What coffee trends will we see throughout the rest of 2021?

Trends in the food and beverage industry are constantly shifting. We crave new flavors and taste experiences. This pattern holds true for coffee, as evidenced by the fact that unique blends, brews, and preparation methods pop up. What does 2021 hold for coffee enthusiasts? Keep reading to find out what developments experts say you can expect to see in the coming months.

Top 3 Coffee Trends for 2021

1. Lighter Roasts

Medium roasted coffee beans have always been the most popular, by far. A 2020 study by Statista.com put it at a 51% lead, but as farmers produce better and better coffee and the quality of coffee climbs, I predict that this lead will finally swing in favor of light roasts.

Specialty coffee isn’t just confined to the big cities and cafés anymore. It’s making its way into everyday homes. Lighter roasts are floral, fruity, vibrant, and acidic – all desirable flavor characteristics that people are starting to lean towards. It’s opening up a whole new world of flavor profiles and taste notes that were once impossible to find. As such, I see extra-dark roasts such as European roast, Viennese roast, French roast, and New Orleans roast being [overtaken] by this new, third-wave specialty coffee, in which coffee enthusiasts appreciate the original flavor of coffee beans much more.

2. Single-origin Coffee Beans

Single-origin coffee beans are the new kid on the block, as opposed to blends. Blends are stable, well-known, cheaper, and taste-wise, more accessible to a larger portion of consumers. Single-origin coffee beans are harder to control and trickier to properly extract flavor from. There’s nowhere to hide as the flavors stand alone, but this is what has made it appealing. What was once considered annoying and “too much effort” to bother working with is now considered attractive. It’s a fun test of your skills as you play around with various roast levels, brew methods, and recipes to get the best flavor possible.

Homebrewers also have more time on their hands now due to many new work-from-home policies. Instead of having to gulp down whatever coffee was available and rushing out to catch the subway, they have the freedom to spend time and attention on refining their craft. Single-origin coffee beans allow this much more than blends. Indeed, some cafés are already pioneering this change by choosing not to offer a house blend anymore, but rather offering a rotating single-origin so their customers can experience a variety of coffee flavors from all over the world.

3. Specialty Coffee Bars

The last trend I predict for 2021 is the rise of specialty coffee bars – both espresso and soft brew. I see a shift away from full-blown cafés and bistro-style establishments. Instead, we’re likely going to see more simple, no-fluff coffee bars that really drill in on specialty coffee. Specialty, in the sense that they offer a selection of top-grade coffee beans, both blends and single-origins alike for customers to pick and choose [from]. These bars will also offer a variety of brew methods. The barista may recommend a particular bean for a particular brew method or let the customer mix and match with endless possibilities. In this way, the customer is invited into the conversation about coffee. Thus, an appreciation for good, quality coffee grows, which in turn helps these specialty coffee bars grow.

At-home baristas

The biggest trend in 2021 is going to be people becoming at-home baristas, crafting coffee from their home instead of going out to cafés.

Obviously, over the last year or so, we have been spending a lot more time at home, but we still want to get our caffeine fix. Most people get specialty coffee when they’re out and about at work or shopping in town. Well, that’s not been possible as much this year. So, I think there will be a lot more people wanting to brew amazing coffee from home.

It is much easier [to do] than you think. You just need to know a couple of tips and tricks to get started. You don’t need to drink instant coffee or use coffee capsules to brew coffee for yourself. You can make a latté or cappuccino, which will be pretty much as nice as what you would get from a café. You just need to know how.

The best cup of coffee at home

Making coffee at home will come back into its own this year. For many years, we have seen people obsess about takeout coffee. Even TikTok stars have their own drinks named after them. [During] the pandemic, people have had to rely on their own coffee, which could be nicer than you may think.

With the right tools at home, you can make the best cup of coffee you have ever drunk, but not without practice and time. I think that many of us have picked up new skills during this year, so why not make ourselves amateur baristas and carry this trend into 2021?