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COFFEE
CULTIVATION
The Coffee Tree
The coffee "tree" is actually a variety of
tropical evergreen shrub. There are three species of coffee
"tree", all three are of African origin, arabica, liberica and
robusta. Arabica originated in Ethiopia and is best suited to higher
altitudes from 2000 to 6500 feet. Liberica originated in West Africa and
robusta originated in the Congo, both do better below 2000 feet.
Liberica and robusta trees are hardy and do well in forest environments
and require less maintenance than arabicas. Liberica and robusta trees
also produce higher yields, but the coffee they produce tends to have a
harsh flavor in comparison to arabicas and their caffeine content can be
as much as 50% higher. Most of the instant and tinned coffees at your
local grocers is produced from the these less expensive liberica and
robusta coffees. Gourmet coffees on the other hand rely almost
exclusively on the more expensive arabicas.
The best growing conditions are in a temperature range
of 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit at an altitude best
suited to the species of coffee tree (liberica and robusta at altitudes
below 2000 feet and arabicas between 2000 and 6500 feet). Rainfall
should be plentiful and the weather should switch between heavy rainfall
and sunshine to bring the berries to full maturity. The type of soil is
not too important but good drainage is a must.
The coffee tree's fruit does not all ripen at one time. In fact it will
have blossoms and berries (or cherries if you prefer) in various stages
of ripening. This fact complicates the harvesting of coffee since only
the ripe berries can be picked. If the berries are left too long their
beans will spoil, and the berries cannot be picked when green since they
will not ripen once picked. This fact requires that the pickers of
quality coffees return to each tree numerous times to harvest its
berries. Since each tree only yields about two pounds of beans per year,
this equates to a great deal of labor for every cup of coffee that you
drink.
The growers of less expensive coffees often use less labor intensive
methods to harvest their coffees. These methods produce poor grade,
harsh flavored coffees. For instance some growers in Brazil use a method
that strips the whole branch of the tree at once, leaves, flowers, green
and overripe berries. This is very damaging to the trees and it takes
some years for them to recover. Another less damaging method is used in
Africa, there they will shake the trees causing the berries to drop to
the ground where they can be easily picked up.
The coffee tree does not begin to produce its full yield until its sixth
year and will continue produce for about ten years. The tree if left
alone will grow to a height of between 16 and 40 feet. In most coffee
plantations the trees are kept at a manageable six feet to get the best
yield and to make it easy to harvest.
Since there are only three main species of coffee tree, you might wonder
why there are so many different varieties of beans offered for sale?
This can be attributed to the wide variety of climates, altitudes, soils
and amount of rainfall that the coffee trees grow in. Although coffee
trees grow in only tropical and sub-tropical areas, these areas have a
wide range of climatic differences. Coffee trees grow in the highlands
of Central America where the temperatures are cooler and ther is a great
deal of wind and fog. They also grow in the hot, steamy lowland jungles
of Africa and in the variable conditions of the Caribbean. All of these
areas produce beans with different characteristics.
Processing the Harvested Beans
Preparing the harvested beans for market requires that
the fruit, inner parchment, and outer hull of the bean be removed. These
outer layers are removed by either the wet method or the dry method. In
the wet method, the beans are mechanically de-pulped and then soaked in
fermentation tanks for up to three days. These "washed"
coffees have characteristically higher acidity and sharper flavor than
dry processed beans. In the dry method, the berries are either sun-dried
or machine dried with the outer fruit intact. After drying they are
de-hulled mechanically, producing beans that are characteristically
lower in acidity, yet fuller-bodied and more complex in flavor than
washed coffees. The coffees produced by the dry method are referred to
as "naturals" and have the advantage of ageing better than
those produced by the wet method.
The availability of abundant supplies of clean, fresh water often
determines which processing method the coffee producer will use. In
Central and South America, the wet method is predominately used while in
East Africa and Yemen, the dry method is used. Even though the wet
method is considered to be superior by many experts because it tends to
produce a more flavor-consistent bean, some excellent coffees are being
produced by the dry method as well.
After having gone through either of the above methods the coffees are
sized, sorted and graded by hand.
Coffee is produced and exported by a large number of countries. Each
country has its own system for classifying the over one hundred types of
coffee. But there are some basic groups and classifications that are
used.
The three basic groups of coffees are:
Milds are all of the arabicas grown outside
of Brazil. These coffees include the premium or quality coffees that are
used by the gourmet coffee industry. The term "mild" does not
necessarily refer to the taste of the coffee, some of these have a
bitter or acidic flavor.
Brazils are all of the coffees grown in
Brazil. These are almost exclusively made up of arabicas. The Brazils
are for the most part the less expensive type used for tinned and
instant coffees.
Robustas are African grown coffees that are
also low quality and used for tinned and instant coffees. There are also
many secondary classifications that are used such as the type of plant (Excelsa,
Bourbon, Maragogype), processing method (wet or dry), plant species (arabica,
liberica, robusta) and so on. |
COFFEE BREWING TIPS
General Tips
1. Start with freshly roasted, whole bean coffee. Coffee
decays rapidly once it has been roasted, and even faster after it has been
ground. Even a few hours can make a big taste difference! So please, do yourself
a favor and buy a coffee grinder. Basic rotary blade models start at less than
$20. Get one!!!
2. Use "good" water. Water that tastes or smells funny will adversely
affect your coffee's flavor. If your tap water tastes OK, then go ahead and use
it, but if not, use either filtered or bottled water. To see how much difference
this can make, try making your favorite brew using tap water and then try
brewing a pot using bottled water, we're sure you will notice the difference.
