What is Third Wave Coffee?
From Commodity to Craft – A Coffee Culture Revolution
Third wave coffee isn’t just a trend — it’s a movement that redefined what coffee can be. While the first wave brought coffee into every home, and the second wave made it more accessible through chains like Starbucks, the third wave is all about quality, transparency, and intention.
A Brief History of the Coffee Waves
- 1st Wave: Commodity coffee (mass-produced, pre-ground, convenience-focused)
- 2nd Wave: Coffee as experience (brands like Starbucks emphasized origin and café culture)
- 3rd Wave: Coffee as craft (emphasis on origin, producers, roast clarity, and brewing precision)
What Defines Third Wave Coffee
- Traceability: Knowing where your beans come from — not just the country, but the farm.
- Direct Trade & Ethics: Paying producers fairly and building long-term partnerships.
- Roast Profiles: Lighter roasts that highlight origin flavors, not just roast.
- Brewing Methods: Emphasis on pour-over, espresso, and manual brewing.
- Transparency: Roasters share everything from elevation to processing methods.
Why It Matters to You
Third wave coffee means:
- Better tasting coffee with clarity, sweetness, and balance
- Ethical purchasing practices that support small-scale producers
- The ability to explore and appreciate coffee like wine — by variety, region, and process
How Texas Caffeine Club Fits In
At TCC, we’re committed to:
- Featuring high-quality gear to support third wave brewing
- Sourcing and roasting coffee that honors origin and flavor
- Educating and sharing the stories behind the cup
We’re here for the curious, the experimental, and the flavor-obsessed.
☕ Want to brew better? Explore our gear or join our newsletter to be first in line when our beans drop.