EntranceHow coffee is harvested. How coffee is grown and harvested in Brazil
Probably everyone knows that coffee is a berry, and if not all, then many. Coffee grows in regions with a tropical climate in mountainous areas at an altitude of 700 to 2300 meters above sea level. Before getting into our cup, coffee goes through many stages: ripening, picking berries, processing, fermentation, sorting, roasting. Each of these stages on the path from plantation to cup of coffee is very important, control over each of them is critical to the final product. Today we will talk about the methods of processing coffee berries and the effect of these methods on the taste of coffee.
Before you get the grain ready for roasting, it must be cleaned of pulp and dried. If you dry the grains without peeling the berries, then the pulp will give the grain some of its taste and sugars. This process is called fermentation. The taste of such grain becomes complex and rich, and if already peeled grains are dried, the taste acquires a more unambiguous and simple shade with fewer components. And for each type of coffee, several processing methods have been developed.
There are two main methods:
- dry (natural) method,
- wet (washed) method.
There is a third method that is not widely used: the half-washed method (honey process).
Natural grain processing (dry method)
With this method, the grain is dried after harvesting without being cleaned of pulp. The coffee berry is rich in moisture, so this process is delayed for 2-4 weeks, depending on the thickness of the poured coffee layer and the average daily temperature. During this period, the coffee bean absorbs a lot of flavor components from the pulp, which provides the grain with increased sweetness, bright aroma and rich berry flavor with citrus notes.
Drying coffee occurs in different ways: the collected berries are laid out in even layers on special beds, either on concrete surfaces, or directly on the ground (this method is not desirable, since the grain acquires a characteristic earthy flavor, but it also takes place). As the grain dries, it is necessary to mix it regularly so that the drying goes on evenly in order to avoid the fermentation process in the berries.
All this time, many chemical processes (fermentation) take place in the berry, the grain, as it were, ripens, the coffee becomes stronger, and its taste improves. Drying is considered complete when 12% moisture remains in the grain, the outer shell of the grain becomes dark brown, dry and brittle, and the core itself rattles inside the husk. After that, the coffee is collected in bags so that it loses some more moisture before the peeling process.
The natural process is the oldest and most used processing method in the main producing regions of Brazil and Ethiopia. The birthplace of this method is Africa, it was from here that he began his march through coffee farms around the world. In general, this method requires careful attention, since uneven drying can lead to the appearance of fermentation aroma in the grain.
Naturally processed grains have a huge potential that can be unlocked in the process of roasting and preparing a cup of your favorite drink.
Washed coffee processing (wet method)
Washed or wet processing is a more complex and complex process. For successful implementation of such treatment, it must be carried out within 24 hours after harvest. Initially, freshly picked berries must be peeled and pulped (depulpation). To do this, the grain is soaked for a day to soften the pulp. Then the pulp is mechanically separated from the grain in special depulpators. The next step is to remove the sticky substance that covers the beans. The grains are placed in a tank with water and yeast dissolved in it with special bacteria, under the action of which the gluten is separated.
This step is called fermentation. The process can proceed without water (dry fermentation), or with a combination of these two processes. During fermentation, the temperature of the grains rises, so it is necessary to stir them so that the temperature does not exceed 40 degrees. Fermentation lasts from 6 to 72 hours, depending on the type of coffee, its maturity and volume. The next step is grain washing. It is driven through various locks, in which the water is in constant motion.
Good ripe grains sink to the bottom, while bad (defective) grains float to the surface. After washing, the grain is sent to dry.
The grain of the washed processing has a characteristic acidic aroma, less pronounced sweetness, well balanced bright taste(delicate and varied from notes of tropical fruits to dark chocolate).
Semi-washed processing (honey process)
This method combines the two methods listed above in one. Picked berries first they are sent for depulpation in the same way as in the washed method, and later they are sent for drying, bypassing the fermentation vats, and dried together with fruit slime in the sun, as with the natural method. The fermentation process takes place directly during drying. Depending on the amount of pulp left in the berry, the honey process is divided by color from black to yellow, the less pulp, the lighter the color. The coffee with this method has a distinct sweetness characteristic of the natural method, a creamy body like a washed bean, but a texture close to honey with few fruity flavors and muted acidity.
After being processed and dried, the coffee is sifted through multi-level vibrating sieves to separate the larger beans from the smaller ones. After they are packaged and sold.
