It’s a skill that even the consumer needs to acquire. The ones who are ignorant will probably start with instant coffee or eventually move to instant coffee. Its only the passionate that will take the pain to prepare their daily coffee with so much effort. I don’t drink 6-8 cups of coffee each day, but those 2 cups that I have every day, I need them to perfect.

The Beans
We have already discussed the 2 varieties of coffee beans that famous the world over. Arabica and Robusta. Just to recap, Robusta beans are bigger, low on flavor and high on caffeine. Arabica, on the other hand are full of flavor and considered better quality than Robusta.

Harvesting
The climate decides how the cherries ripen. Rainy climate ensures that the cherries ripen evenly. But in drier climates, the cherries ripen sporadically. In such climates, the cherries need to be picked selectively.

The best quality coffee is a result of manual labour, I mean, manually picked cherries. It is also the most expensive. This manual process of picking beans ensures that there are no leaves and twigs that get picked with the coffee fruit.

Typically, the coffee fruit has 2 seeds, but then sometimes, things go wrong, and there maybe only one seed in the fruit. These single bean fruits are usually sold as ‘peaberry’ coffee!

Dry & Sort
After harvesting, the coffee needs to be cleaned of the remains. There are 3 methods to do that

The dry (“traditional”) method – The coffee is kept in the sun to dry.

The wet method, consists of removing the pulp before it dries on the seed.

The intermediate method or the Semi-Dry method, is a combination of the 2 processes. The skin is removed when it is fresh, and pulp is left on the beans to dry.

After the beans are dry, they are cleaned and sorted. It’s a manual process again, the beans are sorted by color, size and density. This is the way for specialty beans.

Roasting
The roasting process is crucial. The beans are dehydrated and they become smaller in size. The sugar content of the bean starts caramelizing and the beans starts secreting an oily substance, these carry the flavor. Since, all coffee crops are unique, all roasts are also unique.

The coffee that we drink commercially is roasted professionally, however the specialty beans are usually roasted by the consumers themselves, giving them the freedom to choose the taste they prefer.

Grinding
Well, the passionate coffee lovers consider the use of pre-ground coffee as a crime. I am guilty as charged. I use a lot of pre-ground coffee, BUT, I usually prefer to buy beans if I have a choice.

If there is no option of buying beans, it is recommended that vacuum backs are used to store the coffee powder or buy coffee powder that has been vacuum packed. There is simply no way to know when that coffee powder was roasted and how long it took for it to be packed.

Brewing
Last, but, by no means, the least important. Brewing depends on the skill and of course, the taste.

A few tips that you should keep in mind, the rest depends on your palate, preference and affordability.

1. DO NOT boil coffee.
2. DO NOT mix old with fresh coffee.
3. DO NOT reheat coffee.
4. Always keep the coffee appliances thoroughly cleaned.
5. If you can, spit that sip of coffee that tastes bad!

I cannot say that I necessarily follow these rules always, but I usually try. And if you have had coffee at my place, you will agree that its rich in flavor and aroma. No?

So, we love our coffee. But do we really know what makes a Cappuccino different from a latte? What forms the most important part of our everyday coffee? Here is a little detail into the kinds of coffee preparation and how they are made.

Espresso: is pure coffee. No milk. Most traditional coffee recipes are based on either one or two espresso shot. Espresso forms the base of most of the coffee preparations we consume at coffee shops.

The espresso shot is usually prepared with 7 grams of finely ground coffee extracted at 18-25 seconds.  This is usually attained by using a coffee machine. It’s difficult to achieve an espresso shot without a coffee machine.

Americano (American): The Americans, couldn’t stand the strong espresso that the Europeans used to have. So they used to add hot water to the espressos. This name was coined to insult the Americans.

Cappuccino: Prepared with equal parts of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. Most coffee shops serve their own variations of the cappuccino. Some make it milkier; some make is stronger than others. Cappuccino tastes good with some cinnamon powder or flaked chocolate on top.

Cafe au Lait: is a simple preparation.  Half brewed coffee and half hot milk. You may get a a thin layer of foam, but the idea is to tone down the coffee intensity with milk.

Cafe Latte: has 3-5 parts of milk as compared to 1 part milk in a cappuccino with a small amount of froth on top. Latte in Italian means ‘milk’, so be careful ordering one when in Rome.

