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COFFEE 101 |
Peaberry
Peaberry coffee has finally reached its deserved popularity in the world of specialty coffee. Coffee trees produce cherries usually containing two seeds. However, there are approximately 2 to 4% of the harvested cherries that only contain one bean, called Peaberries. Initially, coffee farmers were not sure what to do with the runts of the litter and most peaberries were discarded, as coffee farmers considered them inferior to larger Arabica beans. Peaberry coffee beans are much smaller in size and twice as robust in flavor. Because the seed inside the cherry is much smaller, the acidity is also higher (a good thing) than in regular Arabica coffees. Peaberry coffee beans are now separated from the larger cherries, bagged and sent to be roasted as 'specialty coffee', the elite of all coffee if you will.
Swiss Water Process
The SWISS WATER® Process is a 100% chemical free coffee decaffeination process that results in great-tasting decaf. Most other processes use chemical solvents, like methylene chloride, to decaffeinate coffee beans. Conversely, the SWISS WATER® Process uses only water when removing caffeine, producing water processed decaf coffee.
The process goes like this:
First, the beans are cleaned and soaked in water, partially saturated with coffee flavor solids, in preparation for caffeine extraction.
Next, the beans are immersed in the flavor-charged water. Initially the water is caffeine-free, and as a result the caffeine diffuses from the beans into the water. Since the concentration of flavor components in the bean and in the water are equal, only the caffeine is removed, leaving the flavor intact. The water then passes through a carbon filter that traps the caffeine. The now caffeine-free, flavor-charged water flows back to the beans to remove more caffeine. This process continues for approximately 8 hours, until the beans are 99.9% caffeine-free.
Following decaffeination, the trapped caffeine is removed from the carbon filter. The flavor-charged water is then recycled to the start of the process for the next batch of beans.
Reference: SwissWater.com
Harvesting and processing
Each year coffee is harvested during the dry season when the coffee cherries are bright red, glossy, and firm. Ripe cherries are either picked by hand, stripped from the tree with both unripe and overripe beans, or all the beans are collected using a harvesting machine. These processes are called selective picking, stripping and mechanical harvesting, respectively.
To maximize the amount of ripe coffee harvested it is necessary to selectively pick the ripe beans from the tree by hand and leave behind unripe, green beans to be harvested at a later time.
Irrespective of the harvesting method, green coffee beans and overripe coffee cherries inevitably end up mixed with the perfectly ripe cherries and must be separated. Overripe coffee cherries, undeveloped coffee cherries, sticks and leaves float in water. Ripe coffee beans and green coffee cherries are dense and sink. Therefore, the first separation step takes place by separating the floaters from the sinkers. The floaters are usually sent directly to the patio to be dried and are then slated for internal consumption. The ripe and green cherries can be sent to the patios to be dried using the natural (dry) process or can be sent to the pulping machines.
The first stage of pulping is used to remove the green cherries from the ripe cherries. In the pulping machine the internal pressure is monitored to push the coffee against a screen with holes only large enough for a coffee bean (not cherry) to pass through. Since the ripe cherries are soft they break and the seed is released through the screen.
The green cherries are hard and cannot be pulped. Instead of passing through the screen, the green beans pass to the end of the barrel system and are separated from the ripe beans. The pressure inside the barrel controls how many cherries will be pulped. A very high pressure will cause all of the cherries including the green beans to be pulped.
The beans covered in the slippery mucilage can be sent to the patios to dry as pulped natural coffees or can be sent to fermentation tanks. The fermenting tanks are used to remove the mucilage before drying. The pulped beans are put into cement tanks with water and are allowed to ferment for 16-36 hours. On the way to the fermentation tanks another density separation can occur. The highest quality coffees are the most dense and should be separated and fermented in a different tank.
The fermentation time depends on a number of factors including the amount of coffee fermenting, water temperature, and humidity. Currently, the best way of determining the end of fermentation is to feel the beans to determine if the beans are still encased in mucilage. If the beans are fermented for 36-72 hours stinker beans develop. Lactic, acetic, and propionic acids are produced in this process and are believed to prevent the traditional fermentation taste by inhibiting mold growth that regularly occurs during drying on a patio in humid conditions
Roasting
The secret in the development of the aroma and flavor of coffee resides in the roasting. The chemical composition of the beans changes during the roasting process: The water dissipates in the grain and a series of chemical reactions turns sugars and starches into oils, granting the coffee most of its aroma and flavor. When roasted, the grain doubles in size and the caramelized sugars turn the bean from green to brown.
The Big 5 About Coffee
- Freshness Start with fresh roasted coffee. Consumption closest to the roast date produces better flavor and aroma. Therefore only buy what you will drink within two weeks.
- Water Use fresh water. Bottled or distilled water is always best.
- Grind Use the correct grind. Too fine a grind will over-extract the coffee flavor thus making it bitter. Too coarse a grind no flavor.
- Proportion Use the correct proportion. The industry standard is two rounded tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. Everyone should start from this point, then make adjustments to your taste or the tastes of your fellow drinkers.
- Equipment Use clean brewing equipment. Clean out your brewer once a month with a mix of vinegar and water. This will help clean out the accumulated oils that coat your equipment. Expired coffee taste is the taste that these oils leave.
Reference: Mr. Cappuccino
Coffee Tasting
Coffee tasting, also called "cupping", is the sensory evaluation of coffee, which assesses more than just taste; the senses of smell, taste and "feel" are all involved. Smell and taste are very dependent on each other, and difficult to separate in assessment; of course, there are some coffees that will not taste as they smell, but in general the attribute of flavor can be interpreted almost as much an aroma as a taste, and an aroma is a very good indication of the taste to follow.
There are four basic tastes - salt, sweet, acid and bitter - and most specific tastes fall into one of these categories. The sense of feel involved in assessing coffee evaluates the coffee's body - its weight, fullness and texture in the mouth.
History of Coffee
The story of coffee begins in Africa where it is said a goatherd saw his goats acting frisky after eating some berries. When he tried the berries himself he noticed he had renewed energy. Needless to say word spread quickly and before you know it they were being cultivated in the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was introduced in Europe in the 1600's and they started growing coffee in Brazil (where most of it is grown today) in the 1700's. Instant coffee was invented in 1901, decaffeinated in 1903 and freeze dried in 1938. Today, coffee is the second largest commodity after oil.
Coffee and your Health
Coffee is good for you! It contains anti oxidants as well as minerals all of which are thought to help in the prevention of some disease. In fact, drinking coffee is thought to decrease the risk of diabetes and Parkinsons disease. It has bacteria fighting elements that can help fight tooth decay and some if its anti oxidants are thought to stimulate enzymes that may protect against colon cancer. It is well known that the caffeine in coffee can help keep you alert and aid in concentration, but it can also help relieve the symptoms of asthma by dilating bronchial tubes and get rid of tension headaches.
Reference: Online-gourmet-foods.com
Storage
Coffee begins to lose its freshness as soon as the coffee is roasted. Freshness is preserved by packaging our coffees in one-way valve bags. These valves lock in the freshness by not allowing the coffee to mix with air and oxidize while allowing the gases to escape. Once the seal has been opened, we recommend that the coffee be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. STOP freezing your beans! Never store your coffee in the freezer, especially the refrigerator as this develops moisture around the bean and will ruin the flavor. Coffee will also take on flavors of whatever it is beside, it's best to keep away from highly fragranced products.