The mystery of coffee beans growing: Finding their home on the tree

The mystery of coffee beans growing: Finding their home on the tree

Coffee, one of the most popular beverages in the world, has a mysterious and fascinating story behind it. From planting to roasting to brewing, every cup of fragrant coffee is inseparable from those small coffee beans. However, few people really understand how these beans grow and mature. Let's uncover the mystery of coffee bean growth and find their destination on the tree.

1. Coffee tree growth environment

To understand how coffee beans grow, you first need to understand the owner they depend on - the coffee tree. These tall, straight, lush trees usually grow in subtropical and tropical regions such as South America, Africa and Asia.

Compared with other crops, coffee trees have higher requirements for environmental conditions. Factors such as temperature, rainfall, and altitude will affect the growth and yield of coffee trees. For example, Arabica coffee trees usually grow in high mountain areas at an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 meters, while Robusta coffee trees are more suitable for low altitude areas.

2. Coffee bean cultivation

A coffee bean needs to go through a complicated and long process from germination to maturity. First, farmers will choose soil suitable for growing coffee trees and plow and prepare it. Then, coffee seedlings are planted on these prepared lands.

Once the seedlings start growing, farmers need to water, fertilize and weed regularly to ensure they grow healthily. In addition, they also need to pay attention to pest control and take timely measures to protect the seedlings from damage.

3. Coffee Cherry Formation

When coffee trees reach a certain age (usually 2-4 years), they begin to bloom and produce fruit, which are called "coffee cherries" because of their bright red cherry-like appearance.

Coffee cherries usually ripen in relatively warm and humid environments. Different varieties of coffee trees will produce fruit at different times, but generally speaking, they take about 9 months to fully mature.

4. Harvesting coffee beans

When coffee cherries become plump and full, farmers begin to harvest these precious fruits. They pick the coffee cherries from the trees by hand or by machine and perform preliminary processing.

Initial processing involves removing the skin and pulp, and separating the beans. This process can be done by washing, natural fermentation, or machine peeling. Each method will have an impact on the taste and flavor of the final coffee beans.

5. Coffee bean processing and roasting

Once separated, the beans need to be further processed and roasted to truly bring out their aroma and flavor. First, farmers will dry the moist beans to remove excess water.

The coffee beans are then sent to a roasting plant for roasting. During this process, the coffee beans are subjected to high temperatures, which changes the chemical composition inside them. Different degrees of roasting will produce coffee beans with different tastes and flavors.

6. Brewing coffee beans

The final step is to brew the processed and roasted coffee beans into our favorite drink. Whether you use a drip brewer, French press or espresso machine, the key is to master the time, temperature and ratio.

By properly controlling these factors, we can enjoy a rich, varied, and aromatic coffee taste and flavor.

Conclusion

From planting to harvesting to processing and brewing, there is a complete chain of careful cultivation behind every cup of delicious and fragrant coffee. Understanding and appreciating this process can help us better taste each cup of coffee and pay tribute to the hard-working farmers.

I hope that through this article, you can better understand the mystery of the growth of coffee beans, and while enjoying coffee, you can also gain some insights into the story behind it.