Coffee

Coffee plants are grown in huge volumes in many parts of the world. The plant is cultivated in more than seventy countries, many of them warm climate countries, including Indonesia and Brazil, who are two of the world’s biggest coffee producers. The plants are most often grown in areas lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Other coffee plant growing areas include Africa, Central America, and India.

Although the plants are grown all over the world, the cultivation is pretty much the same process in each country, and can be a very complex process. There are two main species of coffee plants, which are known as the Arabica and the Robusta. They are small, evergreen trees, and the cultivation of coffee plants take place on plantations. The process of cultivating the plant can be labor intensive, with the amount of work needed depending on the method of farming used. This fact makes coffee cultivation more suitable for developing nations lying around the equatorial regions of the world. Coffee plants usually require temperatures that range from 15-24C without any severe fluctuations.

Coffee grows best on fields that are well drained and well aerated with deep soils, and the plants require a large supply of oxygen to provide to their root systems. Their need for large amounts of oxygen is the reason why aerated soils are the best for the cultivation and growing of coffee. The plants also require 1500mm to 2000mm of rainfall annually to provide the best results. If the rainfall is below the ideal mark then the deficit must be provided with additional moisture through irrigation means. For a higher quality of coffee, it is best to cultivate the plants at higher altitudes with an abundance of mist and clouds. The higher altitudes provide lower oxygen content, so the coffee plants take longer to mature, which helps development better flavor within the coffee beans.

Coffee trees require constant special attention from the farmer. These plants require a specific amount of shaded sunlight, regular watering and fertilizing. They must also be protected from pests and weeds to ensure they yield the best and the most coffee beans. Coffee flowers take approximately six to eight weeks to blossom, and the period the flower takes to blossom then harvest may last as long as nine months, depending on environmental and other factors. The red fruits of the coffee tree take six to eight months to ripen after the tree begins to bear fruit. Regular harvesting is required because coffee plant fruits may become over ripe after ten to fourteen days.

The fruits are often hand-picked in mountainous regions of the world, instead of using mechanical harvesters. Coffee beans are found in the fruits of the coffee plant, and are also hand-picked by manual laborers. The manual laborers must learn how to pick the best beans and discard bad beans, which requires the laborers to have much skill in that area. The hand-pickers must provide special attention to each bean, and must perform a thorough evaluation. After harvesting and picking the coffee beans must be processed, which is drying and roasting to make them ready for fresh grounding. The cultivation and growing process may be long and complicated, but it is a process that is the same throughout the world, it is needed to provide the best quality of coffee to consumers, and is necessary to give the best yield of coffee to growers.

Many of the different coffee harvests from around the world are often blended with one another in an endeavour to obtain the best flavor for the consumer, of course this is a different flavor for different roasters, what is a beautiful coffee for some is bitter to others and vice versa.

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Author: Heather Richards
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Not all coffee beans are grown in environments that consist of huge commercial coffee plantations that are located in remote places in far off southern Latin American countries and it is also another common assumption that growing coffee requires plenty of sunshine as well.

There are however different kinds of coffee crops that grow under different conditions and which use different procedures of harvesting. Thus one can think of two different types of coffee that include the shade grown or organic coffee and the traditional coffee that is grown in direct sunlight.

Two Types Of Coffee

These two types of coffees are diametrically opposite as far as their production is concerned. There was a time when coffee was only grown in the shade and it was much like the present day organic coffee that we drink today. It is not usual for most kinds of coffee to grow properly under direct sunlight and grow at their best when under shade.

Thus shade grown coffee or organic coffee are used to benefiting from the falling of leaves that are instrumental in mulching the soil and helping in retaining moisture. Also, such type of coffee, when grown beneath trees means that the trees provide a home to birds and thus are a way of controlling pests.

Till about thirty years ago there was not much fertilizer or pesticides used and thus organic coffee was synonymous with healthy production. Then, in the seventies a number of new varieties of coffee began to appear and new methods of producing coffee became known which meant production of more Coffee beans, slower rate of harvesting and also use of direct sunlight to grow the crops.

Thus, the coming of non-organic coffee meant that farmers began to cut down on trees so that they could make plantation rows and in the United States alone it meant almost two million acres of land being dedicated to both organic as well as non-organic coffee growth. Only those farmers that were too poor to use fertilizers as well as pesticides continued producing organic coffee.

There is little doubt that organic coffee does cost a bit more, but the transition from organic to the sun coffee has also meant that the environment is being sacrificed. With erosion of soil and the depletion of nutrients, more chemical fertilizers are being sprayed into the ground and there has also been the removal of rainforest land just so that non-organic coffee can be grown.

