WHERE DO COFFEE BEANS COME FROM?

Most people, even those who have never tried the beverage, know that coffee is obtained from beans. But where does the delicious smell of our beloved coffee, the fragrant taste of freshly ground beans, and the unique flavor of the finished product we enjoy come from?

Coffee farms are the source of coffee, and they do not actually produce beans. The seeds are capable of producing coffee plants if they are given an opportunity to sprout. You can likely figure out that those vegetation yield the beans that will turn out to be the wonderful coffee you enjoy each morning.

The offspring of coffee trees are coffee cherries, from which the seeds originate. Gathering the beans can be tough due to the fact that coffee plants tend to be planted on sloped areas, such as mountains or hill slopes. It usually takes a long time, around three to four years, for a coffee farmer’s plants to produce the fruit needed for coffee, making it difficult for impatient people. It is for that reason extra gratitude should be given to the hard work of coffee farmers, and all they do to make sure people get their morning cup of coffee.

Be aware that the beans that are sourced directly from the coffee plants are not of the same type as the ones purchased in the store. That is due to the fact that the coffee beans we use have gone through processing and roasting…although we’ll discuss that deeper into the conversation.

Beans used for coffee are collected from various parts of the world, with Brazil having the highest production of coffee on a worldwide scale. Many people still enjoy beans that originated in Central America, Latin America, and some parts of Africa. Some people love Indonesian coffee, too.

Growing Coffee

Let’s talk about coffee beans. It is widely understood that coffee comes from beans, which have a distinct brown shade and are present in an ideal size; it is easy to imagine them. It is true that they are not really beans, they are actually seeds.

Because they’re so big, people called them “beans”. And it just stuck. But these are actually seeds. The seeds necessary for coffee production are located within the coffee fruit, otherwise known as the coffee cherry. These cherries are round and rather small in size.

To obtain coffee beans, growers must cultivate coffee plants. These bushes are native to Ethiopia. For millennia, this plant has thrived in this area, and it was first documented being consumed as early as the 10th century when a goat herder noticed how the fruit of this plant seemed to give his flock a burst of energy.

Coffee shrubs can only thrive in environments situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. That covers all the areas located above Africa, such as Europe, North America, Japan, etc.

Basically, it eliminates the majority of coffee enthusiasts globally. Ironic.

Most coffee is grown in Latin America. Brazil is responsible for the output of almost half the coffee which is consumed around the world and the vast majority of countries located in Central and South America harvest coffee. Other significant producers are Ethiopia, Kenya, and Vietnam. (Statista, n.d.)

Once the cherries are ripe, harvesting occurs. They are left to air out in bedding beneath the rays of the sun. This facilitates a considerable amount of the liquid evacuating, making it simpler to get to the seeds inside. Soaking the beans in the juice of the fruit adds flavor to them.

After the beans have been dried, the outer shell is removed, and the green coffee beans need to be handled. The produce is given a thorough cleaning to remove any particles that may be clinging to it (which is normally quite a few), followed by a drying process before it’s shipped off.

By doing this, we therefore have an ideal raw ingredient: the unroasted coffee bean. In most cases, these beans are taken from the farm to large facilities to be roasted.

Roasting K-Cup Coffee

The subsequent step in producing coffee is to roast it. Are you aware that the majority of the flavor of coffee comes from the roasting process? This is where people really demonstrate their imaginative and pioneering abilities.

Roasting is serious business, too. Not anybody can roast coffee. You must continue until you have prepared a satisfactory cooked meal. Those who can maintain a consistent level of roasting excellence are referred to as “cold Master roasters”.

But let’s get to know more about roasting. It is said that in the past, a particular tale circulated about coffee’s origins. The fruit of the plant was initially consumed directly, and eventually came into the hands of a religious leader who believed that it had evil powers and so proceeded to burn it. As the blaze touched the kernels, the odor of freshly toasted coffee pervaded the chamber, altering the monk’s outlook.

Roasting releases the particular taste within each coffee bean. A special machine is utilized to roast a sizable quantity of coffee beans simultaneously, resulting in an even roast consistency.

These machines are incredibly precise, too. The expertise of the master roaster is necessary to ensure that each type of bean is cooked to the correct level. Let us discuss the three principal roast levels that exist.

Dark roast

The most traditional of all roasts. This roast looks very different from the other roasts. The size of these beans is diminished due to the absence of moisture within them. A noteworthy trait of dark roast coffee beans is their shiny surface. The heat causes the coffee bean’s naturally occurring oils to come to the surface, creating a glossy coating.

In terms of taste, the darkest type of K-cup coffee has the most intense flavor, however, it has the most acrid taste as well. This roast is sometimes referred to as ‘Italian’ due to the popularity it had in the Italian region; however, it is also believed that it was quite widespread in other countries, too.

Dark-roast coffees, due to their bitter flavor, tend to not be as popular as they used to be and usually require becoming accustomed to.

Medium roast

The medium roast has a different name which is the same as the dark roast: the French roast. This is mainly due to the fact that French coffee conventions traditionally lean towards a milder and more delicate flavor which does not match the strong, dark roasts.

The medium roast coffee has an even taste. This drink has a lot of taste as well as smell, with just the right amount of bitterness to make it enjoyable. Internationally, medium roasts are undoubtedly the most favored.

