Coffee glossary
Third Wave Coffee
Also known as: third wave, third-wave coffee
A movement that treats coffee as an artisanal product, like wine — emphasizing origin, lighter roasting, transparency and craft brewing.
The “first wave” made coffee a household staple, the “second wave” built café culture around espresso drinks, and the third wave turned attention to where coffee comes from and how it is grown, processed, roasted and brewed.