Is It Coffee Yet? Part Three

We have journeyed from seed to processing to milling. There are just a few more steps until we have our cup of coffee. First we have to get the coffee out of the country and to us.

6) Exporting - The coffee is now put into bags, and in some cases plastic lined containers, and shipped. Most of us know these beans as green beans. Millions of pounds of coffee are shipped like this every year.

7) Cupping - If there is quality control for coffee, this is it. A "cupper" first looks at the overall visual quality of the beans. Next they roasted, ground and brewed. At this point the cupper smells the coffee, checking the aroma after grind and brew. Is it as it should be?

The coffee rests for a few minutes, then one more sniff, and then what looks and sounds like a very slurppy sip with a spoon. The coffee is distributed evenly on the tongue, so the cupped gets a full taste and idea of the coffee, then spits it out. This process is designed to check for any flaws in the coffee, figure how the blend of beans is working, and to make sure the roast was done properly.

8) Roasting - This is what coffee roasters, both professionally and the amateur do with the coffee next. The green beans are placed in various kinds of roasters and the beans are roasted to the desired point. This is not done in the origin country usually, because you want to get fresh coffee to the consumer as quickly as possible. Remember the life of fresh coffee is short.

9) Grinding - There are various grinds to a coffee. One thing to note, the finer the grind, the faster you need to drink the coffee for full taste. This is why espresso is such a fine grind. The coarser the grind, the slower you can appreciate the full flavor of the coffee(french press).

10) Brewing - Automatic drip, French Press, Chemex, Single Cup, there are so many methods to brew the coffee, but everyone has their favored way(s) to do it. This is where all the efforts of the farmer, and everyone else who worked with the beans comes to its finale. Now you have your cup of coffee.

11) Drink It! Enjoy It! Savor It!

Charlie