How did coffee come into the world market?
Dutch traders doing business with the Ottoman Empire are generally credited with first importing coffee into Europe in the 1500's via Constantinople. They then took the shrubs to their colonies in Java and Bali.
What is a Coffee Cherry?
The coffee plant is in fact a small to medium sized tree, the fruit of which is called the "cherry." The coffee cherry contains two seeds or beans that are covered by a fleshy pulp membrane. Once ripe, the cherries are typically handpicked and the outer layers are removed by either a wet or dry method. Then, the beans are cleaned, dried, graded and inspected.
What are green beans?
After they have been cleaned, dried and graded, the coffee beans are called "green" beans (they may be pale green to dull yellow in color). In this state, beans are shipped to their destination where they will be roasted, blended, ground and distributed.
What are the characteristics of the coffee plant?
The coffee shrub has a life span of 70 years and reaches its highest yield in 5 to 7 years. It can flower and bear fruit (up to 30,000 per year) at the same time. It grows primarily in the tropical regions of the world but will not flower if temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
What are the two most common types of green beans?
The two most common types are Robustica and Arabica beans. Robustica beans are of lower quality with higher caffeine content. Arabica beans are of higher quality with lower caffeine content. Jeremiah's Pick uses only 100% Arabica beans.
What is "cupping"?
Cupping, or cupping session, is a coffee tasting. Cupping’s occur before coffee beans are purchased, to ensure quality and to test the balance of flavors for blending purposes. Cupping’s are similar in many ways to a wine tasting. During a cupping session, the coffee is not swallowed (spittoons are required) and a specific procedure is followed for assessing the quality of the coffee imperfections resulting from old, diseased or unripe beans, as well as from yeast or fungus can be detected. Cupping’s involve a detailed identification of flavors and tastes. These categorizations range from aroma taints like "improper roasting" which would come across as "tipped," "scorched" or "baked," to internal changes such as "fats changing chemically" which would taste "horsey" or "sweaty."
How does the Roasting Process work?
While there have been significant advances in the uniformity and quality of the roasting method, the principle remains the same. Raw coffee beans are heated to a temperature of 355 and 415 degrees Fahrenheit. As they heat, they lose a large part of their water and increase in size. A popping noise, much like that of popcorn, can be heard as gasses inside the bean expand.
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a plant-based alkaloid which stimulates the central nervous system of any creature that ingests it. In nature, caffeine serves as a form of pest control for certain plants such as cacao trees, coffee shrubs, yuba mate and tea trees. The caffeine causes insects and other pests to collapse from the effects of over-stimulation. Caffeine, also known as guaranine, mateine or theine depending on the source plant, is considered a psychoactive drug.
Does the caffeine level in coffee vary?
Yes. The length of time coffee beans are roasted affects both their flavor and caffeine content. In fact, the lighter the roast the higher the caffeine content. Because the darker roasts, such as Italian or French roasts, are roasted longer to achieve a dark, rich flavor, more caffeine is lost in the roasting process, resulting in a lower caffeine level than lighter blends.
How much Caffeine is in coffee?
After roasting, coffee keeps most of its 0.8% to 2.5% caffeine content. This works out to between 60 and 100 mg. per cup. Compare this to 11 to 115 mg. in a chocolate bar and 80 mg. in a bottle of cola.
How is Coffee Decaffeinated?
Coffee beans are decaffeinated before roasting in one of two ways. Either the caffeine is chemically extracted with the use of a solvent (which is thoroughly washed out of the beans before roasting) or, using what is known as the Swiss water process, the green beans are steamed and the caffeine-rich outer layers of the beans are scraped away.
What is the Chemistry of coffee?
