COFFEE PRODUCTION
From the cherry to bean
Green coffee is one of the most important commodities traded worldwide. Coffee ranks second only to oil in world trade. About 100 million people live on coffee growing, processing and trade in coffee. For many countries it is the most important agricultural export product.
The Coffee Tree
The cultivated coffee tree is a 2 - 3 m tall evergreen shrub; hot and humid climate is required. The coffee plant grows fruit after 3 - 4 years. The maturation of the grapes takes 9 - 11 months and they change their color from dark green to deep red and yellow in the mature stage.
The Harvest
Picking: The ripe cherries are picked individually by hand to provide a high level of quality, especially for the Arabica coffee is the harvesting method used...In the "strip-plucking" cherries are all touched in one step from the branches. The composition of the immature crop of ripe and overripe cherries, however, negatively affects the quality of the coffee.
The Treatment
During the treatment, the entire envelope of the actual coffee bean gets removed. The two known ways to achieve this goal, is the dry and the wet process.
During the peeling the remaining gear casings are removed from the coffee bean. Moreover the coffee beans are sorted after similarity, size, density and color. When the coffee is in the different quality grades, then it is put into sacks and can start its journey to the roaster.
Roasting
Only the actual roasting gives coffee a decisive taste, as this up to 800 flavors are released! During roasting, the coffee bean, at atmospheric pressure, heated dry. The roasting temperature is 212 ° F to 500 ° F.
