Introduction to Coffee Products

I. Origin and Varieties

Coffee is native to Ethiopia in Africa and is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The main coffee varieties are Arabica and Robusta.

1. Arabica Coffee

• The Arabica coffee plant is usually 3 - 4 meters tall, with long - oval - shaped leaves that are dark green and shiny. Its fruits are oval - shaped and turn red when ripe. This type of coffee has an elegant flavor, a pleasant acidity, and is rich in fruity, floral, and chocolatey notes. It has a relatively low caffeine content, accounting for about 1.1% - 1.7% of the bean weight. It represents high - quality coffee and is deeply loved by coffee enthusiasts. It's often used to make single - origin and specialty coffees.

2. Robusta Coffee

• The Robusta coffee plant can grow up to 10 - 12 meters. Its leaves are oval - shaped and bright green. The fruits are round and turn black when ripe. Robusta coffee has a stronger, more robust flavor, with lower acidity and a distinct bitterness, along with nutty and smoky flavors. It has a higher caffeine content, accounting for about 2% - 4.5% of the bean weight. It has strong disease resistance and adaptability and is often used to make instant and blended coffees.

II. Cultivation and Harvest

1. Cultivation Conditions

• Coffee trees thrive in a warm, humid environment with ample sunlight. They require well - drained soil rich in organic matter. The altitude also has a significant impact on the quality of coffee. Generally, coffee grown in high - altitude areas is of better quality because the lower temperature there causes the coffee fruits to ripen more slowly, allowing for the accumulation of more flavor - enhancing substances.

2. Harvesting Methods

• There are two main methods for harvesting coffee fruits: hand - picking and mechanical - harvesting. Hand - picking allows for the selection of the ripest fruits and ensures the quality of coffee, but it's less efficient. Mechanical - harvesting is more efficient, but it may pick unripe or overripe fruits, which can affect the coffee's quality.

III. Processing

1. Washed Processing Method

• The washed process is a common processing method. First, the harvested coffee fruits are placed in water to remove floating impurities and unripe fruits. Then, a peeling machine is used to remove the peel and pulp, obtaining coffee beans with pectin. Next, the coffee beans are placed in a fermentation tank to break down the pectin, and then they are rinsed clean with water and finally dried. Coffee processed in this way has a clean, bright taste with a relatively high acidity.

2. Natural Drying Processing Method

• The natural drying process is the oldest coffee - processing method. The harvested coffee fruits are directly spread out on a drying yard and dried naturally by the sun. During this process, the fruits need to be turned regularly to ensure even drying. When the moisture content of the fruits is reduced to a certain level, the peel, pulp, and pectin are removed by machines to obtain coffee beans. Coffee processed through natural drying has a rich, sweet taste with a strong fruity and wine - like aroma.

IV. Product Forms

1. Coffee Beans

• Coffee beans are the most original form of coffee. Consumers can purchase coffee beans of different varieties, origins, and roast levels. The roast level of coffee beans ranges from light to dark. Light - roasted coffee beans retain more of the original flavor, have a high acidity, and a high caffeine content. Dark - roasted coffee beans are dark in color, have a strong bitterness, with flavors of caramel and chocolate, and a relatively lower caffeine content.

2. Ground Coffee

• Ground coffee is the powder obtained by grinding coffee beans, which is convenient for consumers to brew directly. Depending on the coarseness of the grind, it can be divided into coarse grind, medium grind, and fine grind. Coarse grind is suitable for a French press, medium grind for a drip - coffee machine, and fine grind for an espresso machine.

3. Instant Coffee

• Instant coffee is made through a series of complex processes such as concentrating and drying coffee extracts. Its advantage is that it's convenient and quick, and a cup of coffee can be obtained immediately by adding hot water. However, some of the original flavor of coffee may be lost during the processing of instant coffee.

V. Flavor and Tasting

1. Flavor Description

• Coffee has a rich and diverse range of flavors, including acidity, sweetness, bitterness, body, and aroma. The acidity can be a bright citric acid or a soft malic acid. The sweetness may come from the sugars in the coffee itself, such as sucrose and fructose. The bitterness mainly comes from the compounds produced during the roasting process. The body reflects the texture of the coffee in the mouth, ranging from light to heavy. The aroma includes floral, fruity, chocolatey, and caramel flavors.

2. Tasting Method

• Tasting coffee usually includes three steps: smelling, observing, and tasting. First, smell the dry and wet aroma of the coffee to sense its fragrance. Then, observe the color of the coffee. The depth of the color can reflect the roast level and the quality of the coffee. Finally, taste the coffee to experience its various flavor characteristics such as acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and body, and savor the aftertaste of the coffee in the mouth.