Coffee: From Harvest to Cup

Coffee is a plant. However, before it can be drunk it must pass through a number of stages and travel thousands of miles.

Coffee beans come from the red cherries of the coffea bush. Each cherry usually contains two seeds, or coffee beans. The exception to this is the Peaberry, where only one bean is produced. The flavour a bean produces is affected by where the coffea bush is grown. Soil, climate and altitude all alter the way coffee tastes; this is why, for example, coffee from Columbia will differ in taste from region to region and from year to year.

Most coffee comes from two species of the coffea bush: Coffea arabica, simply known as ‘arabica'; and Coffea canephora var. robusta, simply known as ‘robusta'. Robusta beans are cheaper to buy then arabica beans because they produce coffee with an inferior flavour, containing more caffeine.

When the red cherries have been harvested from the coffea bush, the outer layers of pulp and skin must be removed to reveal the green coffee beans inside. There are two common methods of doing this: the ‘natural' or dry method, and the ‘washed' or wet method. The natural process of removal tends to give coffee a full-bodied yet mild aroma, whereas the washed process yields strongly aromatic coffee, with a fine body and a lively acidity.

In the washed method the outer pulp is removed using a mechanical pulping machine before the cherry is immersed into a fermentation tank for between 12 to 32 hours, after which the remaining pulp and skin is washed off, revealing the green bean. Finally, the bean is left out in a sunny area for between 12 to 15 days to dry.

In the natural method, the cherry is simply left to dry out in the sun for up to four weeks. During this time the pulp and skin become shrivelled and can then be easily removed.

The coffee beans are then sorted and graded by size and density. Generally the larger the coffee beans the better the coffee. The largest bean is known as ‘Maragogype' or Elephant bean. There is no international grading system for coffee beans, with different countries using alternative systems. For example, in many African countries, the highest grade of coffee is AA, whereas, in Indonesia it is Grade 1.

Green coffee beans must first be roasted before they can be used to make a cup of coffee. The roasting process produces the primary flavour and aroma of coffee. Beans are roasted by a skilled coffee roaster, who judges how long to roast the beans in order to produce the optimum taste. For example, Javanese coffee is usually roasted for a lengthy time to give it a full-bodied and earthy flavour. However, if heat is applied to the beans for too long, it will destroy this flavour and give it a burnt aroma.

The final process before you can enjoy your cup of coffee is grinding. The coffee beans need to be ground ready to infuse, using your preferred brewing method. Different brewing methods require a different coarseness of coffee in order to produce the best possible taste. For example, using a cafetiere you need coarse coffee grounds, whereas when using a stove-top espresso maker you require a much finer grind.

James Grierson is the owner of Galla Coffee: http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk - Uk online retailer of designer coffee accessories. Through the Coffee Knowledge section of his website he aims to help people understand more about coffee and give them tips on how to make great tasting coffee in their home.

http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk

Coffee Health - New Antioxidant On The Block

An extract of green coffee beans has been found to have a stronger antioxidant effect than established antioxidants like green tea and grape seed extract. Green coffee beans have supplied a new player in the antioxidant arena.

Compared to green tea and grape seed extract, green coffee bean extract is twice as effective in absorbing oxygen free radicals. Chlorogenic acid also helps regulate metabolism. It neutralizes free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl radicals, both of which can lead to cellular degeneration if left unchecked. The active constituent in coffee that is responsible for its many health benefits is a compound called chlorogenic acid.

Along with its diterpene relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations of the 'bad' cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over a lifetime might increase the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These diterpenes also had an effect on the levels of liver enzymes were much lower than those with liver disease. One of the advantages of using the green coffee bean extract contains no cafestol, which is a diterpene.

And levels of these diterpenes in instant coffee are low. The coffee filter removed the offending diterpenes. As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in regular coffee, it was found that by simply drinking filter coffee, none of these effects on cholesterol levels or the liver took place.

Other benefits of green coffee bean extract include an increase in the effectiveness of pain killers, especially for migraine medications; a reduction in the risk of diabetes; and assisting the body burn a higher proportion of lipids (fats) compared to carbohydrates, which could help with muscle fatigue for athletes and bodybuilders.

Interestingly, on the subject of caffeine and liver disease, further studies have indicated it may in fact support liver health for some people. Those who were at high risk of developing liver disease due to drinking too much alcohol were found less likely to suffer liver damage if they drank more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a population based study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive on the subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those drinking in excess of two cups or more a day were half as likely to develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than one cup a day. Researchers do not know what caused this protective effect.

One of the criticisms of coffee in regards to health is that it leaches calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found to be overemphasized, at least in children. And adults who consume a diet with sufficient levels of calcium will be protected from the small amount of calcium that is lost due to coffee consumption.

So the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a myth. It was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine was associated with low bone mass because those studies were done on elderly people who both drank a lot of coffee and had diets that were low in calcium. Recent studies in the US followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, and found no difference in the bone density of those with a high level of caffeine in their diet, compared to those teenagers who had little caffeine. Other studies determined that the amount of calcium lost from bones is small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your diet.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=643516&m;=1FSND06&idP;=2&c;=qgtqmovbyiaxdub http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/11_30_96/food.htm References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.

coffee bean processing and roasting 101

This pit, containing up to 2.5 percent caffeine, is a major export for several countries. Technically speaking the bean is the pit, similar to the pit found in a cherry or apricot, but with two half oval shapes facing each other. The coffee plant produces a red or purple fruit, but people are less interested in that than they are in the actual coffee bean. Unripe and bad beans will float to the top, while the good beans will sink to he bottom. The green bean is then put through a process of sorting, done by immersing the bean in water. The coffee bean is cultivated and is green. This is how most coffee is processed. The beans are then thoroughly rinsed with water to get rid of the microbes. Pulp that is left on the beans is removed by letting them sit in a pool full of microbes for several days. Once the sorting has been done, the beans are washed and fermented. The oldest and most traditional ways of processing coffee is the dry method. The beans, once harvested, are laid out in thin layers on tables to dry out in the sun. This takes significantly longer to do, up to two weeks. To prevent mildew, the beans need to be moved around a lot. This dry processed coffee is in high demand, but because it is so much more labor intensive, only a few regions do it. Ethiopia produces the most, followed by Brazil and Yemen. Once processed, green coffee beans can be stored for up to a year. If kept in a cool, clean and dry place, there is no reason for it to go bad before the year is up. Almost all of the coffee that consumers across the world buy has already been roasted, though it is possible to buy green coffee and roast it themselves at home. The coffee bean is then roasted.

This pit, containing up to 2.5 percent caffeine, is a major export for several countries. Technically speaking the bean is the pit, similar to the pit found in a cherry or apricot, but with two half oval shapes facing each other. The coffee plant produces a red or purple fruit, but people are less interested in that than they are in the actual coffee bean.Unripe and bad beans will float to the top, while the good beans will sink to he bottom. The green bean is then put through a process of sorting, done by immersing the bean in water. The coffee bean is cultivated and is green.This is how most coffee is processed. The beans are then thoroughly rinsed with water to get rid of the microbes. Pulp that is left on the beans is removed by letting them sit in a pool full of microbes for several days. Once the sorting has been done, the beans are washed and fermented.Almost all of the coffee that consumers across the world buy has already been roasted, though it is possible to buy green coffee and roast it themselves at home. The coffee bean is then roasted.

valuable tips on how to store and prepare green coffee beans

If you'd go to a restaurant and you'd be shown some green coffee beans that would have to make you a tasty coffee, you'd surely make a very serious and distrustful face. Save any comments for the moment you'll taste the coffee, and then you're completely entitled to complain, if you still feel like! Many people who have drunk coffee made from freshly roasted green coffee beans have often declared that these strange looking beans make the best drink they've ever tasted. Where's the secret here? There is none actually. The problem with roasted and pre-packed coffee is that it starts losing its flavor immediately after being prepared.

There are coffee drinkers who'd never use processed coffee; many actually improvise and roast the green coffee beans in popcorn machines, then grind and prepare them. However, though with greater flavor qualities, green coffee is almost half cheaper than regular roasted coffee you find in supermarkets; the only problem here would be the availability of the green coffee beans. Normally, they are to be found in special shops, or larger amounts could be ordered on the Internet. Besides offering regular commercial services online, web sites often provide very valuable tips on how to store and prepare green coffee beans.

If you don't have a popcorn popper, a pan would also do for roasting the green coffee beans; yet, true enthusiasts would rather buy special roasters, which though a bit more expensive allow a great control over the roasting level, not to mention that there is much less smoke. In case you don't have time enough to roast and grind the green coffee beans at home, you could simply purchase small amounts of coffee from special shops that grind daily, so as to still enjoy the fresh coffee flavor.

How do you know when the green coffee beans are properly roasted? Under the heat action, the water inside the beans evaporates and causes the appearance of some cracks on the surface of the former green coffee beans. As the aroma spreads all around the house, it will seem like the beans are shrinking; during the entire roasting process, green coffee beans are actually losing almost 15% of their initial weight. There are two stages to recognize in the roasting process: during the first one, the beans have a light brown color, and when ground they resemble cinnamon. On the other hand, the last roasting stage is complete when a full dark color has been resumed and you can almost feel the taste of an exquisite drink.