Coffee beans

The coffee bean from which almost all coffee comes today originated in Ethiopia and the surrounding area and was exported from there via the Arabian Peninsula to the rest of the world. In Ethiopia today, there are still thousands of varieties, while the coffee grown in the rest of the world is only a dozen varieties, all derived from these early exported plants. The coffee bean itself is part of the red coffee berry and is not great to eat raw, even though it is possible. After picking the coffee beans, there are different methods to process the beans into the coffee we brew. The most common is to wash the beans and remove everything except the bean itself by machine. After that, they are left to ferment for anywhere from 12 hours to a week. This type of coffee tends to be a little more acidic and with a slightly clearer taste. The other major method is to let the beans ferment with both the skins and the pulp still on. It gives a special taste to the beans and the coffee is usually sweeter with a slightly fuller feel. Look for whether the coffee is wet-processed/washed or whether it is natural. There are also more methods such as honey-processed and pulped-natural. The second major determining step for the flavor profile of the coffee is how it is roasted. A roasting process usually lasts anywhere from 9 to 12 minutes and depending on temperature, airflow and a host of other variables, the coffee will be light to dark roasted. Different types of coffee are roasted in different ways depending on, among other things, size, density and water content. Right now you won't find much here, but more is on the way!