A coffee bean contains 4 to 5% chlorogenic acid, of which 30% to 70% is eliminated during roasting. Coffee beans also have an 11% albumin content which also disappears during roasting. When combined with the chlorogenic acids and carbohydrates, albumin is the agent that gives coffee its dark brown color. Coffee is one of the substances with the highest proportion of aromatic ingredients. Researchers have identified over 700 different aromatic elements in coffee. After roasting, coffee keeps a 0.8% to 2.5% caffeine content. Part of it turns into niacinamide that acts like a vitamin. A coffee bean also contains 30% to 40% carbohydrate content, the majority of which are polysaccharins as well as 10% to 13% fatty materials that do not disappear with roasting. Coffee beans contain a 10% to 13% water content when green which is reduced to 1% to 2.5% during roasting. Finally, the beans contain about 4% of mineral salts that vary upon origin.
What are the 4 M’s?
Espresso making is an art. Great care, attention & skills are employed to make the perfect brew. To make the perfect espresso one must ensure the 4 M’s are in place:
• La Machine: The Machine
• La Miscela: The Blend
• La Macinatura : The Grinding
• La Manualità : Your Touch
What is Pea-berry?
Peaberry is another type of bean found both in Arabica as well as in Robusta. A normal cherry contains two seeds or beans, that grow nested against each other. When one of these beans doesn't develop properly, the remaining bean takes over the extra space at the heart of the cherry and become unusually round.
What is Chicory?
Chicory is a root of plant that after processing is added to the coffee as an addictive and is not an adulterant. This gives a body to the coffee, Chicory when consumed without adding to the coffee tastes a bit salty. Hence affecting the taste of coffee. Chicory is cheaper than pure coffee itself. That's why coffee powder added with chicory is cheaper than pure coffee powder.
What is Roasting Process?
Roasting is a chemical process by which aromatic, acidic and other flavouring components are either created, balanced or altered in a way that should augment the flavour acidity, aftertaste and body of the coffee as desired by the roaster.
What is Regeneration Process?
It is a process of softening the water. There are some minerals found in water, which is essential for a good cup of coffee. When they found in excess quantity may spoil the cup of coffee also the insoluble salt present in water makes limestone in various part of coffee machine, to remove the limestone the process is used. The process takes 15 min. and table salt is used for the process.
Why Back-flush is important for coffee machine?
Backflushing is an important aspect of the espresso coffee machine, and is important to not only keep your machine running but also ensure you get the best taste and flavour from your coffee. Oils from the coffee build up on any surface the ground coffee or liquid coffee comes into contact with, and if left they will affect the taste of every espresso you make, adding stale negative flavours to each shot.
What is Pea-berry?
Peaberry is another type of bean found both in Arabica as well as in Robusta. A normal cherry contains two seeds or beans, that grow nested against each other. When one of these beans doesn't develop properly, the remaining bean takes over the extra space at the heart of the cherry and become unusually round.
What is Chicory?
Chicory is a root of plant that after processing is added to the coffee as an addictive and is not an adulterant. This gives a body to the coffee, Chicory when consumed without adding to the coffee tastes a bit salty. Hence affecting the taste of coffee. Chicory is cheaper than pure coffee itself. That's why coffee powder added with chicory is cheaper than pure coffee powder.
What is Roasting Process?
Roasting is a chemical process by which aromatic, acidic and other flavouring components are either created, balanced or altered in a way that should augment the flavour acidity, aftertaste and body of the coffee as desired by the roaster.
What is Regeneration Process?
It is a process of softening the water. There are some minerals found in water, which is essential for a good cup of coffee. When they found in excess quantity may spoil the cup of coffee also the insoluble salt present in water makes limestone in various part of coffee machine, to remove the limestone the process is used. The process takes 15 min. and table salt is used for the process.
Why Back-flush is important for coffee machine?
Backflushing is an important aspect of the espresso coffee machine, and is important to not only keep your machine running but also ensure you get the best taste and flavour from your coffee. Oils from the coffee build up on any surface the ground coffee or liquid coffee comes into contact with, and if left they will affect the taste of every espresso you make, adding stale negative flavours to each shot.
