual methods, precise parameters
The taste	Roasted aromas, bitter	Complex, fruity, floral
sustainability	rarely transparent	Integrated, long-term