The main botanical species of coffee trees are robusta and arabica. Arabica is characterized by an extreme taste variety, while Robusta has a high caffeine content. Arabica accounts for 85-90% of world coffee production, the remaining 10-15% - for robusta. The choice of varieties depends on the climatic conditions of the country involved in the cultivation of coffee. Coffee trees that are afraid of the cold can only grow in the tropics. The area of coffee growth from the north is limited by the Tropic of Cancer, and from the south by the Tropic of Capricorn.
The acceptable temperature range for growing Arabica beans is from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius, Robusta - from 23 to 30 degrees. The ideal growing heights (meaning the height above sea level) range from 700-2200 meters for Arabica, 250-900 meters for Robusta. The exception is the Ugandan Robusta, which grows well at an altitude of 1200 meters.
Wild coffee trees can reach a height of 10-16 meters. Their maximum height on plantations is no more than 4.5 meters (pruning makes it easier to collect fruits). Since out of the 65 years that make up the maximum lifespan of coffee trees, they bear fruit for 20 years, industrial plantings are subject to periodic renewal. The first fruits appear on trees that have reached the age of three. The snow-white flowers of coffee trees are unusually beautiful.
During the flowering period, they shower branches like snow flakes. A few days later, dried flowers give way to coffee berries. Since the flowering of coffee trees is a continuous process, berries of varying degrees of ripeness constantly coexist on their branches: unripe - green, mature - red or yellow, overripe - dark red, dark yellow or black. The color of ripe fruits (red or yellow) is determined by the coffee variety.
How coffee is made. From picking to roasting
1. Timing and methods of harvesting
Harvest time in different parts of the globe occurs at different times. In Brazil, it is limited to the time frame from April to September, on the plantations of Costa Rica - from September to January, Ethiopian coffee is harvested in October-December, and Malawian - from December to February. The coffee year starts on October 1st and ends on September 30th.Coffee pickers are much more likely to resort to "stripping" - a method that does not leave a single berry on the branches. Fruits of varying degrees of maturity are sent to the processing station ("wet mill"), where they are sorted. Mechanized coffee harvesting (using specialized combines) is not always possible due to the fact that coffee plantations are often located on too steep mountain slopes: agricultural vehicles simply cannot pass there. Coffee harvesting is most mechanized on Brazilian plantations. With "stripping" and mechanized harvesting, the collection of both immature and overripe fruits is inevitable.
Video: How is coffee made?
The harvested crop should still be consolidated. This is very milestone. Do not be naive to believe that coffee producers receive raw materials directly from the plantations or buy them on the coffee exchange. Such cases are so rare that they can be counted on the fingers. The export of coffee from the country of origin occurs in a different way. For example, in a country that grows coffee, there is a farmer whose plantation produces up to ten tons of coffee beans during the year. Where can he put the harvested crop? He simply cannot process coffee on his own, since there is a sharply negative assessment of “home-grown” processing in the coffee business. African coffee that has undergone a "washed" processing, carried out by the efforts of the farmer himself, is referred to as "washed". Coffee beans processed at a specialized processing station acquire the “fully washed” label and a higher price category.
2. Processing coffee beans
Before being exported, the coffee usually goes to a processing station. Today there are two types of such stations:- "wet mill" (wet processing point);
- "dry mill" (dry processing point), although there is still a lot of confusion in terminology.
Abstracting from linguistic subtleties, it is important to understand the following: dry (natural) processing of coffee fruits, not peeled, comes down to their elementary drying in the sun. Wet processing requires the presence of water to sort and process the coffee beans. Let's look at each of these methods in more detail.
In the coffee growing regions, two methods of fruit processing are used: natural (or dry - "dry") and wet (or wet - "washed"). During dry processing, coffee beans are dried either directly on the soil or on special clay and concrete platforms. Dry-processed fruits acquire a rich and strong taste, high intensity and pronounced sweetness. However, at the same time, they may have a specific aftertaste that not everyone likes. Grains dried on the ground often have a very unpleasant defect - a characteristic earthy taste.
Despite the richness and brightness of the taste of dry processed coffee beans, washed coffee beans are valued higher in all corners of the globe. There is a simple explanation for this. The choice of dry processing is sometimes not dictated by the desire for a rich taste. This method is often chosen by farmers who are deprived of the opportunity to transfer their coffee to the wet processing point in time. In this case, the desire for product quality is often not up to par. For real quality product, in no way inferior to washed coffee, can only be done if all technological rules natural processing. Ideal Conditions for dry processing of coffee beans exist in regions where the harvest coincides with a long dry period, eliminating the possibility of precipitation. Such climatic conditions exist in Brazil, Indonesia, Yemen, Ethiopia. The main technological nuance of natural drying is the prolonged contact of coffee beans with the extremely sweet tissues of the skin that envelops them.
