Coffee: It's the aromatic elixir that powers our mornings and fuels our afternoons. But have you ever stopped to ponder how those beans find their way into your cup? Let's embark on the journey from coffee plantations to your espresso shot, understanding how coffee is grown, farmed, and dried.
1. Coffee Origins: The Coffee Belt
Coffee trees thrive in tropical climates, predominantly within the "Coffee Belt", which encompasses regions between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Key coffee-growing countries include Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Indonesia and many more whose production numbers are steadily growing.
Feel free to take an even deeper dive into the coffee origins and the breakdown of the Coffee Belt [Here] https://www.aromatico.com/advice/knowledge/coffee-belt/#:~:text=The%20so%2Dcalled%20coffee%20belt,consumed%20worldwide%20is%20grown%20here.
2. Planting the Seeds: The Coffee Nursery
The journey begins with a seed - usually a coffee bean. In nurseries, these seeds are sown in shaded beds. After sprouting, the seedlings are kept in beds for a few months and are then transferred to individual pots filled with a mix of soil types. They're carefully nurtured until they're ready for planting out in the field.
You'll be able to find a more extensive breakdown on the entire seed process [Here] https://www.ncausa.org/about-coffee/10-steps-from-seed-to-cup
3. Growing Up: The Coffee Plantations
Once the young plants are strong enough (typically after 6-12 months), they're transplanted to open fields. Coffee plants require consistent rainfall, steady temperatures between 60-70°F, and good soil quality. It takes about 3-4 years for a coffee plant to mature and produce its first cherries.
4. Coffee Cherries: It's Harvest Time!
Coffee beans are seeds inside the fruit of the coffee tree, often called a coffee cherry because of its red or purple appearance when ripe. Harvesting can be done in two ways:
- Strip Picking: All cherries are stripped off from the branch, irrespective of their ripeness.
- Selective Picking: Only the ripe cherries are handpicked. This method is more labor-intensive but produces superior quality beans.
5. Processing the Cherries: Dry or Wet?
After harvesting, the cherries need to be processed to extract the beans. The two primary methods are:
- Dry Method: Used mainly in regions with limited water. The cherries are spread out in the sun to dry, regularly raked and turned for even drying. This process can take several weeks.
- Wet Method: Here, the pulp of the cherry is removed before the bean is dried. The beans are then fermented in water-filled tanks, washed to remove any residue, and finally, sun-dried.
6. Milling the Beans
Once dried, the beans are hulled, which means removing the parchment layer (in the wet process) or the entire dried husk (in the dry process). After hulling, the coffee is graded and sorted based on size and weight.
7. Final Touches: Exporting Green Coffee
The milled beans, now termed 'green coffee', are loaded into jute or sisal bags and are ready for export. They undergo one final cleaning process to remove any remaining impurities before being shipped to their final destinations.
In Conclusion
The journey of coffee is a fascinating blend of nature, care, and tradition. Next time you sip your brew, take a moment to appreciate the vast processes and hard work that have culminated in that delightful cup in your hands. The world of coffee is vast and rich, just like its flavor!