Ever wonder how your favorite morning drink is made?
Join me on a journey from coffee bean to cup as we explore the process of coffee making! Spoiler alert: it's more complex than you might think. ;)
Harvesting
Newly planted coffee bushes typically don't start producing beans until they are 3-4 years.
The coffee cherries turn from green to bright or dark red when ripe. Only the ripe cherries will be chosen when coffee cherries are picked.
Cherry Processing
Cherries are processed as quickly as possible after harvest to prevent spoiling in the following methods.
1. The dry approach
For 15–20 days, the fresh cherries are laid out in the sun to dry. They are regularly turned throughout the day to prevent fermentation and for uniform drying.
At night, the berries are covered to prevent them from absorbing moisture. At this stage, the cherries become black and brittle.
2. The Wet Method
The cherries are cleaned, and any blemished or overripe ones are thrown away in the wet method.
A pulping machine is then used to remove the cherry skins without damaging the beans. The coffee bean's hardness allows for this to happen.
The coffee beans are then sun-dried for at least two days.
The coffee beans now exit the processing section to be separated into various quality levels.
Coffee Milling
The dried coffee beans go through the following procedures before being sold:
- Hulling: Hulling is the removal of the dried husk from the dried coffee beans.
- Grading: The beans are then graded according to size and weight.
Only the highest quality beans make it into the final packaging destined for the export market.
Coffee Roasting
Green coffee beans are roasted so that they can be sold as aromatic brown beans that consumers are familiar with.
Initially, green beans are dried until they turn yellow and acquire a roasting aroma.
The 'first crack' occurs when the beans reach an internal temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit; at this point, they expand till they double in size and begin to turn a light brown color.
Then, as the temperature rises further, the color shifts to medium brown, and an aromatic oil (caffeol) begins to emerge.
Once the roasting process is complete, the beans are typically doused with a lot of water at once to cool them down quickly.
Coffee Grinding
The main objective of the coffee milling process is to provide the best flavor in a cup of coffee.
Coffee should be ground finely or coarsely, depending on the brewer used.
Coffee for an espresso machine is ground significantly finer than coffee for a drip system machine.
Coffee Packaging
Coffee exposed to air can become lumpy, so proper packaging is essential. Ground coffee, in particular, loses its flavor rapidly when exposed to air. Store your closed coffee bag in a closed cupboard.
Final Thoughts
This is the journey that coffee takes to be enjoyed daily in an estimated 2 billion coffee cups.
For genuine rich flavored coffee, visit our store today and choose from our wide selection of coffee products and brands.