What is the process of making coffee beans?

The coffee bean production process can be divided into four main stages: picking, processing, roasting and grinding.

The first is the picking stage. Coffee beans require specific climatic conditions to grow and are usually grown at high altitudes. When the berries on the coffee trees are ripe, farmers will pick them from the trees by hand or mechanically. This process needs to be careful to avoid damaging the berries.

Next comes the processing stage. Soon after picking, farmers process the coffee cherries to remove the outer skin and pulp. There are two main methods: dry and wet.

The dry method is one of the most traditional methods, in which farmers lay out whole coffee cherries in the sun to dry for several weeks, turning them regularly to ensure even drying. They then remove the outer skins by machine or by hand, and get the inner part of the coffee bean, which is called the "hulled coffee bean."

The wet method is more complex, in which farmers first use water to wash away the outer skin and pulp, leaving the pulp containing the germ (i.e., coffee bean). They then ferment the pulp in tanks to remove the remaining pulp and mucilage. Finally, the coffee beans are washed and dried.

After processing, the beans enter the roasting stage. During the roasting process, the beans are heated to high temperatures and stirred constantly to ensure even heating. During this process, the beans gradually change color and release aromas and oils. Factors that determine the final taste and flavor characteristics include time, temperature and degree of roasting.

Finally, the grinding stage. Once the coffee beans have cooled sufficiently, they need to be crushed into the appropriate particle size before use. Depending on the different types of preparation methods (such as drip, espresso or French press), different degrees of fine or coarse grinding are required.

In summary, there are several key steps from picking to tasting the finished product: picking, processing, roasting and grinding. Each step has an important impact on the final taste and flavor of coffee, so each link requires careful operation by farmers and baristas.