Cafe Breva (Lesser known to India): Instead of using whole milk, half toned milk is used to make a cappuccino.

Cafe Macchiato: Single shot of espresso, topped with foam, no milk. Try it for the intense coffee flavor and aroma.

Cafe Mocha: take one part espresso, one part chocolate syrup and 2 parts frothed milk. Its quite popular as am after dinner coffee.

Espresso con Panna: one part espresso topped with one part of whipped cream.

Turkish Coffee or Known also as Greek Coffee: A ‘different preparation from the usual coffee. It is thicker and made usually made in an ‘cezve’ which is a long-handled, open, brass or copper pot. Finely ground coffee and water are boiled together to making a mix of muddy and thick coffee. Once it is made it is served in smaller cups called ‘Demitasse’ cups. Sugar and sometimes cardamom pods or spices (more Arabic) are added before it is brewed and all this is left for some time to allow it to settle before it is sipped. In Greek coffee Chicory is used and cracked cardamom pods to Turkish coffee.

Indian (Madras) filter coffee: South Indian coffee. Freshly ground. Dark roasted Arabica or Peaberry coffee beans. It is prepared in a traditional metal coffee filter. Its left to drip brew for a couple of hours. Coffee to milk ration is about 3:1.

Irish coffee: If you want to have whiskey with coffee try this coffee. It consists of coffee that is spiked with Irish whiskey, with added cream on top.

Affogato: vanilla or chocolate ice cream is served in a bowl and one shot of espresso is poured over it.

These are the most popular versions of coffee that are available and consumed at coffee shops over the world. 

Most cold coffee preparations are like the colder versions of the hot beverages, with a few variants. I personally prefer the Café latte; it has less foam and richer body. I usually prepare a Latte at home.

Did you know – Frappuccino is actually a trademarked name for a cold coffee preparation sold by Star Bucks.

Yes, there is chemistry involved here too. Thankfully, its not as boring as the chemistry classes in school (I hated chemistry). So what is this chemistry of coffee all about? There are certain factors that make coffee so desirable. Most of us who drink instant coffee, wouldn't know much about these, but you really need to move beyond instant coffee to experience the true joy of coffee.

Coffee Body
Coffee body can be defined as the weight of the coffee. Not absolute weight. But it can be sensed by allowing coffee to rest on the tongue and by rubbing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Coffee body ranges from thin, light and heavy and is a result of the fat content. The viscosity, however, results from proteins and fibers in the brew. The roast style of the coffee determines the body. Medium and dark coffee roasts are heavier than lighter roasted coffee.

Coffee Acidity
There are various factors that determine the acidity of coffee. But, it is NOT what we have learned in science and has nothing to do with pH levels.

What are the factors that determine the acidity?
It begins with the bean itself, where the bean is grown, the processing method, the roasting levels and the brewing methods. The coffee that is cultivated in higher altitudes has higher acidity. Light roasted coffee beans produce a higher acidic flavor than beans roasted to a darker color.

But, what does acidity of the coffee mean?
It is actually a sensation. Its something that is felt on the tip of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Like a soft drink, the carbonation is very much a part of a soft drink, but you don’t taste the carbonation as much as you feel it. High acidity would be similar to high carbonation; low acidity would be similar to a "flat" soft drink.

You can't judge whether you'll like a coffee just by its level of acidity. Acidity is just one of the features of the flavor of coffee. You can tend to enjoy both, low and high acidity coffees.

Coffee Aroma
Everyone usually enjoys coffee aroma, it doesn’t matter if you are an avid coffee lover or not. It has such a distinct odor, that nothing compares to it.

The aroma of coffee is a good way to judge the quality of the coffee. Try brewing a pot of high quality gourmet coffee; you’ll notice that the aroma spreads to a large area of your house. On the other hand, one never would have this same effect by making a cup of instant coffee or even ten cups. The reason for this is because the instant coffee no longer possesses any of the characteristics that create the aroma.

There actually 2 ways to smell the coffee. One, is the traditional method of smelling coffee you’re your nose, the other one is called retronasal perception. It can only take place during the time the coffee is in the mouth or just after swallowing it. Basically what it is comes down to the coffee aroma responsible compounds of the coffee rise up to towards the nasal passage.

The aroma of coffee changes from year to year, it’s never constant.

