Five things you may not know about coffee

According to a survey by the National Coffee Association, 63% of adults in the United States drink a cup of coffee every day. This figure has been very stable over the past 10 years, reaching 64% in 2018 and 62% in 2017.

Coffee is becoming more sophisticated, and people are demanding more from their daily cup of coffee. However, here are five things you may not have known about coffee.

01

Coffee can be as complex as red wine

“Everyone knows what bad coffee tastes like, but do you know how complex the flavors of good coffee can be?” Ana Piedrahita, partner and coffee experience manager at True Colombia Travel, asked me.

True Colombia Travel (TCT) specializes in providing private and customized sightseeing tours of Colombian cities and rural culture, food, and environment. With their True Aroma tour group, visitors can experience the process from bean to cup exclusively.

“From brandy to tangerine, coffee flavors start with a seed (not the syrup you see in coffee shops), and the end result can change during growing, roasting, and brewing.”

There is a lot of knowledge involved in coffee tasting, and the process is similar to red wine tasting. You need to pay attention to the acidity, bitterness, floral aroma, the front and back taste, and the aftertaste (please note: there is more than one kind of aftertaste).

02

Drinking bad coffee can be fatal

Did you know that coffee can be toxic? "During the roasting process, the sugars caramelize," Piedrahita explains. "If over-roasted, their chemical reactions can cause cancer. Coffee beans can also produce mycotoxins - molecules produced from fungal growth that can also cause cancer and kidney disease, and impart a bitter flavor."

Some surveys show that the majority (91.7%) of coffee beans grown for mass manufacturers are contaminated with mold, which means that most of the coffee we drink (especially blended coffee) contains mycotoxins.

Piedrahita said that oiliness is also a red flag. Stay away from those shiny coffee beans on the market, as oiliness means they may be expired. Piedrahita recommends coffee lovers do some research and try to buy single-origin coffee beans.

03

Coffee Makes a Great Tea

Coffee beans are the fruit of the shrub that smells like jasmine. "Many people don't know that the skin of the coffee fruit can be made into a very delicious fruity tea, is high in antioxidants, and can also be used in the production of cosmetics," Piedrahita said.

It takes about 9 months for coffee berries to mature, and only fully ripe berries can be picked to make coffee.

Café Cocondo is very careful not to waste anything, and they mix honey with coffee grounds to exfoliate the skin,” she added.

04

Colombia's "top coffee producing area" is not what you think

While many consider El Eje Cafetero (the Coffee Axis) to be Colombia’s best coffee-producing region, according to the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, the three regions that make up the Coffee Axis (Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindio) all have individual production far exceeding Antioquia (Colombia’s second-highest quality producing region).

Because high-end coffee producer Huila does not easily accept visits, True Colombia Travel takes guests to the Antioquia region to experience authentic Colombian coffee shops.

Visitors will also visit San Cayetono, the first commercial coffee farm in Colombia, Café Cocondo, the first certified organic coffee farm in Antioquia, and Café Roldan, winner of the International Technological Innovation Award for Coffee Products.

05

Coffee farmers often drink the worst coffee

You might think that coffee farmers have the best chance of enjoying the fruits of their labor and drinking the best coffee, but in 2016 Colombia exported 75% of its best coffee beans, meaning that only a small portion remained for the growers.

Although it is not easy to find a good cup of coffee in Colombia now, as awareness of this issue grows across the country, coffee is becoming more accessible and reasonably priced.

By Megy Karydes

Translation: Maggie Yu

Original link:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/megykarydes/2019/05/23/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-coffee/#480e9bb4101d

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