Coffee bean production process and characteristics

Coffee bean production process and characteristics

Coffee is a widely popular drink in the world, and coffee beans are an important raw material for making coffee. This article will focus on the production process and characteristics of coffee beans, and introduce the whole process from picking to roasting to grinding in detail.

Picking and processing

First, let's look at the coffee bean picking and processing process. When red or yellow berries appear on the coffee tree, it means that these berries are ripe and can be picked. Usually, manual harvesting is the most common method. After harvesting, the berries are placed in baskets and initially screened and washed.

Next, after washing, the skin of the fruit needs to be removed. This step is usually done using a mechanical device called a peeler. The rotational motion separates the pulp from the outer skin, while retaining the valuable seeds inside, which is called "dehydration". After dehydration, the seeds are fermented to remove the fixed substances remaining on the seeds and to increase the flavor. The fermentation time is generally 24-48 hours, depending on the type of coffee beans used and the desired flavor.

Finally, the fermented coffee beans need to be washed or dried. The washing method is to put the coffee beans into a large container, rinse off the pulp residue with water, and separate the clean coffee beans through a sieve. The drying method is to spread the coffee beans on a flat surface to dry, using natural wind and sunlight to remove excess moisture.

Baking

After picking and processing, the next step is to roast the coffee beans. During the roasting process, the fatty oils originally close to the inside gradually emerge to the outside, producing a unique aroma and flavor. At the same time, the color changes from dark brown to black.

Different degrees of roasting will bring different taste and flavor characteristics: light roasting usually retains a higher content of acidity, floral aroma and slight bitterness; medium to deep roasting gradually increases the bitterness and caramel taste while reducing the acidity. The control of roasting time and temperature is also an important factor affecting the flavor of coffee beans.

Grinding

The last step is to grind the roasted coffee beans. In this process, the coffee beans are crushed into particles of different coarseness to suit different brewing methods. The finer the powder, the better for espresso machines, while the coarser the powder, the better for drip coffee or French presses.

It should be noted that once coffee beans are opened and exposed to air, they quickly lose their freshness and aroma and flavor. Therefore, it is best to store the whole coffee beans in a vacuum-sealed container before brewing and grind them fresh on site immediately when using.

Summarize

Coffee beans are processed through picking, handling, fermentation, dry cleaning, washing, etc. Then through the process of roasting, the coffee beans gradually develop a unique aroma and flavor. Finally, they are ground according to different brewing methods. This is an overview of the coffee bean production process and its characteristics.

Understanding the coffee bean-making process and the impact each step has on the final taste and flavor can help us better appreciate and enjoy a great cup of coffee.