How Coffee Beans Are Prepared and Brewed

The coffee we drink each day takes a long journey to reach our cups. From the time they are planted, picked and purchased, beans go through a typical series of steps to bring out their best.

A coffee bean is a seed from the Coffea plant, and it’s found inside a small red or purple fruit that looks like a cherry. This fruit is actually a seed-bearing body that forms from a flower, which is why we call it a fruit — even though its seeds are used for a beverage.

Coffee grows in about 70 countries around the world, but most are grown in lush tropical regions along the equator. These regions are called the “Bean Belt,” and they are known for their high-quality beans that exhibit complex flavors influenced by climate, soil, and altitude.

During harvest, farmers remove the beans from the cherry and place them in bags for transport to the mills. There, they are sorted by size and weight, as well as reviewed for any color flaws. After sorting, the beans are cleaned to remove any loose chaff or silver skin. It’s important not to remove too much of this chaff, since recent studies have shown it contains powerful anti-oxidants that are hundreds of times more potent than Vitamin C.

Roasting is an essential part of the coffee process, and it can greatly affect the flavor of brewed coffee. Different roast levels result in distinctive characteristics, such as acidity (brightness), aroma, mouthfeel, astringency and bitterness. In addition, certain preparation methods can also accentuate or de-emphasize these traits. For example, adding dairy products can mute delicate aromas, and the use of sweeteners alters the intensity and duration of flavor perception in the mouth.