In which, it turns out, coffee is anything but simple.
"Espresso is probably the most intolerant method of preparation of any food or drink in the world."
—James Hoffmann
I originally intended to call this coffee cup, red‡. It was to be a look at how the serving of coffee influences how we perceive it in terms of flavour and enjoyment. There's been some study of how environment influences taste, and I have a memory of a study in which coffee tasted sweeter when drunk from a red cup. ¹ I'd done some experiments myself and found that there was some truth to this; that coffee flavour and enjoyment is influenced by the cup it's served in. This process of crossmodal perception is well documented. In my case, a red coloured heavier earthenware cup was sweeter, fuller-bodied, more satisfying, more alive and characterful. As I began to write it ran away from me, as things do, and it turned into this, a much longer piece about the complexities of coffee.
A story of coffee.
it begins, as so many stories do, in a distant land. Ethiopa was home to a shrubby tree of the Coffea genus which grew in the highlands
near Kaffa. Subsequently it was cultivated in the Yemen and as news of the drink spread, was exported from Mocha, mostly to Arabic countries, where it remains a most popular drink to this day. As it spread into Europe it began to gain favour amongst the wealthy and educated classes and slowly spread so that coffee houses became places where ideas were exchanged. Slowly European traders began to take the plant to be cultivated elsewhere; the Dutch managed to get fertile seeds or seedlings and coffee spread to their imperial zones, espcially Java from where it spread through exports back to Europe. The Dutch were not afraid to share their secrets and before long, other European nations had coffee to take to their own imperial fiefdoms, those containing a very particular set of climatic and geographic markers, generally highland regions with warm days and cool nights, the conditions that coffee plants thrive in. The climate was socially unready for coffee. Its associaction with Islam was a barrier for a time, and there was a deeply anti-coffee feeling amongst many as coffee shops began tto spread. A key moment in coffee's rise in Europe occurred when Pope Clement VIII tasted coffee around 1600. Legend has it that he initially considered banning it because of its association with Islam. However, after tasting it, he declared it so delicious that it should be "baptized" and become acceptable for Christians to drink. even as coffee shops began to spring up, even with the church's blessing, not everyone was happy and there were several movements seeking to restrict access to our brew. as demand increased, traders rushed to start plantations ready to export their product back to Europe. Two species were grown, Coffea robusta and Coffea arabica. In time, robusta came to be grown in vast quantities for the commercial coffee markets of the world, while arabica, with its superior flavour, was grown in smaller quantities for the specialist coffee market, a market that has been growing more popular in recent years. Other species are available, like Coffea stenophylla, oft thought of as the salvation of coffee productions in the threat of climate change.
The tree too has a story and a beginning. It begins with a seed, which develops inside the fruit of the coffee tree, which is known as a "coffee cherry" but is botanically a berry. So anyway, the seed. This, when planted, takes three or four years to begin its productive life, after which it produces for twenty years, if well looked after. Its own crop of "cherries" will be picked, processed,the seeds (two per cherry) being removed from the fruit by one of various means before being dried, shipped to coffee roasters to turn the litle green seeds into tasty roasted beans which can then be ground up and turned into a tasty beverage.
The Caffeine
Caffeine is produced by the coffee plant to deter insects from attacking the plant. Oddly enough it turns up in many places in the plant world, from the leaves of tea bushes to flowers of orange trees (where its effect on the bees enhances their memories rather than acting as an insecticide). The coffee plants want to deter insects from visiting, hence the production of this bitter alkaloid. What insects hate, humans love, and in general we really do love it, hence the number of coffees marketed as such, for example Death Wish Coffee and the like. in general these coffees use robusta beans, as they are generally grown at lower altitudes with higher insect pressure, and have evolved to develop more caffeine unlike the arabicas, which do better at higher altitudes with fewer insects. They do, however, produce more caffien per bean, which in th earliest days of this story, was more important than flavour.
Because coffee is not about caffeine, then we have decaffeinated coffee, developed to match the needs of those more sensitive to caffeine's wakefulness effects, or who need to avoid caffeine for health reasons. Personally these days I find myself drinking more and more of this stuff, having found a roaster who makes an excellent blend which is drinkable all day. Obligatory shoutout to Pachamama Coffee for this one, roasted just down the road from me in Sacramento, California. other than my first cup in the morning, my decaf is now my daily driver, that's how good it is.
