Coffee has a long journey before it reaches our cup. The entire coffee industry requires very special care and every step is very important for its quality.

Steps to harvest

First, the soil must be prepared so that the plant can be planted. After the plant is planted, the process known as infirmary begins, which is the first phase of the plant's development. Then flowering begins, and the flowers give rise to the fruit. At this stage, the plant has small white flowers. Once the fruit begins to form, it must be allowed to develop and mature properly until it is in ideal conditions for harvesting.

Harvest

Coffee fruit harvesting can be done manually or mechanically. When it comes to specialty coffee, it is normally manual and selective, that is, only the properly ripe fruit is harvested.

The ideal moisture content of a ripe cherry should be between 60% and 65%. If the cherry is harvested late, the moisture content will be between 30% and 35%, which will give it a fermented flavor. In situations where the cherry is harvested prematurely, it causes a sensation of astringency (dry mouth).

Processing

Processing can be done in different ways, it can be natural (the most common in the world), washed and natural pulped. You can find information about each of these methods in the publication “Coffee processing process” here on our blog.

Once this process is complete, it is important for the coffee to rest for 1 to 4 months before being sorted.

Classification

There are seven essential factors for classifying a coffee:

1. Origin;
2. Process;
3. Defect count;
4. Roast;
5. Conservation;
6. Quality in the cup;
7. Value

Coffee grading is important to improve the quality of the batches and eliminate any defects that may still be present so that they do not affect our drink. There are visual and sensory defects.

Roasting and extraction

Coffee is usually roasted using gas (there is also an electric method) and as it is roasted, the properties of the bean begin to develop. Check out the publication “Roasting Coffee” here on our blog to better understand how the coffee roasting process works.

After the roaster's work, the coffee passes into the hands of a barista, this being the last step before the final consumer. There are several ways to extract coffee, from espresso to filter, until finally, all its most aromatic notes can be appreciated. And so the journey of coffee ends, inside a cup, in our hands.