What's the buzz about the Third Wave of Coffe?

Anyone who is a little more involved with coffee will certainly have heard about the notorious "Third Wave" of coffee which has become very popular in our country as well.

What is the "Third Wave of Coffee" ? 

By hearing the term "Third Wave of Coffee," our minds usually go to hip hangouts, baristi with beard and tattoos, strange equipment and tricky terminologies. In essence, however, the "Third Wave" of coffee is in short the trend that tends to consider coffee a distinct gastronomic delight, similar to wine, rather than a simple, everyday habit. In this context, coffee professionals belonging to the "Third Wave" of coffee usually deal with the quality and characteristics of the raw material they use, that is coffee beans, while experimenting with different brewing methods in addition to the established ones. Among the features of the Third Wave, many mention the frequent use of coffees of single origin instead of blends, and the obsession with lighter roasts instead of the dark roasts that dominated the market until a few years ago. The term "Third Wave of Coffee" first appeared in 1999 in the United States of America, and today it has expanded throughout the world, from Scandinavia and the Asian countries, to countries with a strong and established coffee culture such as Italy and Portugal.

Why is it called the "Third Wave"?

According to journalists dealing with gastronomy, the development of coffee has followed three "waves" until it reached today. The first "wave" is found in the 19th century and the beginnings of establishing coffee as a beverage that could be prepared at home - until then, coffee lovers could enjoy it almost exclusively in cafes and coffee shops. The second "wave" is found many years later, and concerns the wide spread of espresso during the 1960s, which essentially changed the way people enjoyed and dealt with coffee. Finally, the third "wave" has been identified with the millennials generation and the recent decades, having the features we described earlier. Of course, we must not forget that the process of dividing coffee spreading to "waves" is an American invention and is based mainly on the American coffee culture, as things in Europe were at times quite different - but the trends that have been combined with the Third Wave of Coffee, have been introduced in Europe (and of course in our country) exactly as they were born and evolved in America.x

What a coffee lover can get from the Third Wave of Coffee?

Coffee is without doubt a culinary pleasure, whether we enjoy a traditional espresso from a dark Italian blend or single origin African Coffee brewed using a special way and technique. From this point of view, the Third Wave's point of view seems to give coffee the glory it deserves, making its enthusiasts treat it as a special tasting challenge rather than a simple everyday habit. Still, as the journey to the flavors and aromas of coffee is endless, the habits introduced by the Third Wave are a first-class opportunity to broaden our taste, both through the distinct flavors of the different varieties of coffee, and through the different results of the original brewing methods as well. Still, the "Third Wave" seems to have attracted interest in coffee and its characteristics, resulting in a more informed and demanding audience that may not share all the "new demons" of "Third Wave" but certainly love to be informed, to experiment and to shape his / her taste and opinion.

Why are some people nagging about the Third Wave of Coffee?

It's no secret that there are several people who do not really enjoy the "Third Wave" of coffee. This is due to the strong identification of this movement with the hipster and millennial culture (at least in Greece) and, furthermore, to some excesses that have been linked from time to time with this way of dealing with coffee, excesses that have to do with both the equipment used , as well as the extreme "scientificization" of coffee, which tends to reach the other end at times. Still, "Third Wave" has been accused of bringing into action, for the sake of impressiveness, old and forgotten ways of brewing methods in the context of a retrograde, while many cafes who embrace the principles of the Third Wave seem to despise established coffee traditions, which have to do mainly with blending and roasting.

Coffee is a drink with a rich flavor and unique features, whether we enjoy it as a traditional espresso or we experiment with the latest Cold Brew trend. A single coffee origin from Tanzania or India will extend our flavors, but a classic Italian blend also hides in it years of experimentation and deep knowledge of coffee. As coffee enthusiasts of the 21th century, we are lucky to be able to make our daily coffee a unique experience, by taking advantage of all the possibilities that we have around us, without fooling ourselves or embracing any culture. Good coffee is all that matters, after all.