This has led to just a few countries remaining that are still producing organic coffee and these countries include Ethiopia, Panama, El Salvador and Mexico. The bigger producers of coffee such as Costa Rica and Brazil are now producing sun coffee.

In the end, organic coffee does mean a better and cleaner environment that does produce a better coffee as far as health and a clean environment are concerned.

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Author: John Hilaire
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you always thought that Starbucks coffee was good, then to you the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee will definitely be extraordinary. Blue Mountain Coffee is a treat you will love to deserve. The best lots of blue mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavor and lack of bitterness. What makes this coffee so much better than all the other coffee has something to do with the unique growing, harvesting or roasting processes. Unfortunately, a lot of coffee is wrongly labeled as “Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee” as they are sometimes blended with inferior grades of coffee and sold to unsuspecting customers for lower prices. So be sure to get the real stuffs to taste the goodness of this coffee has for you.

Jamaican Blue Mountain ranks right up there with Kona as the most overrated coffee on the market today. Broadly speaking, coffee harvested from the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland and Saint Mary, and grown at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 feet, may be considered Blue Mountain coffee. Coffee grown below 1,500 foot elevation is called Jamaica Supreme or Jamaica Low Mountain. This fine gourmet coffee has to be certified by the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board (the highest regulatory authority for coffee in Jamaica) and is widely recognized in the industry and by coffee connoisseurs by name for its smooth delicate taste, and unmistakable aroma.

When you place your order for this coffee, always be sure to order freshly roasted Grade 1, export quality Blue Mountain Coffee beans. The fresh ground beans are the main factor that made a significant difference in taste. On the other hand, although freshness and variety counts, it’s the roast that matters the most. When buying the coffee, do buy those that are vacuum packed in one-way valve bags to further ensure quality and freshness. If you are a regular drinker of good coffee, you can even consider buying good high grade single crop coffee beans in bulk as it is far cheaper and it also ensure freshness from the roaster.

If drinking premium coffee is your area of expertise, then you will find that Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee will definitely make your taste buds happier than any other coffee in the world. It is a great coffee day for Fridays when one is catching up on paperwork and mindless data entry. Starbucks coffee is good, Dunkin Donuts coffee is good, but Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one coffee that belongs in the category of true excellence in coffee.

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Author: Chris Wen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Professional coffee tasters use a great variety of terms to describe the taste of different coffees in the process normally known as cupping. Why not learn a few of these terms and next time you find yourself at a dinner party enjoying your after dinner coffee you can amaze your friends with your coffee knowledge?

Below are some common terms used – it is not meant to be an exhaustive list

Astringent – A secondary taste sensation noted by a salty sensation on the sides of the tongue. Caused by acids increasing the saltiness.

Baggy – An unpleasant taste often found in weakly roasted coffees that have been stored for a long time in inappropriate conditions.

Baked – A flat aroma with insipid taste often caused by roasting for too long at too low a temperature.

Beany – The smell associated with insufficiently roasted coffee that has not been able to allowed to develop its full aroma.

Bitter – Sharp or biting sensation felt at the back of the tongue often the result of over roasting the coffee bean.

Bland – Lacking in any noticeable flavour characteristics.

Bready – A bread-like taste that can occur in coffees that have not been roasted long enough or at a high enough temperature to bring out the flavor of the oils.

Bright – A dryness or sharpness (typical of Central American coffees).

Buttery – Rich and oily.

Caramelly – Suggestive of toffee or caramel.

Carbony – A burnt of charcoal flavor.

Chocolaty – Suggestive of vanilla or chocolate.

Creamy – High levels of coffee oils suspended in the brew.

Delicate – A secondary taste sensation noted for its weak sweet-subtle feeling just past the tip of the tongue.

Dirty – Unclean smelling or mustiness.

Earthy ‘Characteristic smell of soil or dirt often caused when the coffee beans are stored on the ground after harvesting (typical of Sumatran coffees)

Exotic – Unusual aroma and flavor, such as berry or floral.

Fermented – An unpleasant taste producing a sour sensation. The result of enzyme activity in the green coffee beans changing the sugars to acids in the drying process during harvesting.

Flat – A loss of aroma.

Fragrant or floral – Subtle hints of fragrant flowers such as jasmine.

Fruity – A sweet fruity aroma suggestive of berries or citrus fruit.

Grassy – Suggestive of freshly cut grass.

Green – A faint herbal taste due to the incomplete development of the sugar compounds in the roasting process.

Hard – A hard coffee is poorly balanced. It is a secondary taste sensation of sourness on the bottom sides of the tongue. Caused by higher-than-normal percentage of sour acids. Ranking of hardness ranges thus: strictly soft, soft, softish, softish/hardish, hardish, hard, Rioy.

