Good morning! Have you all enjoyed your first cup of the day?
Coffee is very familiar us, but did you know that before the black liquid in your cup is brewed, there's actually a grand journey that takes several years?
Coffee is not just a drink, it's a work of art created by the blessings of nature and precise human ingenuity. Today, we'll explore a bit of the story of how a single seed reaches you.
1. The Beginning of the Coffee Story
The story of coffee begins in the tropical zone around the equator, known as the "Coffee Belt." What we call "beans" are actually the seeds of a fruit called a "coffee cherry."
A delicious cup of coffee requires a significant temperature difference. In the cool environment of high altitudes, the cherries ripen slowly and carefully over time. This "slowness" is key! Taking time allows complex sugars to accumulate within the seed, forming the base of that deep flavor.
The relationship between altitude and temperature is the most important factor.
-
"Density" created by coolness: The cool temperatures characteristic of high altitudes play a role in deliberately "slowing down" the ripening of the cherries. This natural cooling allows complex sugars to accumulate within the seeds over a long period.
-
Uniform cell development: Stable ideal temperatures, rich soil nutrients, and calculated UV exposure. Only when these are all present do the seed cells develop uniformly.
If there's any unevenness in this development, even the most skilled roaster cannot bring out the best flavor from those beans. It all starts with the rich soil and climate of the farm.
2. "Harvesting" at the Perfect Moment
It takes 3 to 4 years from planting the seedling until it bears fruit. When ripe, the cherries turn deep red or yellow, the time for harvest has finally arrived. What's important here is when to pick them.
As cherries ripen on the branch, their internal composition magically transforms, and starches turn into sweet sugars. Picked too early, they'll be sour; too late, they'll rot. Experienced farmers use their five senses to discern this "peak" and harvest at the perfect time. If unripe beans are mixed in, they can leave an astringent or sour taste in the final cup, so meticulous attention to each individual bean is essential. The coffees sold at Bom dia come from partner farmers that carefully watch over each and every bean, as if nurturing their own children.
3. The Science of Fermentation
The process of extracting seeds from harvested fruit (processing) is a scientific world powered by microorganisms and enzymes. In the "washed" method, natural yeasts work in water tanks.
-
Water quality
-
Temperature control
-
Fermentation time
If any of these are slightly off, an unpleasant odor will result. However, perfectly managed fermentation can produce the "clean and bright acidity" characteristic of specialty coffee.
4. Stopping "Time" with the Power of the Sun
Next is drying. Exposed to sunlight, the moisture content inside the beans is reduced to 10-12%. It's not as simple as just drying them. If dried too quickly, the beans can crack, and if moisture remains, mold can form.
By allowing air circulation and even exposure to the sun's energy, the beans' cells are preserved, and their deliciousness is locked in. This is how "green beans" are created.
5. The Final Transformation, a 15-Minute Drama: "Roasting"
And finally, it's our turn. The "Maillard reaction" inside the roaster. At around 150°C, the amino acids and sugars in the beans react, releasing hundreds of aromatic compounds explosively.
180°C to 200°C. Local roasters precisely determine the moment when a sweet, caramel-like aroma permeates the air, down to the second. Not too much heat, not too little. They maximize the potential that farmers have cultivated over several years in these mere 15 minutes.
Finally: The "Coffee Story" in Every Cup
What do you think? The cup you hold in your hand is the result of the soil on the other side of the world, the pouring sunlight, and the tens of thousands of correct decisions made over many years by farmers and local roasters.
Thinking about it that way, doesn't your usual coffee feel a little more precious, a little more delicious? For your next sip, please try to savor that "story" as well.
Obrigado!