Trish Rothgeb z Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters prvně psala o třetí vlně kávy v listopadu 2002 v článku<ref>[http://timwendelboe.no/uploads/the-flamekeeper-2003.pdf ''Norway and Coffee'', The Flamekeeper, Spring 2003]</ref> pro The Flamekeeper, zpravodaji Roaster's Guild (gildě pražičů), obchodní skupině [[Specialty Coffee Association of America|Americké asociace pro výběrovou kávu (Specialty Coffee Association of America, SCAA)]]. Nicholas Cho z Murky Coffee poté definoval třetí vlnu přesněji v jeho článku.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://coffeegeek.com/opinions/bgafiles/04-02-2005/ |title=The BGA and the Third Wave |work=CoffeeGeek |date=April 1, 2005 |author=Nicholas Cho}}</ref> a v dřívějším interview v březnu 2005 v programu ''Bereme do úvahy vše'' program.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4530264 |title=Coffee Barista Preps for National Competition |work=NPR |date=March 10, 2005 |author=Stuart Cohen}}</ref> V součastnostisoučasnosti je termín třetí vlna běžně užíván novinami jako ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/fashion/29Cuppings.html |title=Do I Detect a Hint of ... Joe? |work=The New York Times |date=May 29, 2008 |author=Hannah Wallace}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/travel/09foraging.html |title=Los Angeles: Intelligentsia |work=The New York Times |date=March 9, 2008 |author=Gregory Dicum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/nyregion/thecity/26coff.html |title=Bean Town |work=The New York Times |date=October 24, 2008 |author=Ted Botha}}</ref> ''[[LA Weekly]]'',<ref name="LAWeekly_2008-12-03">{{Cite news |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2008-03-13/eat-drink/the-latest-buzz |title=La Mill: The Latest Buzz |work=LA Weekly |date=March 12, 2008 |author=Jonathan Gold}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2009-01-01/eat-drink/the-10-best-dishes-of-2008 |title=The 10 Best Dishes of 2008 |work=LA Weekly |date=December 31, 2008 |author=Jonathan Gold}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2008-08-21/eat-drink/palate-food-amp-wine-charcuterie-that-39-s-a-cut-above |title=Tierra Mia Explores Coffee for the Latino Palate |work=LA Weekly |date=August 20, 2008 |author=Jonathan Gold}}</ref> ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-roast102506,0,1608401.story |title=Artisans of the roast |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 25, 2006 |author=Amy Scattergood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/15/business/fi-smallbiz15 |title=Coffeehouse Serves the Latino Community |work=Los Angeles Times |date=September 15, 2008 |author=Cyndia Zwahlen}}</ref> ''[[La Opinión]]''<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.impre.com/negocios-finanzas/2008/9/7/cafe-gourmet-pese-a-la-crisis-79359-1.html |title=Cafe Gourmet Pese La Crisis |work=La Opinion |date=September 7, 2008 |author=Yolanda Arenales |language=Spanish}}</ref> and ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/mar/16/best-barista-britain-coffee |title=It’s the third wave of coffee! |work=The Guardian |date=March 16, 2009 |author=Stuart Jeffries}}</ref>
V březnu 2008, laureát [[Pulitzerova cena|Pulitzerovy Ceny]] a kritik [[Jonathan Gold]] z ''LA Weekly'' definoval třetí vlnu kávy takto:
