Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, coffee is likely part of your daily routine. Since 2004, the number of American adults who enjoy a daily cup of java has risen 37%, the highest level in more than 20 years, according to a report National Coffee Association. But coffee is not a new invention. Its roots go back to 850 AD, when coffee beans were first cultivated in the Arab colony of Harar near present-day Ethiopia.
From there, coffee was transported to Mecca and spread throughout the Arab continent. Brian Quoc Lowsays the food scientist and CEO of Mendocino Food Consulting Popular Science. “But it was only in the 17th century that Venetian merchants recorded seeing a black drink that resembled modern coffee, so they brought the coffee beans to Europe.”
Throughout this history, the way we grow, prepare and serve coffee has changed. according to Smurfs onlya research associate at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences’ Center of Excellence in Coffee, says there aren’t many other foods that receive the same level of processing as coffee — and every little step, from the soil it’s grown in to the temperature at which it’s boiled, has an impact on flavor.
Here’s a guide to the journey it takes a coffee bean to go from simple root to morning latte.
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Starting with seeds
The coffee grounds barely mimic the deep, rich brown color you’re used to seeing poured from a French press. While in the ground, coffee is a leafy plant with bright red fruits. There are more than 130 types of coffee, but only Arabica and Robusta end up in the beverage industry worldwide, he says. Hannah NeuschwanderSenior Communications Consultant at World Coffee Research.
Arabica beans originated in Ethiopia, but are now grown all over the world, especially in Brazil. The Robusta plant is grown in Africa, Indonesia, and India, and is so named due to its hardy nature. The main difference between these two types of coffee is that Arabica tends to have a lighter, fruitier taste, while Robusta makes a rich, intense drink that’s perfect for espresso.
But the beans themselves are just the beginning of the taste profile. “One thing that most coffee drinkers don’t fully understand is that what we call the bean is actually the seed inside the fruit,” Neuschwander says. Popular Science.
When it comes to harvesting and processing coffee, the ripeness of that fruit really matters in terms of taste. This is because the fruit itself, even when removed from the coffee bean, leaves an imprint on the taste and aroma. There are several ways to extract the berries from the seeds, or process the coffee, which eventually becomes a coffee bean. Stripping or grinding the fruit entirely results in a more pronounced acidic taste, Smarki says. Additionally, the washed process, which leaves less of the fruit on the seeds to ferment, will ultimately result in a fruity taste in your cup.
Time to grill
Once you have a processed bean, there’s still a long way to go before that bean smells like anything close to a cup of coffee. These beans, also called “green” beans, have delicious coffee notes, Smerky says. However, the compounds need to go through a wake-up process called roasting. During roasting, there are some processes that happen to the beans. The most important of them Maillard reaction –The chemical reaction of sugars with amino acids gives coffee its distinctive roasted aroma, Smarki says.
Roasting, in terms of flavour, can be viewed as a battle between two different taste characteristics: acidity and bitterness. The more you roast the coffee bean, the more acidic compounds will break down. This means that if you’re a fan of more acidic drinks, you’ll want to stick with a lighter drink. The bitterness comes out more with roasting. So, with a darker roast, you’ll enjoy more of the classic bitter coffee taste. However, there is a caveat in this flavor battle: the original taste, or the distinct tastes that come from the process long before roasting, tends to fade with heavier roasts.
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“The changes may seem subtle, but changes in roast profile have a huge impact on the final flavor in the cup.” William Ristenbartsays the director of the Davis Coffee Center at the University of California Popular Science.
Once the coffee beans are roasted, it is best to give them a short rest before proceeding directly to preparation. This is because freshly roasted beans contain a lot of carbon dioxide, Smerk says, which means extracting them will be a foamy struggle. Dark roasts need a break of about one month to six weeks before moving on to the next step, but this timeline is shorter for lighter roasts.
Preparing coffee
Just as there seem to be endless ways to make a coffee bean unique, the same can be said about preparing a cup of coffee. In general, coarse ground coffee is ideal for preparing French press coffee or cold brew. As you venture towards a stovetop Moka pot, espresso machine, or even Turkish coffee, finely ground coffee is essential for best results.
The type and age of coffee also play a role in how best to grind it. But, to keep things simple, let’s start with the ever-popular espresso. To make espresso, light roast coffee should be ground more finely than dark roast coffee, according to Smirk. The fresher the espresso beans, the coarser grinding they need. The coarse grind helps balance crema foam – the fine level of foam at the top of your espresso.
“When coffee is cooked, carbon dioxide is lost,” he says. “This carbon dioxide creates a crema during the espresso extraction, and the crema affects how much resistance you have or how easily it flows.”
Water temperature is also important, he says Christine Nolenprofessor of chemistry at the University of Richmond. Nolen advocates brewing coffee at a temperature just below boiling (205°F) for optimal extraction.
“At higher temperatures, the amount of bitter flavor will increase because more flavor molecules are extracted quickly,” she says. Popular Science. “Overboiling the water before making coffee will remove oxygen from the coffee, which also causes a bitter flavour.”
But for baristas and hobbyists alike, the real way to discover your perfect drink is to experiment with different beans, roasts, equipment and techniques. Whether bitter or citrusy, caramelized or smoky, hot or cold, there are an almost infinite number of ways to brew a caffeinated cup of coffee that will leave you happy.
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