Maybe you’ve never thought about where the coffee you’re enjoying now comes from and what process it went through.

In fact, the coffee we drink comes from coffee trees and the seeds of their fruits, obtained after intense processing. It comes from the mountains where hundreds of flowers bloom and where nature produces thousands of sweet cherries.

Te întrebi prin ce au trecut semințele de cafea înainte de a deveni o licoare delicioasă în ceștile noastre? Prima etapă este culesul. Metoda obișnuită de prelucrare presupune sortarea fructelor proaspete după recoltare.

Sortarea fructelor se realizează manual în zonele izolate, cu recolte relativ mici. În centrele mari din zonele cu potențial si recolte semnificative, acest proces se desfășoară în bazine cu apă, boabele de cafea coapte scufundându-se, iar cele crude rămânând la suprafață și fiind apoi procesate separat.

Procesul natural de înlăturare a părții cărnoase a fructului dă cafelei o aromă full-bodied dar slabă, pe când prin metoda umedă se obține o cafea puternic aromată, fină si cu o aciditate ridicată.

Cherry picking
As a stage of selection of cherries, harvesting determines the direction of the entire processing. For specialty coffee, ripening and growing fresh fruit is essential. During this stage, all red or even red-purple cherries are picked by professional workers. Commercial coffee is mostly harvested without tracking the ripeness of the wax ș ei, therefore it is not uniform. There will be immature green cherries, rotten cherries, overripe and dried cherries with inappropriate flavors. This is also one of the reasons for impurities, such as astringent cupping tastes. There is a higher demand for completely red cherries grown at high altitudes, because the higher the growth altitude of the coffee tree, the longer the coffee growing cycle will take, which leads to the accumulation of sugar and nutrients. . Fresh fruits begin to ferment after harvest, so processing is required shortly.
Immersion sorting
Coffee brewed by the wet method is called washed coffee. The wet method requires the use of specific equipment and substantial amounts of water. Flotation is the process of removing impurities: immature fruits, wilted berries, sticks and leaves that can cause impurities are removed. The bad or unripe fruits will float, and the good, ripe ones will sink. After the fresh fruit is immersed in water, the pulp that carries abundant microorganisms will speed up the fermentation process. Farmers need to pay more attention to the fruit on the surface and turn it frequently to avoid the development of mold. In addition to flotation sorting, color sorting can be performed on fresh fruit to improve the quality of the finished product.
Pulp fermentation
During the fermentation process, microorganisms interact with enzymes. In the case of coffee processing, the microorganisms in the mucilage react with the sugar to produce degradation, resulting in fermentation.
There are many variables that affect the fermentation process, such as the shape and material of the fermentation tank, the weight and maturity of the coffee, the temperature, the fermentation mode (dry or wet fermentation), water quality and time. In the fermentation process, lactic acid and acetic acid are produced according to of the degree of dispersion of the sugar. The PH tester is used to detect the degree of fermentation. When the pH is below 4 there is a risk of over-fermentation; the smell is similar to pickles, rotten fruit or nail polish.
The thickness of the cherry pulp is an important factor that affects the degree of fermentation. The thicker the pulp of the coffee beans, the higher the fermentation temperature and the more intense the fermentation. The scent of coffee will gradually change from fresh fruit to berry, then rich red wine, reaching the ideal state of natural fermentation. If the smell of spoiled bananas is reached, the adjustment plan is made immediately, in order to avoid over-fermentation, drying them quickly. M wet environment is a paradise for bacteria growth, therefore ventilation during fermentation and dry environment are very important.
If the smell of spoiled bananas is reached, the adjustment plan is made immediately, in order to avoid over-fermentation, drying them quickly. M wet environment is a paradise for bacteria growth, therefore ventilation during fermentation and dry environment are very important.
Drying coffee beans

Next, let’s talk about drying coffee beans. Drying is the preservation of the quality of the green bean and the development of the aroma. While maintaining embryonic activity, the water content of coffee beans is reduced to the appropriate storage range of green beans: 10-12%. Too little water content in coffee beans will cause the embryo to dry quickly, leading to rapid loss of flavor and the development of a woody aroma. On the other hand, an excessive water content will cause the embryo to grow in a humid environment and will result in mold.

 

Drying is not just a technique to reduce the moisture content of fresh fruit or peeled berries. The typical drying period is about 23 days. Drying the processed coffee by placing it on an outer surface allows higher temperatures and a faster drying method.

 

However, overexposure to the sun can cause the bark to crack and the potential for green beans to produce mold when directly exposed to the microbial environment. In addition, the organic substances in coffee beans will be destroyed by high temperatures, which will reduce the retention of aromatic substances.
Proper drying is done at a suitable temperature by convective hot air. This method only results in the drying of the coffee surface, while the internal moisture will be transferred through several layers of organic substances to balance the aroma.
 
Coffee Beans Rest

The main purpose of this stage is to stabilize the quality of the coffee beans to obtain the consistency of the batch. Defective or peeled coffee can be unevenly dried. Therefore, it requires at least 4 weeks of rest time to balance the moisture, so that the aroma can be fully developed and ready to ship.

Uncontrollable environmental factors increase the difficulty of processing. Depending on the climatic variables and the environment in the coffee region, home farmers must choose the most appropriate processing method for their crop.

After processing, these coffee beans will be sent to the mill for processing dry and the green coffee beans in the toaster’s hands will become. After roasting, those small, roasted beans we see in the cafe become the delicious liqueur in our cups.

As you can see, it is not an easy journey for the coffee bean. Not only is this little bean interesting, but it’s like a precious treasure waiting for you to discover its delicious potential.

Discover the roasters we chose this month and let’s enjoy the journey of specialty coffee beans together!

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