Coffee Pictures – From Bean to Cup

Coffee plants are generally grown in subtropic and tropical areas, where the climate is cool, moist and frost free. Careful attention must be paid to the cultivation of these plants, as they need a well distributed rainfall, short dry season, and fertile and well-drained soil. The coffee tree bears fruit within 3 to 4 years after planting; reaching its greatest yield when the tree is between five and 10 years old. It may bear fruit for up to 30 years.The coffee tree belongs to the genus coffea . It has smooth, ovate leaves with clusters of fragrant white flowers that mature into half-inch long deep red fruits. The fruit is green when young, turning to yellow and then bright red when ready for harvest. This cherry fruit usually contains two seeds, which are coffee beans.

The two coffee beans within the cherry must be separated from the skin, pulp and parchment that surrounding them. This is necessary in order to create a stable and dry green coffee bean. Depending on the location and local resources, this can be achieved by one of two methods: dry processing or wet processing. The dry method is often the only one available, and is the simplest and most economical. The wet method requires significant financial resources and is more complex, but produces better quality coffee.

Green coffee beans have plenty of caffeine but little flavor. It is the process of roasting that brings out the unique flavor and aroma of coffee. The aromatic oils, characteristic of coffee, are produced during this process, as the beans’ interior reaches about 400°F.

Millions of people around the world enjoy their coffee every day. Next to oil, coffee is the most-traded commodity. Like any commodity, it trades on the open market and prices fluctuate based on supply and demand.

Seventy percent of the world’s coffee continues to be grown on farms of less than 10 hectares. Of the world’s 25 million farmers in the 50 developing countries that grow coffee, most sell relatively small quantities – sometimes as little as only a few bags per year – to local traders, co-operatives, exporters and manufacturers. Source: British Coffee Association.