Light roast

Recently, light roasts have grown in popularity, although they have been around for some time. Recently, there has been a large increase in coffee drinkers, which has caused the formerly unpopular light roast flavor to become more favored by newer audiences.

A light roast, otherwise known as a blonde roast, offers less of the usual bitterness associated with roasts and has a milder taste than other roasts. In spite of the shorter roasting time, this roast provides distinct flavors of natural sweetness and fruit.

It should be obvious to you at this point that the only variation when producing these roasts is the duration of their baking in the oven. The time frame for this procedure is between three and nine minutes, and it is kept track of through checks of heat and moisture levels.

Brewing K-Cup Coffee 

The final (but not insignificant) stage of coffee production is how it is served in your mug or cup – namely through brewing. To make the coffee beans ready to be brewed, you will have to crush them after they have been roasted. There are three basic grind sizes:

Fine

The coarseness of this powder is the most precise of them all, primarily used for espresso and other precise brewing techniques such as the Aeropress.

Medium

The medium size of a particular item is one of the most frequently employed, and works well with a variety of brewing techniques, including drip machines, all forms of pour over methods, and so on.

Coarse

The size of the coarse grind is quite specific and only compatible with certain preparation methods such as cold brew, French press, and cowboy coffee.

It is time to make your coffee after you have grounded it in accordance with the method of preparation you chose.

A COFFEE PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN 

Once the immense amount of coffee cherries have been collected, it’s time to begin the processing. The outer layer of the fruit is taken away, only leaving the seed to proceed with the general coffee-producing and making procedure.

The way the farmer handles the coffee before it is available for your drinking is incredibly significant, as it will affect the taste of the coffee when it is eventually consumed. Producers have various options in terms of coffee processing methods to pick from, and we’ll discuss a couple of the most common ones.

THE WET METHOD

Once all of the external flesh of the coffee cherries has been taken away, the beans are then put into a container filled with water and left to ferment for eighteen to twenty-four hours using the wet processing procedure. This facilitates the dissolving of the thick and gooey coating around the bean. Following that, the farmer will rinse the beans with new water and then leave them out to dry, either in the sunshine or inside a big, rotating machine drier.

THE DRY METHOD

This is called the dry method or the natural method, and it requires the coffee cherries to be spread out on a patio to dry. The time frame for this can stretch out over weeks, which is a commonplace occurrence in nations where the water supply is sparse. Once the cherries are fully dried out, they are placed into a machine that removes the pulp. This process typically results in a bean with a more sweet, flavorful taste and is commonly used among types of coffee from Ethiopia or Kenya.

THE HONEY PROCESSING METHOD

It is said that the method of processing honey is the most intense for coffee, yet for those who enjoy coffee and don’t want any extra sugar added, it is a worthwhile endeavor.

This practice is originally from Costa Rica, as it began as a test to see if water usage could be reduced. No honey is used in any part of the production of coffee beans, despite the name suggesting so.

HONEY PROCESSING CATEGORIES:

• White Honey Process: About 80 to 100 percent of the coffee’s mucilage, or honey, is removed from the beans. White honey processed beans are fermented for the least amount of time, and the result isn’t an overly sweet brew; instead, it’s a cup of coffee that’s only subtly sweet.
• Yellow Honey Process: About 50 to 75 percent of the honey is removed from the bean during the yellow honey process, and like white honey processed coffee, these beans are also fermented quickly. However, they spend about a week drying. 
• Red Honey Process: Up to 50 percent of the mucilage is removed from the coffee beans during red honey processing. Then, they are left to dry for two to three weeks. This processing method is tricky, however, as it’s easy for these beans to become sour or over-fermented if they don’t get constant attention. 
• Black Honey Process: As little of the coffee’s honey is removed as possible during the black honey process, and of the honey processed options, these beans have the longest fermentation process, sometimes lasting up to two weeks! Thanks to the long fermentation period, the resulting brew is usually richer with full sweetness and body. 

DEHYDRATION METHOD

You could either be a fan or completely opposed to instant coffee, yet it wouldn’t be around at all if wasn’t for the process of dehydration.

Instant coffee is a type of coffee that is derived from roasted, ground, and brewed beans that are then dried either by spray or freeze-drying. After all the liquid is taken out, the leftover coffee grains are what many resort to when they do not have access to a standard coffee brewer or they want a cup of coffee right away.

• Spray Drying Process: Liquid coffee concentrated is sprayed into very hot and dry air, and the droplets turn into coffee granules.
• Freeze Drying Process: Liquid coffee is chilled twice, first at about 20 degrees Fahrenheit and second at about -40 degrees Fahrenheit until it becomes a chunk of frozen java. Then, the chunk is broken down into small granules that are then sent to a drying vacuum that leaves behind instant coffee crystals.

DECAF COFFEE

The steps to remove caffeine from coffee begin when the beans are still unroasted. At the beginning, the coffee beans are soaked in heated water or vapour. A substance like ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, or carbon dioxide is used to remove caffeine from the ingredients. Next, the beans that have been stripped of caffeine are dried before they are roasted and put into containers for sale.

Every producer does not handle decaffeinated coffee in the same manner. It should be noted that some of them don’t incorporate any chemical solvents.