Have you ever thought about what goes into making your daily cup of coffee?

It’s easy to take the process for granted. But behind that steaming cup lies an intricate journey from bean to brew. Let’s take a look at how coffee beans are grown and harvested in order to make it into our mugs.

Coffee Plantations & Varieties

Coffee is grown on coffee plantations or farms, where special care is taken to ensure the quality of the beans. Arabica and Robusta are two of the most common varieties used for commercial coffee production. Arabica beans typically have a sweeter flavor with notes of fruit, chocolate, and caramel. These beans tend to be more expensive due to their higher demand among consumers. Robusta beans are more robust in flavor with a bitter aftertaste that is often described as “earthy” or “grassy.” They also contain more caffeine than Arabica beans and cost less due to their lower demand.
Harvesting & Processing

The harvesting process begins when the cherries on the coffee plant turn bright red in color, which indicates they are ripe and ready for picking.

Depending on the region, this can take anywhere from 6-10 months after planting. The cherries must then be processed right away in order to preserve their freshness and quality before they are dried out or roasted. This can involve wet or dry processing techniques such as pulping or hulling, which help separate the outer shell from the inner bean so that it can be roasted properly. Roasting itself is an art form; each roaster has their own unique method that they use to roast the beans in order to bring out certain flavors and aromas within them. Once roasted, these freshly brewed beans will eventually make it into your mug!