Coffee is one of the most widespread beverages in human society and is an important cash crop, with the second-highest global futures trade (highest being oil).

The coffee tree is native to subtropical Africa, as well as to some islands in southern Asia. From Africa, they are exported to countries all over the world and are now grown in over 70 countries, mainly in the equatorial regions of America, South East Asia, and India.

There are generally two types of coffee: the highly prized small-fruited coffee (Arabica) and the medium-fruited coffee (Robusta), which is coarser grained and less acidic with a stronger bitterness. Once mature, coffee undergoes a process of picking, processing, and roasting. The caffeine in coffee has a stimulating effect on the body and is often used by people to refresh themselves during mental activities such as studying, reading, and thinking. Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages and can be prepared in various ways, such as espresso, cappuccino, and latte, usually as a hot drink or as a cold drink. It can be consumed as a hot drink or as a cold drink. To achieve the right amount, an estimate of caffeine intake can be calculated before consumption. Most studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption is beneficial and may even be beneficial to healthy adults.

If you drink coffee regularly, you may need to pay attention to controlling your daily caffeine intake. Because excessive caffeine consumption can lead to health damage, studies have shown that healthy adults consuming less than 400mg a day are safe. For better control, you can use a caffeine calculator.

Coffee cultivation was first discovered in Ethiopia, Africa, and the earliest credible evidence of it is found in 15th century Sufism in Yemen, where it was used in religious ceremonies in the Horn of Africa and Yemen. But because these rituals were in conflict with Christian beliefs, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church banned the secularisation of coffee consumption until the reign of Menelik II. In the Ottoman Empire of Turkey in the 17th century, coffee consumption was also banned for political reasons.

Coffee is a major export commodity: it is a top agricultural export for many countries, among the largest legal agricultural exports in the world, and one of the most valuable commodities exported by developing countries. Once traded, they are roasted to different levels depending on the taste, and roasted beans can be made into coffee as a beverage. There is some controversy that coffee cultivation is linked to its environmental impact. For example, Kenyan coffee beans lose their unique Kenyan acids when transplanted, while the soil of the original Kenyan plantation contains a high concentration of phosphoric acid. Fairtrade coffee and organic coffee are, therefore, an expanding market.

Coffee beans can only be grown in the area between the north and south regression lines, the so-called ‘coffee belt’, with Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia in order of coffee production.

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Varieties

The three main varieties of coffee available on the market are Arabica, Robusta, and Liberia. Arabica is mainly used for general consumption, while Robusta is mainly used for instant coffee. In fact, in recent years, India has also seen the emergence of the Robusta variety, which is grown at high altitudes and carefully protected against pests, resulting in a much-improved flavour of Robusta coffee.

Origin

Most of the coffee beans available on the market are differentiated by their origin. The influence of the natural environment on coffee is self-evident, as different climatic conditions can produce different flavours. The origin of a single coffee is very important for a single coffee that is ground from a single origin so that it can be tasted with a strong identity of origin.

Production process

Harvesting There are both mechanical and manual harvesting methods. Still, as coffee cherries ripen at different times, mechanical harvesting results in a relatively large amount of unripe fruit. In contrast, manual harvesting is more costly, so there is a choice to be made to maximize profitability.

Read More: Something About The Shelf Life Of Coffee - Steemit

Processing Coffee is processed from the wet fruit at harvest to the final drying of the beans (moisture content of about 9-13%). Due to the different conditions (hydrology, soil, transport, human resources, topography, climate) in each production region, each region has the most suitable post-processing method, which can be roughly divided into sun-drying, washing, honey processing, semi-sun-drying, and semi-washing.

Natural method This method is mainly used in poorer areas that are not equipped to set up post-processing plants or in areas with sufficient sunlight. The berries are harvested and exposed directly to the sun for two full weeks of cloudless sunlight. After drying to a moisture content of 9%, the berries are stripped of their skins and parchment and stored in storage. However, the richness of sun-dried coffee beans is higher than that of water-washed beans, but the cost of management, manpower, and technology is greater to achieve the same level of coffee as water-washed beans.

The advantage of sun drying is that the beans absorb the flavours of the flesh and skin from the long exposure to the sun, resulting in a fuller, sweeter and thicker coffee. The disadvantage is that raw coffee beans are susceptible to mould and insect growth. Taking the coffee beans back at night will greatly reduce the chance of mould.

Reference: Something About Cascara

Washing method The washing method requires a post-processing plant. After harvesting, the outer skin of the beans is removed and then fermented in water for 48-72 hours (depending on the climate of the region). After fermentation, the fruit is directly exposed to the sun until it reaches a moisture content of 9% and is then put into storage. The water washing method is more suitable for coffee beans with bright fruit acids.

Honey treatment The treatment is the same as the traditional wet treatment. It removes the thick peel of the coffee fruit, leaving the sticky flesh layer underneath.

Half Sun The first two steps are the same as for the water wash, where the skin and flesh are scraped off, then dried in the sun, and the flesh is removed with a shelling machine.

Semi-washed The coffee is washed in water and then scraped with a pectin scraper to remove the skin and pulp, leaving a sticky layer of pectin. By not putting the coffee berries into the fermentation vat, the quality is more stable than in the sun, but the acidity is lost due to the absence of the fermentation process.

Anaerobic fermentation Anaerobic fermentation is inspired by the wine-making process, where the pH, temperature, and humidity are controlled under anaerobic conditions to ensure the quality of the coffee beans. In contrast, closed fermentation keeps the aromatic substances from evaporating. Roaster Coffees helps you brew better at home and get more about coffee.