Regions of origin and terroir.
Each area's coffee has unique flavours and characteristics due to differences in climate, soil, and cultivation practices. Latin American coffees, like those from Colombia and Costa Rica, tend to have bright acidity, fruity notes, and a clean, well-balanced cup. African coffees, particularly from Ethiopia and Kenya, are known for their floral and citrusy flavors, often with a complex, fruity acidity. Asian coffees, such as those from Indonesia (e.g., Sumatra) and India, typically have earthier, spicier profiles with lower acidity and a fuller body. Central American coffees, like those from Guatemala, are also known for their smooth body and chocolatey or nutty flavors, sometimes with a touch of fruitiness. The major difference between these regions often lies in their elevation (which affects acidity), processing methods (washed vs. natural), and local varieties of coffee plants, all of which contribute to the unique flavor profiles that define coffees from each region. Local variations in soil and climate can also lead to discernable differences, known as the terroir, and is one of the reasons why speciality roasters will often choose to buy coffees from a single grower, the source of the phrase 'single origin coffee'.
Processing.
After picking, coffee has to be processed. The juicy fruit has to be removed, and the seeds dried ready for roasting. There are a number of different methods, each with its own pros and cons. We'll start at the simplest and possibly oldest:
The dry processing method.
Also known as the natural processing method, this is one of the oldest and most traditional ways of processing coffee beans. It involves drying the cherries with the beans inside, allowing them to naturally ferment and dry in the sun. The freshly picked cherries are spread out on large patios or raised beds, and they are left to dry for several weeks. The cherries are constantly turned and sorted to ensure even drying and to prevent the growth of mold or fungus. One of the defining characteristics of the dry processing method is that it allows the coffee beans to retain much of the natural fruit flavours and aromas. The extended contact between the beans and the cherry pulp during the drying process imparts a rich and fruity taste to the final cup of coffee. This processing method also presents some challenges. Since the cherries are dried with the beans inside, it requires meticulous attention and monitoring to prevent over-fermentation or spoilage due to the hot and humid climate. Additionally, the drying process takes longer compared to other processing methods, which can increase the risk of damage to the beans.
Wet Processing.
As its name suggests, this method uses water to remove the fruit pulp. It tends to be preferred for the higher quality speciality cofees, as it creates more nuanced flavour profiles and cleaner taste.
The cherries are de-pulped, the fruit's flesh and skins being removed. The beans, still covered in a sticky mucilage, are left to stand in water, allowing for some fermentation of the mucilage. After this the beans are washed clean and are ready to be dried and shipped.
Honey Processing.
imagine my disappointment when I discovered the truth behind the name of this process, for it uses no actual honey whatsoever.
C-Dawg says re: a simple cup of coffee: I was thinking the Honey method would be where your spouse makes the coffee :)
The cherries are harvested and then carefully pulped to remove the outer skin, leaving behind the sticky, honey-like mucilage layer that around the beans. Unlike the wet processing method, where the mucilage is completely removed through fermentation and washing, in the honey processing method, a portion of the mucilage is intentionally retained.
This method, originating from Central America, strikes a balance between the dry and wet processing methods, resulting in a cup of coffee with remarkable complexity and sweetness.
This retention of mucilage during the honey processing method gives the coffee beans a unique character. The sweetness of the mucilage infuses into the beans, resulting in a cup of coffee with fruity and floral notes, along with a hint of sweetness. The flavour profile can range from delicate and tea-like to robust and full-bodied. the Guatemalan I used to roast was processed in this way, and I have to say that it made some delicious cups for many months. Note to Self: get another five pounds of these.
Semi-washed Method.
the cherries are pulped to remove the outer skin, much like in wet processing. However, instead of fermenting the beans with the mucilage still intact, they are rinsed to remove some, but not all, of it. This approach allows for a delicate balance between the intense fruity flavours created by the natural sugars in the mucilage and the clean, crisp notes associated with washed coffees.
