What better way of fueling your energy in the morning with a cup of hot Arabica coffee? But as you sip this heavenly elixir, have you ever wondered about the captivating journey of the tiny coffee beans? If yes, then we will help you go through the enchanting journey of Arabica coffee, from the coffee plantations to the stunning brew in your cup.
The best coffee brands handpick the fresh beans and grind them into a strong and flavourful coffee powder. There are many steps involved in this procedure in order to provide an extremely good taste. When you buy coffee online, remember that you cannot have a great cup of coffee without the best quality beans. Coffee seeds are usually planted in extensive shaded nurseries.
They are nurtured with regular water and also protected from intense and direct sunlight until they gain sufficient strength for transplantation. Arabica beans are popular for giving the finest-tasting coffee. The beans contain less caffeine and higher fat content; hence, they taste silky and rich.
Arabica beans grow 3000-6000 feet above sea level with temperatures ranging from 15-25 degrees Celsius. These conditions create a perfect climatic symphony that can nurture the finest quality harvest of Arabica beans. The best coffee beans require 3-4 years for coffee trees to start producing fruits or coffee cherries. These fruits achieve vibrant and deep red colour on reaching maturity and become suitable for harvesting.
The harvesting process for Arabica coffee beans is labour-intensive and arduous and involves manual picking in most places. The coffee cherries are mostly harvested from February to April and involve careful handpicking of selected cherries. Some planters also follow strip picking to use high-grade machines. Utmost care should be taken to ensure the highest quality beans.
Drying and Roasting of Arabica Coffee Beans
Coffee bean processing should start immediately after the harvesting in order to prevent the cherries from spoiling. The wet process is more time-saving. The dry method is more time-consuming and involves spreading the cherries on large surfaces to dry naturally under the sun.
They are regularly raked and turned throughout to ensure even drying. They are shielded from moisture and foreign materials. The duration of drying depends on the weather conditions and can extend for several weeks until the moisture content becomes 11%.
Before roasting the beans, they are initially green in colour and possess a high concentration of chemical compounds like aldehydes, trigonelline and chlorogenic acids. Since these chemical substances contribute to unpleasant smells and tastes, a darker roast method is followed which involves roasting the beans for a longer duration and at higher temperatures as it allows more time for the amino acids and sugars in the beans to interact, thus creating delightful aromatic compounds. The roasting process breaks down all the undesirable compounds, which leads to a deep and rich flavour in the brew.
Most of the premium coffee brands globally follow a detailed grading and sorting process for coffee. In this process, the beans are evaluated based on weight, size, colour flaws, and other imperfections. The process involves several steps to ensure quality. Teh size grading is achieved by passing the beans through a series of screens and sorting heavier beans from lighter ones.
To Conclude
In the final stage, the freshly roasted beans are ground for maximum richness and intense flavour to give you a rich brew.
