Did you know… Issue 8

After the Milling and Sorting process, the next step is the roasting of the “green” coffee beans. In total, it takes approximately two to four months between the moment the coffee is harvested and the day it is received by the roaster. All coffee is usually roasted before it is consumed.

The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee bean both physically and chemically. The roasting begins when the temperature inside the bean reaches approximately 200 C° and since the beans differ in moisture and density, they roast at different rates. The intense heat breaks down the starches in the bean, changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown or caramelize, changing the color of the bean. During roasting, aromatic oils, acids and caffeine weaken, changing the flavor and in darker roasts, sucrose is rapidly lost. The color of the roasted beans will determine the labelling as light, medium, medium light, medium dark, dark, or very dark. Darker roasts are generally smoother while lighter roasts have more caffeine, with a slight bitterness and a stronger flavor.

Did you know… Issue 7

After being processed by either the Wet or Dry methods, coffee beans are milled to remove the parchment and silverskin layers. The coffee beans are then sorted by size and density. The Milling and sorting process is used mainly to bring like beans together which is critically important to good roasting. Defects such as under ripe beans, small stones and twigs or other foreign materials are removed during this process as well.

At this stage, the coffee beans are known to the trade market as “green coffee”.  In truth, they range in color from opalescent blue to a matte gray-green.  Green coffee is fairly stable, with a shelf life of up to one year while the roasted coffee has a shelf life measured in months.

Did you know… Issue 6

There are two methods used to isolate the coffee beans once they are picked from the trees.

The Wet (Washed) Method:

The pulp is mechanically removed from the beans. Once the pulp is removed, the coffee is transferred to large fermentation tanks for a period of 12 to 36 hours. After fermentation, the beans are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove the fermentation residue, then left to dry on large patios. The beans must be turned over frequently with a rake in order to evenly dry. Washed coffees are brighter, cleaner and have more consistent flavours, however, they generate massive amounts of coffee wastewater.  In countries where there is a shortage of water, the dry method is used. In Latin America, the Wet method is used with the exception of Brazil

The Dry (Natural) Method:

The dry or natural method is simpler. The coffee cherries are spread to dry in open sunlight on patios or tarps for several weeks. The layer of dried fruit is then removed leaving only the interior parchment and beans. The result of this process is a heavier-bodied coffee and more variable in flavor. Most Indonesian coffees are dry-processed, as are some more traditional coffees of Africa and Arabia.

Did you know… Issue 5

The following is simply to de-mystify some terms, which we encounter on a regular basis when looking at a coffee bag.

Single-origin coffee may come from the same country or region.

The term “Variatal” in coffee language also means single-origin coffee.

Did you know… Issue 4

We find two major species of coffee that are grown commercially: Arabica and Robusta.

Robusta grows in much lower elevations and is known to be harsher in flavor and has twice as much caffeine than the Arabica. Robusta can grow from sea level. Because it is grown in lower elevations, it has a relatively lower cost of production.

Arabica grows best at higher elevations and is the source of the world’s great coffees. It can grow up to 6000 ft. About 75% of the world’s total production is Arabica. At most, only 10% of that is of “specialty” quality. To narrow these numbers even further, only 1 or 2% of these super coffees, representatives of their growing regions, qualify for the term “great growth” or grand crus. These beans give you the very best flavors and aromas one can expect.