Coffee Flavor
Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee in your mouth. Acidity, aroma, and body are all components of flavor.

Typical specific desirable flavor characteristics:

• Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy- [typical of Central American coffees]
• Caramelly -candy like or syrupy
• Chocolaty- an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla
• Delicate- a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue [typical of washed New Guinea Arabica]
• Earthy- a soily characteristic [typical of Sumatran coffees]
• Fragrant- an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy
• Fruity- an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus
• Mellow- a round, smooth taste, typically lacking acid
• Nutty- an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts
• Spicy- a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices
• Sweet- free of harshness
• Wildness- a gamey flavor that is not usually considered favorable but is typical of Ethiopian coffees
• Winy- an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine [typical of Kenyan and Yemeni coffees]
  

So basically like everything else there is about coffee, such as the taste and looks the aroma once again comes down to pure simple personal taste.

I think it’s time we talk about the coffee beans. That stuff that your awesome cup of coffee is made up of.

Coffee beans aren’t really beans; they are seeds of the fruit of the coffee tree. Coffee is usually cultivated in areas that have sub tropical climate at an altitude of 6,000 feet from sea level.

Well, there are 6000 variations of coffee beans around the world, but only 25 of them are considered the major types. But, only 3 are considered the consumer types. A single coffee tree usually has 2000 fruits which is equivalent to about 4000 beans. Yes, that’s 2 beans (seeds) per fruit. These 4000 beans are capable of producing 2 pounds of roasted coffee. So basically, each coffee tree gives about 2 pounds of coffee powder each year.

So the 3 types of coffee beans are – Arabica, Robusta & Kona.

Kona
In the consumer world, Kona holds a miniscule share, however, it’s very expensive. Kona coffee beans are cultivated in Hawaii. It isn’t you regular common man coffee though, However, the demand is very high due to its powerful aroma.

Robusta
40% of the coffee beans available worldwide, are Robusta. Robusta beans have twice the amount of caffeine as compared to Arabica, but, they have half the taste and aroma. It is however easier to grow Robusta beans, simply because of their high resistance to weather and disease.  Also, it’s a lot cheaper than Kona and Arabica. Robusta can be blended with other coffee blends because of its strong flavor giving every coffee a "kick". It also does not vary in flavors compared to Arabica. Originally, Robusta was discovered while growing naturally in an area now called as the "Democratic Republic of Congo". Robusta coffee beans are lower grades of coffee.

Arabica
The remaining 60% of the world coffee production is Arabica. Arabica is more expensive than Robusta, simply because of the amount of care required in cultivation. Arabica plant is more prone to diseases and pests. Arabica coffee beans can be used on its wholesome form as well as it can be used as a base with Robusta for coffee blends. The taste of Arabica can be described as smooth and mellow!

But, the taste of Arabica varies from region to region. Coffee beans from South and Central America, have moderate aroma. In some countries like Ethiopia, there are numerous expensive variations of Arabica coffee beans growing in every regions of the whole country.

How do you know which bean is which?

Simple signs, the Arabica bean is bigger than Robusta, its longer and slimmer and the flat side of the bean has a crack in the shape of a slight S, while the Robusta bean is smaller, rounder and more convex and has a straight-ish line crack. 

Which coffee to buy?

There are no rules. But, Arabica beans are always superior to Robusta. Even low grade Arabica is a shade better than high quality Robusta, purely in terms of taste and aroma.

In the end, it’s not about restricting yourself. In the end, it's not about restricting yourself to just one type of blend or bean. This information is just technical jargon, so that you are aware of what you drink. Its more important to enjoy what you drink! Coffee tickles your palette!

Oh yeah, by the way, the instant coffee that we drink, is 100% Robusta. It’s cheaper for the makers to sell Robusta because it gives them a higher profit margin. Now you know!

Next time, I will try and talk about the various coffee origins, including, Indian coffee.

Since coffee originated in Ethiopia, the Ethiopians treat coffee differently. They have a ceremony around coffee. The coffee ceremony is considered to be a very important social occasion in many villages. It is a sign of respect and friendship for people who are invited.

The woman of the house usually performs this ceremony. It is customary for women to perform this ceremony when guests are being welcomed or there is some celebration.

So, what is this ceremony all about?

