Coffee Roasting Process 101
This is the beginning. Coffee starts out as a green bean (well actually a seed). Sourced from nearly 55 different countries. At this point in the game. The beans are not edible, their quite dense.
Not all beans are the same. There will be different hints of flavors among all the different coffee regions. Some will have a coco flavor, some a hint of floral, citrus, berry, vanilla, lemon, and many more.
The roasting process is the most crucial step in making amazing coffee. The beans are dropped into a hopper and released into a drum that is heated with gas to temperatures of 395 -425 degrees.
The length of time the beans are allowed in the roaster will determine what roast you will recieve (light, medium, dark, french) The difference in time between the roasts are a mere minutes to seconds.
After the beans have cooled you are left with the roasted beans. The chart above will show you the difference in roast. We do small batches like this for every order "hours" before shipment. This guarantee's fresh coffee every order
We will discuss the importance of using freshly roasted coffee and the storage of coffee before you grind- below.
Storing your fresh roasted coffee
I think the incorrect storage of coffee is one of the most causes of bad coffee. For some of you that don't know some of the principles of coffee deterioration. There are 4 major players in bad coffee
#1. Moisture
#2. Air
#3. Heat
#4. Light
The most direct and simple way to store your coffee without breaking any coffee snob commandments is to buy your coffee in small quantities as needed, WHOLE BEAN, and store it in an airtight canister (ceramic is best) or vacuum canister, in a cool shady spot, possibly on the counter or in the cupboard
The fridge is a major no! First, it’s not cold enough to keep your coffee fresh. Secondly, your coffee will deodorize and dehumidify your refrigerator-just like baking soda, especially if its ground.
Freezing is optional. Some experts say that coffee
is never quite the same after freezing. But, what’s important is what works for you.
Keep your beans in a container that does not allow light in, and stored at room temerature. Try to keep the container as full as possible (more beans = less air/oxygen) Coffee beans left out to open air will be stale within 24 hours. You will notice a significantdifference in taste by then. So, Remember. Limit the amount of times your beans are exposed to oxygen
Coffee Vac Canister
Ceramic Canister
Brewing Methods-
Not all coffee is drip brewed.
There are methods listed below that are super delicious and offer a significantly better taste. But, it involves freshly grinding coffee and boiling hot water to roughly 200F. Some brewers like the chemex, moka pot, aeropress, and hario require a filter, where-in the french press has a metal screen. Most all of these methods promise a better cup of coffee for many reasons.
So, it begins with using coffee that has been freshly roasted, ideally less than a month from when you purchased it. Most supermarket coffee will spend a month or more in packaging/storage, and transit before sitting on the shelf for up to a year. Harvest Bean promises fresh coffee made once we get your order every time.
