"[sipping a freshly-made coffee] Mmm. Goddamn, Jimmie. This is some serious gourmet shit. Me and Vince would've been satisfied with some freeze-dried Taster's Choice, right? Heh! And he springs this serious gourmet shit on us."
—jules WInnfield in [Pulp Fiction]

If the first wave was epitomised by [Mr. Coffee], and the second by the [Starbucks] cafe and drink 'experience', the third is represented by the [single origin coffee|single-origin beans], the rise of [small batch roaster|small batch roasters] and the [pourover coffee]. not to mention the hipster [coffee snobs].

Coffee has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a bitter, utilitarian beverage brewed for a caffeine fix. The First Wave brought coffee into homes and diners as a mass-produced commodity, while the Second Wave turned it into a cultural experience, along with the with the rise of espresso drinks and coffeehouse chains. Now, the Third Wave treats coffee as a craft—focusing on oenvironmentally-aware understanding of origin, quality, and method—elevating it to an artisanal product where every bean, brew, and barista choice matters.

The third wave is a response to the sameness of many commercial coffees, afficionados seeking out improved flavour, notably tapping into the smaller "artisanal" specialty growers and roasters. Focusing on [single origin coffee], the third wave concentrates on flavour above profit in the café, and, in the home, as [coffee as a hobby|a rewarding hobby]. In recent years, there has been good growth in numbers of small-scale roasters, buying sustainably-grown coffees often direct from the growers. These days it's not uncommon to find a cafe that is attached to a roaster, as [Pachamama Coffee] in Sacramento and [Stumptown Coffee] in Portland, Oregon. I's not unheard of for small cafes to buy a roaster to roast on the premises, and more people are taking up the pleasurable challenge of [how to roast coffee at home|roasting their own beans at home]. What these folk have in common is the desire to turn a commodity into a delight, and while a majority of people will still be making their Nescafé Instant at home, more and more folk are discovering that buying freshly-roasted beans and brewing them makes a tastier, more satisfying and responsible beverage.

"Responsibility" is also a part of the third-wave mantra. Roasters are buying directly from the grower, roasting in [small batch roaster|small batches] and often dealing directly with the consumer, and more of the bottom-line cost of the coffee goes to support the farmers and the communities dependent on them. Tastier coffee with less bitterness for the producer? Sounds good to me. I'll gladly pay a few cents more for my coffee to support that.

"Fourth Wave…?

The fourth wave is going to be building on the third: i believe it will be active across the whole range of coffee from breeding, genetics through growing, environmental issues. i imagine new varieties, hybrids and varietals being increasingly used in [permaculture] settings, with increased use of [shade gown coffee|shade growing] at altitude. Varieties will need to be able to adapt to climate change, resistant to higher temperatures and able to grow in a wider variety of conditions (rainfall, altitude, soil type and depth). Farmers will become more central as roasters continue to pursue direct relationships with them. This all leads to traceable coffee at the roaster level, so purchasers will be able to make better-informed decisions. Technology will naturally play a part. The trend of [in-house coffee roasting] will continue, as will [small-batch roaster|small-scale local roasting] thanks to improvements to better control and automate roasting. A wider range of better coffees, freshly roasted and locally available, all will play a part. Who's to say where this ends? Your morning [coffee ritual] may one day include roasting the beans you're about to make your coffee with. We are already on the way to this now. More people are roasting at home, more cafes custom-roasting their beans.

As more and more people discover the range of flavours available thanks o the third wave, and more companies produce equipment to cater to them, we're approaching the fourth wave. I believe it may already have begun. [James Hoffmann] believes that home espresso maniacs are focusing on wringing out every last iota of taste in their drinks, applying techniques and hacks unheard of before. Whereas the best espresso may once have come from cafes with their expensive commercial machines, more home baristas are learning to hack and upgrade even inexpensive machines at home to produce better-than-ever coffee. I believe that personalising one's roast is going to become more important, [how t roast your own coffee beans|home roasting] and [in-house coffee roasting] will be a part of the putative next wave. New technologies and [everyday coffee hacks|hacks] will also continue to surface, and the fourth wave will include that. Of course, this is just opinion, but watch this space. it's coming, and I want some of it.

For [Peaceful Chicken], who says "Have you considered doing a writeup on the different "waves" in the coffee movement?"
No, i had't until now. Enjoy this, dedicated to you.

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Third wave coffee (thing)