From coffee bean to coffee: the whole process revealed

Coffee bean planting and harvesting

Planting and picking coffee beans is the first step to making a delicious cup of coffee. First, choose an area suitable for growing coffee trees, usually at high altitudes where the climate is more suitable. Then, choose high-quality coffee tree varieties to plant in these areas. Next, farmers need to wait patiently for several years until the coffee trees mature and begin to bear fruit.

When the fruits are ripe, farmers pick them. They carefully select the fruits that are brightly colored, uniform in size, and free from pests and diseases. This process requires great care and patience to ensure that only the best fruits are collected.

Peel removal and fermentation

Once the fruit is harvested, the next step is to remove the outer layer of skin that surrounds the fruit. This can be done in two ways: dry and wet.

Dry processing involves placing the beans in the sun with the outer skin intact and turning them regularly to ensure even exposure. This process takes several weeks until the skin is dry and easy to peel off.

The wet process involves soaking the beans without peeling the outer skin in water. During the soaking process, the pulp will gradually break down, leaving only the coffee beans. Then, these coffee beans will be placed in a specific fermentation tank for fermentation. The fermentation time is usually 24 to 48 hours.

Coffee Bean Roasting

Once the skins have been removed and the fermentation process is complete, the beans are then roasted. Roasting is the process of heating the green beans to high temperatures to change their color, flavor, and aroma.

Different types and flavors of coffee require different degrees of roasting. For example, light roasting produces a lighter coffee with bright acidity and floral notes, while dark roasting produces a darker, more bitter coffee with characteristics such as cocoa or wood flavors.

Packaging and transportation

After roasting, the coffee beans need to be packaged and shipped. This process is designed to preserve the freshness and quality of the coffee beans.

First, the coffee beans are packed into special bags or containers and sealed to prevent oxygen from getting in. These packaged coffee beans are then shipped around the world by ship, plane or truck.

Grinding and Brewing

The final step is to grind and brew the coffee beans into a delicious cup of coffee. This can be done manually or automatically using home or commercial equipment.

Depending on your personal taste, you can choose different grinding methods. Coarser particles are suitable for drip brewing, while finer particles are suitable for espresso brewing, etc.

No matter what brewing method you use, as long as you add water in the correct proportion and control factors such as time and temperature, you can enjoy a cup of delicious coffee with a mellow, rich taste!