There are a lot of information you may find about the third wave coffee in many coffee shops, internet and other places. There are different explanations as to the origins of third Wave Coffee. So, what is third wave coffee? What is its relationship with First Wave and Second Wave Coffee?
The beginning of coffee consumption in the 1800s and its rapid increase and its wide availability had formed the first wave. With the arrival of instant coffee to the scene and other practical methods, it took its place at home in our kitchens. The coffee was being produced at low quality because of industrial production; the more it started to be consumed, the more it drew attention, the more it lead to new discoveries.
"Now it’s accessible, but a luxury at the same time!"
The second wave period starts with the opening of coffee shops all over the world. Alfred H. Peet is one of the great pioneers of second wave coffee trend. During this era, Peet, a Dutch American, left a great influence in coffee world thanks to his coffee roasting and gourmet skills. Thanks to him, people began to grasp the difference between Arabic and Robusta coffee. Drinks such as Espresso and Espresso based beverages, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha and Macchiato were recognized by Second Wave era and Coffee shops have become places where people were constantly visiting to socialize and spend time.
“Drinking coffee is fun and enjoyable; properly prepared coffee is delicious.”
Two crucial factors in coffee making, “quality” and “appreciation” are a result of hard work of everyone involving the process from the farms to our cups. It is the success of the detail-oriented baristas who use freshly ground coffee beans and who are more transparent in terms of giving information about the coffee beans to the people, the roasters who roast the coffee beans according to their origins, processing types and flavor profiles and the farmers who optimize the growing conditions of these coffee beans. At this point, it is fair to say that the jobs executed adeptly created the third wave. All of these factors not only allowed better quality coffee beans but also will allow everyone to access a cup of coffee of their preference with consumer education and a better service mentality.