Harsh – A hard or caustic taste.

Heavy – Higher than average levels of suspended material in the brew.

Herby -. Suggestive of onion or green vegetable.

Hidey – A leather-like odor caused when too much heat is applied during the drying process causing the coffee beans fats to break down.

Insipid – A brew of lifeless character often the result of oxygen and moisture penetrating the bean fiber after roasting.

Lifeless – Thin and flat.

Light – Lower than average levels of suspended material in the coffee brew.

Malty – Suggestive of toasted grains.

Mellow – An overall smooth, mild and delicate flavor lacking in acidity.

Muddy – Thick and lifeless.

Musty – A stuffy or moldy smell which can be a positive trait for aged coffees such as Java.

Neutral – The absence of a predominant taste sensation.

Nippy – A secondary taste of sweetness, associated with a nipping sensation at the end of the tongue.

Nutty – Smell and taste suggestive of roasted nuts.

Oily – The description given to a coffee that has an oily taste.

Oniony – Suggestive of onions.

Peasy – A disagreeable taste that is reminiscent of peas.

Piquant – A sweet, prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue, typified by a Kenya AA coffee.

Point – A coffee with good overall characteristics of acidity, body and flavour.

Potatoy – Suggestive of raw potatoes.

Pulpy – A pungent fruit-like flavor derived from coffee cherry skins.

Pungent – Description given to a full-bodied and forceful coffee.

Quakery – Suggestive of peanuts, often the result of using unripe, green coffee beans.

Rancid – A highly disagreeable taste caused by oxidization of the coffee.

Rich – Strong presence of coffee aromas.

Rioy – An iodine-like flavor caused by continuing enzyme activity that occurs when the fruit partially dies on the coffee tree before harvesting.

Round – The coffee characteristics are so well balanced that no particular taste dominates to experience.

Rough – A secondary sensation noted by its grating, salty sensation on the tongue.

Rubbery – reminiscent of burnt rubber.

Scorched – A smoky or burnt aroma and taste caused when the beans are roasted too quickly at too high temperature which char the surface of the beans.

Stale – An unpleasant taste caused by oxygen and moisture penetrating the beans surface.

Sharp – An astringent taste derived from salty tasting compounds within the coffee.

Smooth – Low levels of oily compounds suspended in the beverage.

Soft – A secondary sensation noted by an absence of any predominant taste on any part of the tongue, except maybe for subtle dryness.

Sound – A coffee with no particular positive or negative characteristics.

Sour – A piercing, sour over acidic taste commonly caused by under-ripe beans.

Spicy – An aftertaste suggestive of cinnamon or clove.

Strawy – Suggestive of hay or straw, often from the result of the loss of organic material from the green coffee beans while in storage.

Strong – A coffee, rich in flavor that gives a strong powerful taste.

Sweaty – A coffee that may have been stored inappropriately resulting in a distinct sweaty taste.

Sweetly Spicy – An aroma suggestive of aromatic spices such as cardamom.

Sweet – free from harshness.

Tangy – A secondary sensation noted by a predominantly sour sensation along the sides of the tongue hinting of a fruity sensation.

Tart – A sour puckering sensation experienced on the tongue.

Tipped – A cereal-like taste caused by the beans being roasted too quickly that chars the tips of the beans.

Thick – A high level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a heavy feel.

Thin – A low level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a watery feel.

Twisty – A coffee with different negative qualities that vary from cup to cup.

Turpsy – Suggestive of turpentine.

Unclean – Coffee with a distinct off-flavor suggesting they have been kept in an unclean environment. A taste and aroma with a hint of fermenting.

Variety – A qualitative depiction of the gases present in the aroma, nose and aftertaste of coffee’s bouquet.

Watery – Lacking in body.

Weak – A beverage that is not flat but definitely lacks body.

Winey – An agreeable taste that gives the impression of a good wine.

Wild – A distinctive wood-like taste caused by storing the beans too long.

Woody – A coffee with an unpleasant smell and taste similar to dry wood. This can be due to the loss of organic material in the green beans during storage.

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Author: Fenton Wayne
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Kona coffee comes from the famous Kona Coffee region, located on the Big Island of Hawaii. Many of them are small family farms. From August till December the farmers focus on picking and processing the ripe red coffee cherries. The steep, rocky terrain of most plantations does not lend itself well to mechanical cultivation or harvesting, so most of the work must be done by hand. The remainder of the year is spent pruning trees, planting new ones, spreading compost, maintaining the processing mill and home. Family owned plantations produce the finest coffees, because folks watch and maintain the whole cycle from the soil to the bean. Of course, processors, coffee brokers, shippers, handlers, dock- and storage managers, roasters, stores e.g. are in between you and the farms. By going through so many hands most coffees are running chances to be mishandled and results in being simply less fresh! So when ordering Kona coffee from a website, make sure you find a farm, can communicate with the owners and cut out the middlemen: The result will most likely be cheaper, fresher, tastier.