There are variations from one processor to another, but in genral, the method looks like producer, but in general, it looks like:
The cherries are run through a machine that removes the outer skin, leaving the mucilage and coffee beans intact. The beans are then gently rinsed to remove a portion of the mucilage, leaving a thin layer on the beans' surface, after which the beans are spread out to dry, until they reach the ideal moisture content.
This method strikes a balance between the intensive labour and time requirements of wet processing and the simplicity of dry processing. It allows for the development of intriguing flavour profiles that combine the sweetness of natural processing with the cleanness of washed processing.
Kopi Luwak ("civet coffee").
This is the odd one out, and you know the story. In Indonesia, the story goes, coffee picking workers were forbidden to pick coffee for their own consumption, but they would occasionally find the scat of palm civets that had eaten the cherries and left the undigested seeds in their poop. Washed, roasted and enjoyed, it allegedly made a delicious cup. The bulk of the processing is done inside the civet so it's a simple matter of washing and drying the beans. Easy, and the workers could get their coffee.
The story of this processing method spread, and for a while it was the talk of the coffee world; everyone wanted to try this rare and exclusive coffee, and that's where the problem started. Coffee producers, knowing they could charge a premium price, began farming civet coffees, forcing caged animals to eat nothing but coffee cherries, and then marketing the resulting beans at the highest price. What had bee a rare commodity was suddenly becoming an abusive moneymaker. I've never had this coffee, though i know some who have, and the jury is out on whether it's good or bad. If all you can drink is civet coffee, it's probably good, as the pickers could drink only this. The best cup of coffee is the one you can be drinking, but in this case, I'd say it's the worst of all possible options. It's not just the flavour that is divisive. In the light of the inhumane farming practices, there's a lot of controversy around this method of processing.
Roasting, the light and dark.
At some point in the unwritten pas, someone decided to roast coffee. Roasting is crucial to developing flavour, and roasters will seek to get the best balanced coffee possible from a given bean. Lighter roasts end to reduce bitterness and keep the fruit acid flavours as well as the terroir character of the bean. Darker roasts produce a stronger, more intense, sweeter and yet more bitter brew, a roast level that was for a long time the default for coffee around the world. In time, specialty roasters began roasting lighter in order to highlight individual coffee characteristics and in time many were drawn to these finer roast levels, and even the major grocery stores began carrying them.
Advances in brewing
Throughout this time, there were also developments in brewing techniques. As more cafes wanted to be able to make individul cups to enable people to drink their speciality brews, the Hario V60 coffee brewer was suddenly the fashionable, preferred way of brewing at home as well. The time of home espresso seemed to be over the day of the pourover had begun.
"Espresso is probably the most intolerant method of preparation of any food or drink in the world", so says James Hoffmann again. Despite this, the espresso brewers were also developing new techniques for 'hacking' brewing. Techniques such as the Weiss Distribution Technique, using fine needles to distribute coffee grounds in the basket, took off with home brewers especially. Them someone discovered that spritzing beans with water prior to grinding created more consistent grinds, and that became the rage. With all these new techniques to play with, people began to move back to home espresso, always chasing the ultimate cup. Meanwhile, new companies are springing up seemingly every month with new engineering solutions. There are so many variations on filter brewers that choosing one is a minefield for those new to the hobby. The same goes for grinders. There are so many at various price points that no-one knows where to turn next.
There are so many coffee brewing methods that I'm not going to covr them here, never mind the many ways to enjoy coffee, from a simple pourover coffee through the plethora of espresso drinks. Suffice to say that human ingenuity has crated many ways to enjoy your coffee, from the simple cup of Joe through the milkiest of lattes. It can be bewildering to someone just coming to coffee I've watched people in paralysis from the choices on a cafe menu, and can only imagine guiding someone through the process of beginning to make good coffee at home. But still we brew. Each in our own way, and still we sing the praises of the coffee plant and its product, joining a story hundreds, maybe a thousand of years in the telling, and each morning my moka pot helps me remember and celebrate.
‡ Inspired initially by etouffee's a particular shade of red. i will follow through with my original intent soon (for some values of 'soon')
¹ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVKabsudi1I&pp=ygUOQ2hhcmxlcyBTcGVuY2U%3D
and https://huladaddy.com/blogs/blog/does-your-coffee-cup-color-change-the-taste
$ xclip -o | wc -w
2571