Video: Film about coffee
In the process of wet processing, coffee fruits are depulped, completely freed from the skin, after which they are sent to huge tanks filled with water. In them, the fruits are aged until the gluten is completely discharged. When immersed in water, some of the defective grains, which have a very low density and are called "floats", immediately float up. All "floats" must be removed immediately, as they will turn into black coals in the fryer. With the help of special devices, unripe fruits are also sorted. At the end of wet processing, all grains are dried: either in the sun (as in natural processing), or in mechanical dryers.
Compared to naturally dried fruits, the taste of wet-processed beans is more balanced and soft. Wet processing, unlike dry processing, enhances the sourness of the coffee beans rather than their sweetness. Given this feature, wet processing is resorted to in regions that grow coffee varieties that have their own unique acidity. Wet processing of coffee is also forced to resort to countries that do not have the opportunity to subject the grains to long-term natural drying, since the harvest in them coincides with the rainy season. Thus, most of the coffee grown in the world is wet processed, and the ability to choose between beans that have undergone different ways processing, only enriches the taste palette of the drink loved by all.
3. Logistics and transportation of coffee
The notorious farmer, whose harvest amounted to ten tons of coffee fruits, has two options: either take them to a wet processing point, or engage in independent natural processing. With any option for processing the crop, the farmer will be forced to sell it to the exporter due to the impossibility of organizing the entire logistics chain to ensure delivery finished product from his plantation to the port and from it to the recipient of the cargo. Most farmers, who have no idea about the structure of the banking system, are not able to pay off the recipient of the products. The exporter, acting as an intermediary, sells the coffee beans to a stock trader who then sells them to either a reputable self-importing coffee roaster or a significant coffee importing firm. The shipment of coffee from the growing region is carried out by the exporter, and the guarantee of the arrival of valuable cargo at the destination is provided by an international company.Video: As it is. Coffee
Direct negotiations with coffee producers on plantations are conducted in very rare cases. This mainly concerns the vast Brazilian plantations with an excellent worldwide reputation, as well as roasters who own their plantations in the place of cultivation. A great rarity is the direct purchase of microlots - very small (about two dozen bags) batches of coffee of the highest quality. In the vast majority of cases, the purchase and transportation of coffee is carried out according to the scheme described above.
The processed grains are dried before export and poured into bags. To acquire the desired taste, manufacturers (most often Brazilian) subject coffee to aging in special silos.
From the places of growth, coffee is exported in bags of jute, the weight of which in Central American countries is 69 kg, in Colombia - 70 kg, in Brazil and the countries of Asian and African regions - 60 kg. Expensive coffees come in bags of arbitrary weight: the Galapagos standard is twenty-five kg, the Yemeni is twenty kg, New Caledonian coffee is packed in ten-kg bags, and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans are exported in barrels holding fifteen kg. Polypropylene can be used as the bag material. For the transport of coffee, the exporter rents twenty-foot containers (with a capacity of at least twenty tons) from a shipping company and fills them with bags of green beans.
4. Coffee roasting
Coffee that arrived in the country of consumption and got to the roaster is roasted on special machines - roasters. They are:
- gas and electric;
- automatic and manual;
- convector and drum.
There is only one rule for roasting coffee: the darker it is, the less acidity becomes, but the bitterness, strength and richness of taste only increase. The profession of roasting coffee is of extraordinary interest for a true connoisseur of this drink. The main difficulty of roasting is that during this process, the behavior of not only different varieties coffee, but also various roasting machines.
In addition to constantly looking for a roasting method that is suitable for a particular type of coffee, the roaster must take into account the individual behavior of the roaster used. You can't learn the art of coffee roasting from a book alone. It is acquired only empirically, necessarily taking into account the density of grains (depending on the height of cultivation) and their taste parameters. Roasting should be done only in the region of consumption, as close as possible to coffee consumers. In such a huge country as Russia, the roasting of beans intended for Muscovites should be done in Moscow, and for coffee lovers from Khabarovsk, in Khabarovsk itself. The reason is that coffee beans retain their intense taste and amazing aroma only for the first two weeks after roasting. Over the next eight weeks, coffee gradually loses these characteristics, and its quality is rated "four". After two months after roasting, the assessment of the taste properties of the drink is reduced to "C grade". Coffee that has been roasted for four months can simply be thrown away: its smell becomes rancid, which cannot but affect the taste.
