Kristin WolgemuthAll About Coffee
June 30th 2009 23:58
coffee berries
The legend of the origin coffee involves a shepherd named Kaldi. It was on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula where he saw goats dancing. Noticing that there were some bright red berries on plants nearby, he deduced that the goats had eaten these berries, causing them to act euphoric. He pulled some of the berries of the dark-leafed shrub and ate them himself, quickly feeling their stimulating effect. The news quickly spread and monks began using the berries to stay awake during their extended times of prayer.
Recent botanical evidence suggests a different origin of coffee. According to the evidence, coffee originated and was first cultivated in central Ethiopia (specifically Yemen) during the 6th century. In Cairo and Mecca, coffee soon “became a passion rather than just a stimulant.” Ethiopian coffee is still quite prevalent and popular today.
The process by which coffee is roasted is as follows: “The first stage is endothermic. The green beans are slowly dried to become a yellow color and the beans begin to smell like toast or popcorn.
The second step, often called the first crack, occurs at approximately 205 °C (400 °F) in which the bean doubles in size, becomes a light brown color, and experiences a weight loss of approximately 5%. The corresponding Agtron number for this color is between 95-90 (Davids, 68-69).
In the next step the temperature rises from 205 °C to approximately 220 °C, the color changes from light brown to medium brown (Agtron # 60-50), and a weight loss of approximately 13% occurs (Davids, 68-69). The resulting chemical process is called pyrolysis and is characterized by a change in the chemical composition of the bean as well as a release of CO2.
The second step is followed by a short endothermic period which is followed by another exothermic step called the second crack. This second pyrolysis occurs between 225-230°C, and the roast color is defined as medium-dark brown (Agtron #50-45) (Davids, 68-69). The second pop is much quicker sounding and the beans take on an oily sheen.
Espresso potential is maximized in roasting when you maximize the sweetness and aroma of the coffee while minimizing the bitterness and acidity. Most people focus on the latter and therefore roast extremely dark, yet without sweetness and aroma the espresso will never be palatable. This explains the unpopularity of straight espresso and the popularity of espresso based drinks where either milk or other flavors are used to replace the sweetness that was lost by roasting darkly.”
There are two main types of coffee. The first species, known as Coffea arabica, or Arabica coffee, makes up approximately 75-80% of the world’s consumed coffee. Robusta coffee, species Coffea canephora, makes up the other 20% of coffee grown. The two coffees have different tastes. Arabica coffee is less robust but provides a more refined flavor. Robusta coffee offers an inferior flavor but a higher caffeine content.
As people moved to new and different regions and countries, coffee went with them. Today coffee is grown all over the world. For more information on coffee, its history, agriculture, and cultivation, visit http://www.coffeeresearch.org
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