Kona coffee maintains individual subtleties; much better tasting than pooled, generically sold cheaper alternatives. The Kona region is comparable to the Champagne region in France, which produces the only legitimately named ‘Champagne’ product. And like Champagne, 100% Kona coffee is distinguished from other coffees not only by region and the ideal growing conditions, but also by the enormous amount of care taken throughout each step of the farming, harvesting and roasting processes. Whether it’s from the individual pruning of the trees, handpicking, carefully sun-drying on large open decks and roasting prior to packaging the coffee to ensure freshness–you can be assured that small estate Kona coffee is comparable to no other.

What’s in your cup? Most likely machine picked coffee, chockfull of pesticides and herbicides from South America, which is todays norm. Millions of tons circulate as ‘commodity’ on the Future markets at all times. During harvest combines with huge bristles sweep the trees of old cherries, green cherries, and some ripe red cherries. Twigs, insects, dirt all end up in the pulper. This generic coffee is stored and shipped for many months before it ends up in your cup. As every coffee company wants to have a high profit margin, the cheaper the green coffee is being bought, and the higher they can sell the roasted beans, the better they do for their shareholders. That’s where so called ‘Fair Trade’ coffees come in, because the first thing which is lowered is the money the actual farmers and pickers earn. Other tricks of the trade during processing and packaging: Flavor it with hazelnut or vanilla! Roast it very dark! Flavor it with, yes, COFFEE aroma extracts itself! Pump coffee aroma in the bag so that when the bag is opened the first time, the cheapo stuff will actually smell like coffee! Produce a sugary & milky coffee drink!

Back in Kona century-old coffee trees are still being handpicked to obtain the best flavor, assuring that only the reddest, ripest and finest cherries make it into your cup. This naturally shade grown coffee grows in nutrient rich soil, which reduces acidity and produces dense and more flavorful beans. During the course of any given Kona day the land is gently heated by the sun, which draws moist breezes up the slopes to create what’s called vector clouds. These clouds not only make shade trees obsolete, but they prompt drizzly convection rains throughout the afternoon. Therefore only in Hawaii coffee is grown at lower altitudes and naturally irrigated. In the rainy season around 20,000 gallons of rain are poured onto each acre of farm land. But moments after these periodic rains disappear, one may witness the sun once again pushing its way through at the coast below, creating magnificent rainbows and the most breathtaking Hawaiian sunsets. In the pulping process, the harvested red cherries are to ferment overnight in the freshest and purest Pacific rainwater. This labor-intense ‘wet method’ is the preferred way of processing high grown arabicas. Their skins and pulp are soaked, and then removed from the beans, which are later washed and spread out to dry on a wooden deck. The moist beans are hand distributed upon the drying floor and are raked many times throughout the day so that the drying happens uniformly. Kona’s warm sun and gentle breezes dry the beans to the perfect moisture level. Generic coffees utilize a mechanical drying method, which forces hot air over the beans to speed up the drying process. This method proves less labor intensive, therefore lowering the price. However, one can actually taste the difference between sun and kiln-dried beans. Sun-dried coffee maintains more of a delicate, mellow flavor–whereas kiln-dried coffee will oftentimes lose some of the aromas Kona coffee is famous for. Many farms package and ship their Kona coffee immediately after roasting to preserve its freshness. The essential flavored oils of coffee are delicate and fade quickly when coming in contact with oxygen.

But be aware: 100% KONA coffee is hard to come by on the mainland, which is why many coffee consumers are easily duped. But once you’ve tasted 100% pure Kona coffee, you’ll know the difference! Many roasters and companies mislead customers by using only 10% Kona beans and mixing them with 90% lower-quality and heavily fumigated Central or South American beans. This combination produces an atypical, cheaper taste, but is commonly referred to as “KONA BLEND”. The name, however, leads consumers to believe that the bag of coffee they’ve purchased contains ‘blends’ of various Kona coffee farms, whereas it actually means that the entire bag contains as little as three to four actual Kona beans! The law of Hawai’i stipulates that a bag of pure Kona coffee must have printed on its label the words 100% KONA to guarantee its contents. That’s why most small estate, shade grown and handpicked coffee can compete successfully against the ultra-productive, low-waged labor, machine-picked, and often artificially ‘coffee’-flavor enhanced, coffees.

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Author: Keoni Lassiter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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