Coffee is such a common part of our lives that it’s easy to take it for granted. But in fact, every coffee bean has to go through a long journey, meet many people, and go through many processes before finally entering your cup. So let's follow its journey. You'll have more reasons to enjoy your next cup of coffee.
Growing Coffee: From seed to plant
Coffee production begins with planting coffee trees. Coffee grows on flowering shrubs. Coffee is native to tropical areas of Asia and Africa, but is now found all over the world. These coffee trees, especially those that produce the best coffee, only grow in certain climate conditions, especially near the equator. The regions where coffee beans come from are collectively known as the coffee belt.
Key conditions: Growing coffee requires full sun, no frost, plenty of rain, and well-drained soil. Other factors, such as mineral-rich soil, high altitude, and consistent temperatures day and night, all contribute to the growing number of high-end coffees.
There are two main types of coffee, Arabica and Robusta. Arabica beans are considered a superior coffee bean, with a sweeter, more complex flavor, but they are more expensive and more difficult to grow. Robusta has a stronger flavor and more caffeine, but it is a hardier plant that can grow in harsher conditions. These two coffee bean types hold their own in the coffee world.
The fruit of the coffee tree is called coffee cherry. In the center of every coffee cherry are two coffee beans, and occasionally a coffee bean and a pea, but that’s another story.
Processed Coffee: From plant to green coffee bean
Coffee processing is the step in which the coffee beans are removed from the coffee cherries and dried. This results in green beans that can be stored until roasted.
There are three main processing methods:
Natural processing: Also called dry processing, this is the oldest method. Coffee cherries, sometimes called coffee berries, are left to ferment in the sun and then the pulp is removed. Coffee beans absorb sugar from the fruit during processing, so naturally processed coffee is usually sweeter. This is also the most challenging method of control, as cherries can rot in the sun if not handled with care.
Wash Processing: Also known as wet or wet processing, the fruit is removed from the beans before fermentation. The coffee is more consistent and tastes fresher, but wastewater management can pose environmental problems.
Honey Treatment: This is actually a mix of the first two. In this new method, the cherries are only partially removed before fermentation and drying. The resulting coffee is sweet and clean.
Roasted Coffee: From green coffee beans to brown coffee beans
Roasting the coffee gives it the rich brown color you'll recognize from your local coffee shop. Roasting makes the coffee more soluble, so when you brew it you can extract all of its wonderful flavors, and it also adds its own flavor.
The roasted flavor depends on the roasting time and temperature. Lightly roasted beans still have the flavor of their origin, with bright fruity and floral aromas. Medium roast coffee will have a caramelized flavor during the roasting process. Most of the characteristics of dark roast coffee come from the roasting process, giving it a roasted flavor and rich taste.
Brewing and extraction: From coffee bean to coffee beverage
There are many ways to brew coffee: Pour over coffee, drip coffee, steeped coffee, cold brew coffee, freeze dried coffee, instant coffee, 3 in 1 coffee. Plus, new ones are popping up all the time! But at their core, they all do the same thing.
To facilitate this extraction, we grind the coffee. The finer the beans, the faster you can extract them. That's why you need finely ground coffee to pull off a quick shot of strong coffee. Media grinds are pour-over and coarse-grained methods like French press or cold brew.
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