Frequently Asked Questions
Our Coffees
What is the meaning of specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee has undergone a meticulous transformative process from seed to cup. It is defined as green coffee beans of the highest quality, produced in unique geographical microclimates, roasted to their greatest flavor potential.
Based on Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards, the green bean sample should have no defects, a distinctive flavor profile, and a grade of 80 and above.
What is the difference between specialty coffee and commercial coffee?
Commercial coffee does not meet the 80 points mark in terms of quality and often includes some form of defect. Commercial coffees are usually roasted and packed in large plants and manufactured by nationally or internationally-advertised brand names. Typically, these are packed in bottles, jars, collapsed plastic-encased bricks, or tins and come already ground or in ready-to-drink form.
Specialty coffee, in contrast, meets the 80+ points out of 100 and is often sold where it was roasted. These are usually roasted in small batches and delivered as whole beans. Specialty coffee often needs to be ground and brewed before drinking, however the market has made significant headway into producing specialty forms of coffee products like capsules, instant and drip bag coffees.
What does single-origin coffee mean?
Single-origin coffee means that buyers can trace the coffee beans to one crop, farm, mill, producer, or geographic region. It is usually named after the family, farm, community, or cooperative that produced the coffee. You can sometimes pin down the specific characteristic of its flavor profile based on the unique location, varietal and climate where it was produced.
Single-origin coffee labels usually include the name of the estate or the specific micro-lot where the coffee was grown.
Premium specialty coffees are now often labelled as “micro” and “nano-lots.” These lots fall within the single origin category, however, have more traceability back to a specific area within a farm, altitude, varietal, processing method and resting time.
Why is single-origin coffee expensive?
Single-origin coffees are usually beans of higher quality. Since these coffee beans trace back to a specific lot, farm or area within a country, the beans also have distinct characteristics and flavor profiles. Factors such as altitude, climate, soil, processing method and shade also influence the quality of the beans. Most single-origin coffees are hand-picked by farmers on small farms, increasing labour costs.
All the factors that increase the quality of a particular coffee are often more labour- and time-intensive, increasing the cost for the farmer and adding to its higher market value.
What are the different main types of coffee roasts?
Light roasts will often have more acidity , with much of the bean’s inherent sensory characters retained.
Medium roasts will often exhibit more body than light roasts, and have a good balance of acidity and sweetness, whilst maintaining some of their aromatic integrity.
Medium-dark roasts have a richer, darker color with a muted acidity and a slightly bittersweet taste. These are roasts which are bridges from the world of commercial coffee into specialty, exhibiting the low acidity sought after in darker commercial roasts without the intense bitterness.
Dark roasts are dark brown with a pronounced bold and bitter taste.
Your Orders
When will I receive my order?
Delivery is always the following day for orders in Dubai and Sharjah. Once you have placed your order, our super delivery team will also let you know when you can expect your coffee to arrive at your doorstep.
For orders to Abu Dhabi, please expect a two day delivery period. For all other emirates, expect a three-day waiting period.
What is your return policy?
Our mission is to make sure you're happy with our coffee and service. If you are not fully satisfied with your order, please send a message to say.hello@threecoffee.com or reach us on +971 52 578 0160. For more details on returns-related packaging, shipping and handling, see our Returns & Refunds page.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept Mastercard, Unionpay and Visa credit and debit cards.