One of the main components of the quality of coffee beans is the freshness of the roast, but it is in relation to this parameter that an incredible number of omissions occur. In spite of a large number of Russian companies engaged in coffee roasting at the highest professional level, the freshness of roasted coffee lying on the shelves of supermarkets is not always up to par.
To store coffee, it is best to use a bag with a valve (either foil or paper). It is advisable to drink it within two months after purchase. A person who has not undergone any special training can prepare coffee, which cannot be said about preparing it with the help of professional coffee machines. This should be done only by baristas - people who have completed a course of special training. The profession of a barista is akin to an art: in the hands of a true professional, even mediocre coffee can turn into a delicious cup of espresso, and an inexperienced specialist can ruin the best beans.
cup secret good coffee Thus, it consists of three components: the quality of the grains themselves, the professional level of the roaster and the art of the barista. The participation of a barista significantly complicates the consumer's task of assessing the taste parameters of their favorite drink. Another nuance of high-quality coffee is the date of roasting: the more time passes from its moment, the worse its taste.
There is hardly a person in our country who has never heard of such a drink as coffee. At the same time, many of our compatriots do not even know how coffee is harvested. Today we will talk about this in more detail.
In order to get good quality coffee beans, they need to be harvested at a certain time. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that on the same branch, along with ripened fruits, there may also be green ones, which are not necessary to pick. This greatly affects the quality of the coffee itself.
At the moment, there are several main methods of harvesting. Let's start with perhaps the most popular.
In Brazil and many other countries, it is very popular mechanical harvesting. For this, special machines are used that allow you to shake the grains from the tree without causing any injury to those. Grains are collected in special tanks, after which they are manually sorted. It is clear that along with ripe grains, both unripe and damaged ones fall off.
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It should be noted that the cost of coffee is not formed at all due to the fact that these fruits were obtained manually, while others were mechanized. No. It really depends on the size of the harvest. For example, if it is possible to collect all 8 kg of grains from one tree in a mechanized way, then by hand - no more than 2 kg. Of course, a number of other factors are included in the cost, but the volume of the crop plays almost the main role.
By the way, the coffee harvest, depending on the country, can last up to 10 months. One hectare can produce up to two tons of crop. The able-bodied population gathers the harvest, although often children who seek to earn extra money also do this.
Harvesting coffee is a very time-consuming process that requires careful and patient approach. Even one spoiled berry can destroy the entire crop. In Central America, Ethiopia, Kenya and India, hand-picked coffee is practiced. It is expedient, because the grains on the same tree ripen at different times. When some berries are ready for picking, others remain immature. It is believed that thanks to this particular method, you can get the highest quality raw materials and, accordingly, an impeccable drink.
Sometimes they resort to continuous manual collection when they are running out of time before the start of the rainy season. For example, in some countries special combs are used. Previously, burlap is spread under the trees, where the berries are “combed”. Then the fruits are additionally sorted out, sorting out the unripe ones. The mechanized method of collecting coffee has become widespread in Brazil.
How is coffee harvested in Brazil?
At the next stage, the processing and drying of the fruits is carried out, which takes place directly on the plantation in one of two ways:
Dry technology
wet technology
Then the remnants of the pulp are removed under a strong stream of water, and the grains are left to dry for two weeks. They are dried in the sun for only a few hours a day, constantly stirring. The rest of the time, the grains are specially covered, protecting them from the sun and night moisture. Dry coffee beans move easily in the seed coat, which immediately crumbles if the bean is rubbed in the palm of your hand. It is thanks to friction that the seed coat is removed.
Coffee on plantations in Brazil ripens almost simultaneously, so high-performance berry picking is possible. But you still have to sort the fruits, as well as remove knots and leaves accidentally mixed with grains. A special pneumatic tool has found wide application, which shakes the branches, as a result of which the ripe berries themselves fall off the branches.
Grains that have passed pre-processing, are green. Then they are sorted by size: the larger it is, the more expensive the coffee. The coffee harvest ends with packaging. Bags with grains are stored on wooden decks in rooms with a special temperature regime and good ventilation. Further, at the enterprises, coffee is sorted, polished and various blends are made.
Only after roasting the beans are finally ready to prepare fragrant fresh coffee. Now it's not a secret for you how coffee beans are harvested. This time-consuming and difficult process allows millions of people around the world to enjoy the taste of their favorite drink every day.
When I was a child, my parents subscribed to me the magazine "Young Naturalist". One day, picking up another issue of a magazine, I was shocked by the beauty of a flower on a glossy page. This plant is flowering.