3. Select the correct grind. Different coffee brewing methods require different
kinds of grind. How coarse or fine coffee is ground is critically important to
making good coffee! Coffee ground too fine will delay the brewing process and
produce a bitter cup; conversely, coffee ground too coarse will speed up the
brewing process and produce a watery, less robust beverage. You must also be
aware that temperature and humidity will affect the coffee brewing process. A
grind that works well on a cold day may need to be adjusted when it's hot.
Although inexpensive rotary blade grinders work well, for a more precise and
consistent grind we recommend a burr-type grinder, particularly where an
extra-fine grind is needed such as when grinding for espresso.
4. Keep your coffee brewing equipment clean. Coffee oils quickly build up and
over time become rancid. The rancid oils will then taint your coffee's flavor.
Clean your coffee maker regularly!
Coffee Brewing Methods
The following list is not intended to cover all the myriad brewing techniques
that have proliferated around the globe. We include here only the most common
ones for which brewing equipment is readily available. The descriptions are very
basic and are intended for use as a general guide only. For specific brewing
instructions on any particular brewing apparatus, we recommend that you follow
each manufacturer's specific instructions.
Drip Coffee
Whether automatic or manual, the basic idea is to allow gravity to filter hot
water through ground coffee suspended in a filter of some porous material
(paper, tight wire mesh, etc.). Filters can be either flat bottomed or cone
shaped. If flat bottomed, the grind should be medium; if a cone, then the grind
should be fine. We have found that in most cases the cone shaped filter tends to
make a better brew. When using an automatic drip machine, do not leave the
brewed coffee on the burner!!! It will continue to cook and will become bitter
in a few minutes. Transfer the brewed coffee to a good thermos for flavor's
sake.
French Press
The French press consists of a beaker shaped container with a fine wire mesh
plunger unit attached to the lid. This coffee maker is one of the more popular
devices available and comes in sizes ranging from single cup to eighteen cups.
In this method, first the glass beaker should be preheated by running it under
hot water. Then put in the amount of medium to fine ground coffee needed, add
water heated just off the boil and stir. Let the coffee steep for three to four
minutes and stir again. Finally, put the lid-plunger apparatus on the beaker and
push the plunger down gently as far as it will go. This method may sound
complex, but it's really simple. Please keep in mind that the coffee used in
this method cannot be ground too fine. If ground very fine the plunger will tend
to jam.
Espresso
The idea behind espresso is to extract maximum flavor out of the grind using
minimum water. This can only be accomplished at fairly high levels of pressure.
If you are considering purchasing an espresso machine, be advised that, as with
almost everything, you get what you pay for. Lower priced machines generally
have lower levels of pressure and will not be able to produce the same caliber
of beverage. One way to gauge a machine's relative extraction abilities is to
see how fine a grind it can handle. An optimal machine should be able to produce
a one to one and one-half ounce pull of espresso in eighteen to twenty-three
seconds when using a very fine grind. Although you can adjust the grind to work
"optimally" for any machine, you must remember that because of the
short brewing time, the coarser the grind is, the less flavor will be extracted.
Choose your espresso machine carefully!
Here are some tips that will help produce the best results. The coffee must be
finely ground, as fine as your espresso machine will allow. The grounds should
be tightly packed in the gruppa or metal filter cup. This is where most people
have trouble,if the grounds are too tightly packed, the water will not be able
to get through properly producing a bitter, burned tasting pull. If the grounds
are too loosely packed, you will get a watery, weak tasting pull. To get it
right you may have to experiment a little. Don't try to pull more than the
standard one to one and one-half ounce of brew from the grounds; overextracted
espresso tends to be weak and bitter tasting.
Stove Top Espresso
This simple unit works on the same basic steam pressure principle as the
standard espresso machine but does not produce quite the same caliber of brew.
These units do produce a hearty triple-strength brew that is comparable to the
lower-end home espresso machines, but at a much lower price. The Stove Top
Espresso pot consists of two pieces that screw together with a filter chamber in
the middle. Originally these units were made from aluminium and tended to add an
unpleasant taste to the coffee. Newer units can be found that are made from
stainless steel that do not taint the coffee. To make a brew with this unit,
first fill the base with water up to it's safety valve. Fill the filter chamber
with finely ground coffee, do not pack it down. Place the filter chamber in the
base and screw the top on tightly. Place the pot on the heat. When the coffee
starts to pour out of the stem in the top, reduce the heat to low. When you hear
a gurgling noise, all of the water is out of the base. Remove it from the heat
and wait for the coffee to stop pouring from the stem. These units have a rubber
gasket that will need to be replaced from time to time, and remember not to
leave the pot on the heat after all of the water is gone from the base. |
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Storing Your Coffee -
As mentioned earlier, coffee beans tend to lose their flavor rather quickly and
even faster after being ground. this is especially true if steps are not taken
to preserve that flavor. The first step that you can take to preserve your
coffee's flavor, is to keep it whole bean until needed. If you do not already
have one, purchase a grinder for your coffee. The second step is to keep your
coffee in a sealed container that prevents the coffee from being exposed to the
surrounding air.
Another consideration is the length of time that the coffee needs to be stored.
If you will use the coffee you have within two weeks, then keeping it in a
sealed container in a cool cupboard is fine. If you need to keep your coffee
longer than two weeks, then keep it in a sealed container in your freezer. When
keeping coffee in the freezer, take out only the amount you are going to use and
put the remainder back into the freezer immediately. Coffee kept in the freezer
will last a month or more. |
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