Coffee Harvesting and Processing

The berries are typically harvested by a machine or picked by hand. In order to get the
beans out, the fruit of the berry needs to be removed and after that the beans need to
be processed. There are only two known ways of processing coffee beans - dry
processing, which is an older technique and wet processing, which is a more modern
technique.
Dry processing is the oldest method of processing coffee beans. The beans are placed
in the sun and left to dry for around two weeks while being turned from time to time so
they can dry evenly. Wet processing is a modern method of processing coffee beans
and it takes place soon after the harvest. This process consists of bean washing and
bean fermentation. During this process the pulp that is left on the beans will become
softer and the pulp be rinsed off. Today, this method of processing coffee beans is used
more frequently since it prevents damage to the beans. When the processing is done,
the beans are sorted. All of the bad beans are thrown out and the good ones are put in
bags and shipped. At this point they are called “green coffee beans.” However, it isn’t all
done yet. Now comes the final part - roasting!

Roasting coffee
Roasting is essential and the final step in coffee production. It requires the perfect
timing and setting of temperature to provide the perfect product. While the beans roast,
they will split and their coating will be released. How strong the coffee’s flavor is
depends greatly on the bean roasting formula. For example, the longer the beans roast
the more intense the flavor will be. Ironically, it is assumed the stronger the flavor, the
more caffeine. However it is actually the opposite which is true. The longer the coffee
beans roast, the more the chemical, caffeine, is removed. You can buy your beans
already roasted, but for the freshest experience, many people prefer to roast their own
beans at home.
Keep in mind the name of a line of coffee beans, such as Breakfast Blend, can differ
from one company to another. This is due because many use different roasting
temperatures and times prepare a particular batch. Roasting beans even for a few
minutes longer or shorter can alter the flavor of the entire batch.

Shipping, grinding, and brewing

Once the roasting is completed for a batch of beans the finished product is shipped to a
retailer or sold directly to the consumer. Coffee beans are shipped all around the world
from Africa to Italy or Canada and the United States or Mexico. Everyone serves their
coffee in various ways. In Italy it is more common to make shots of espresso using
their stovetop espresso maker. While in the United States many people brew their
coffee in coffee pots. No matter which method you use, making coffee is more than just
the final brewing process. It is a lengthy process which starts as a simple coffee berry
and eventually finds its final destination in the cups of coffee consumers all around the
world.
Author Bio: Elizabeth Krause is an avid coffee lover who publishes her own website
featuring Italian food recipes for the public to use. She remembers her first cup of
coffee as an initiation into adulthood and has never stopped drinking coffee since. She
enjoys spending her time preparing good Italian dishes and enjoys dressing up the
table to accent the type of food she prepares. For example, she serves her pasta
dishes using her pasta bowls sets, or serves her Italian tomato salad in an Italian salad
bowl. She enjoys writing about food and has found it to be a wonderfully relaxing and
satisfying hobby.
 STEP1: Coffee seeds must be planted in the right type of environment for
them to survive: The climate needs to be hot and the soil needs the right
type of drainage. While seeds need to be in a hot climate, the seedlings
also need protection from the sun, so they are left in a shady area and
given plenty of water until they are robust enough to move into another
growing area.

STEP2: Harvesting involves the following process:

 After planting, as berries ripen from green to red, the bush is

harvested. Most berries are handpicked, but in some places it’s done by

machine. Often only ripe berries are selectively picked, but usually entire

crops are strip-picked.

STEP3: The outer covering and pulpy fruit are removed from the berry,

leaving the seeds. There are two primary ways to do it:

The Dry Method

In this older method, beans are sorted, then dried naturally in the sun.
The method involves ripe, fresh cherries laid out on a large surface in the
sun where they’re left for up to three weeks to dry out.. It slower and
more expensive but the beans have more body and less acidity.

 The Wet Method

This method is newer and uses water to extract the coffee beans from
the cherries. It is an intensive process that starts with cleaning the
cherries and getting rid of unripe and overripe fruit. Usable berries are
fermented and washed to remove pulp, then dried. This will produce
consistent coffee with less body but more aroma.

STEP4: ROASTING
Roasting changes green coffee into brown beans – those you’re used to
seeing in coffee shops or at your favorite coffee roasters. By applying
heat, green coffee will transform into fragile, easily opened packets of
flavor. Roasting uses temperatures of 290 Deg C and during the process;
beans are turned continuously to prevent burning.

STEP5: PACKAGING
The packaging of any coffee, roasted or ground is especially important as
exposing coffee to air poses quality issues, especially for ground coffee.
Beans are put into cool, dark, dry, airtight containers.
STEP6: SHIPPING
STEP7:
Beans will be ground into a specific fineness, whether by hand or
machine.
STEP8:
Enjoy your coffee.