I did not become a fan of cacti, but that incident carried me into the Divine world of flowers and the beauty of nature.
My last hobby from houseplants is coffee.
In my favorite kitchen next to me help me: , and a coffee green baby.
…coffee bean I planted out of curiosity. And suddenly, to my surprise, a green sprout soon erupted from the ground!
Five years have passed since then. And so my grown-up coffee handsome man decided to please and surprise me with fragrant flowers - they bloomed in the axils of green wavy leaves.
The story of my favorite green pet that grew from a seed, I would like to add one of the coffee legends that I collect.
“Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia, in the province of Kaffa. The honor of this discovery belongs to a simple shepherd of sheep and goats. He noticed that grazing animals, after pinching the leaves of a certain tree, begin to jump, kick and butt, not calming down for a long time.
The observant shepherd decided to try to chew these leaves too. Then he was surprised to note that he had not slept safely all night without any effort on himself.
Since then, local shepherds, in order to easily stay awake at night, protecting their flocks from predators, chewed the leaves of one of the trees that grew abundantly here. This was the coffee tree.
Subsequently, the ancient inhabitants of North Africa learned to brew a special drink - first from coffee leaves, and then from the fruits of this amazing tree.
Against the background of bright green leaves of a coffee tree, white fragrant flowers look very beautiful. After a few months, elegant coffee fruits, containing one or more seeds under juicy sweet pulp, successfully ripen in room conditions.
Tatyana Nikolaevna Klyushnik (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine)
Coffee joys of the grower
Coffee is a fragrant and invigorating drink that is incredibly popular all over the world.
Interesting fact: the word "coffee" comes from the Turkish word kahve, and it in turn comes from the Arabic word qahwa, which translates as "wine" ...
“His choice is full now: Robusta, Arabica +
There are many varieties that are best for us.
It is unique in its aroma,
Roasted coffee - that's what we need!
Coffee trees, from the grains of the fruits of which coffee is made, grow and bear fruit in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. In nature, this is a tall plant (reaches 6 meters), and in culture, the height of a coffee tree or shrub is several times lower.
In fact, this exotic plant is not very difficult to grow at home. Therefore, a dwarf coffee tree with its evergreen shiny leaves, with fragrant white flowers, with beautiful "berries" - drupes, is included in the range of decorative indoor plants. Moreover, coffee is also a fruit plant. After all, adult specimens of coffee trees and shrubs, even at home, are able to regularly bear full-fledged fruits.
A ripe coffee fruit has a peel under its sticky edible pulp, and seeds are enclosed in a shell under it - usually a couple of grains.
Fresh seeds extracted from the ripe fruits of the room growing coffee tree, germinate well in a pot (if sown immediately after harvest), and the seedlings are actively developing.
When growing coffee from a seed, do not deepen it very deeply - 1 cm from the surface of the earth is enough. In moderately moist soil, room temperature friendly seedlings of coffee appear in about 1-2 months.
This light-loving and heat-loving guest of the tropics and subtropics grows best on the southern, southeastern, southwestern windows. However, do not forget that strong sunlight delays the growth of a young coffee tree.
Please note that coffee is quite demanding on. It is better to water the plant with settled water.
In winter, watering coffee can be reduced to once a week. In the summer, during the period of active growth, I spray the crown of the tree in the evening.
I transplant young seedlings every spring (March-April), because coffee is very responsive to transplantation. I start transplanting when the root system of the plant has filled the entire pot. At the same time, the dimensions of the new container should exceed the previous one by no more than 5 cm.
If you transplant coffee immediately into a very large container, then it will not mind this - it will also grow normally. However, the plant will respond to this with less abundant flowering and, consequently, weaker fruiting - until the time when its roots have mastered the space of a disproportionately large pot.
The main thing that a young coffee tree needs for crown growth as a top dressing is nitrogen; and its best source is manure.
In order for your coffee tree to develop well, bloom and bear fruit regularly, you need to feed it after 10 days during the period of active growth.
In the autumn-winter period, when plant growth is delayed, I feed coffee less often (after 15-20 days).
As the developing coffee tree branches, it is produced to produce a beautiful plant with abundant flowering.
Well, if you have a well-grown coffee tree that blooms and bears fruit, then it remains to regularly collect ripened fruits and clean the beans before roasting.
I wish you pleasure and benefit from a natural invigorating drink!
Marina Shchepetkina
The selection of materials for this article was carried out by Ziborova E.Yu. according to the stories of the readers of the site sent to the competition "".
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