This Ethiopian coffee ceremony is also a raw coffee bean’s journey to the coffee cup. This is so formal, that a room is specially prepared for this ceremony. The entire room is spread with aromatic grasses or flowers. The woman then starts burning incense to ward off evil. Next up, a round-bottomed clay pot is filled with water and placed over hot coals.

The hostess then takes some green coffee beans which need to be cleaned. A long handled wok like pan is used for this. She holds the pan with the beans over hot coal or a small fire. The beans are shaken and stirred till they are rid of the husks and debrief and they come out clean.

Then, the beans need to be roasted. The roasting is complete when the beans are medium brown or blackened with some oil. The aroma of the coasted coffee fills the air, this aroma is an important aspect of the ceremony.

Unlike our modern gadgetry, the traditional way to grind these roasted beans is by using a mortar and pestle. The beans are crushed to a coarse grind. By the time this is complete, the water is typically ready for the coffee. The coffee powder is added, the mixture is brought to a boil and then removed from the heat.

We are no ready to sip some coffee. The coffee and water mixture is poured in small ceramic, handle-less cups. There, however, is a technique to pour the coffee. The hostess pours the coffee in a single stream, about a foot above the cups. All cups should ideally be filled with that single stream. Why, you ask? Well this allows the dregs of the coffee to remain in the pot.

Another interesting thing is that, the youngest child serves the first cup of coffee to the oldest guest. Then the performer serves everyone else.

Guests usually add their own sugar if they’d like. Milk is something that isnt offered. After adding sugar, guests bunna tetu (“drink coffee”) and praise the hostess for her skill and the coffee for its taste.

There are usually 3 rounds of coffee that are served at each ceremony, the three servings are known as abol, tona and baraka. Each serving is progressively weaker than the first. Each cup is said to transform the spirit, and the third serving is considered to be a blessing on those who drink it.

Coffee is very sacred for the Ethiopians. It provides employment to about 12 million Ethiopians. Two-thirds of the country’s earnings come from coffee. The premium Arabica beans fetch some of the highest prices in the world market. In this age when coffee has become the world’s number 2 commodity, the Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a reminder of the times when conversation and human relations were valued. Perhaps an ancient proverb best describes the place of coffee in Ethiopian life, "Buna dabo naw", which when translated means "Coffee is our bread!"

Coffee growing and drinking, as we now know, began in the Horn of Africa. Coffee was certainly being cultivated in Yemen by the 15th century and probably much earlier. But before it got out of that region, there was much controversy around it. The Arabs wanted to keep it to themselves, and they imposed a ban on coffee. It was only in 1616 that the Dutch managed to get the Arabs to change their mind and they brought some coffee plants back to the Netherlands.

The first known coffee houses started in Mecca. They were an instant hit, they were typically the place where chess was played, gossip was exchanged and singing, dancing and music were enjoyed. Nothing quite like this had existed before: for the price of just one cup of coffee, social and business life could be conducted comfortably. However, this phenomenon didn’t last too long, the Arabian coffeehouse soon became a centre of political activity and were suppressed. Eventually, coffee houses and coffee itself was banned every now and then, only to reappear. So, the government decided to tax, both, coffee and coffee houses.

The Dutch were the people who took the coffee to Europe. By late 1600’s, the Dutch were growing coffee at Malabar in India and Java in Indonesia. Dutch colonies eventually became the suppliers of coffee to Europe. Europe’s first coffee house opened in Venice in 1680’s, and is apparently still open for business today!

Did you know - The largest insurance market in the world, Lloyd's of London, began life as a coffeehouse. It was started in 1688 by Edward Lloyd, who prepared lists of the ships that his customers had insured. Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Bank of New York started in coffeehouses in what is today known as Wall Street.

Coffee was first drunk in America in 1668. Coffee Shops were then established in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other towns.

Did you know that coffee was introduced in South America by the Dutch? Today, that area of central and South America is the leading producer of Coffee in the world! 1718, was the year that Coffee reached the Dutch colony of Surinam and then to French Guyana.

The British then introduced coffee to Jamaica! Today the most expensive coffee in the world, Blue Mountain, comes from Jamaica!

Today, Brazil is the leading coffee producer of the world, but not surprisingly, it had achieved this feat way back in 1830’s! Sugar was the main produce of Brazil in the 1800’s, but the sugar prices started weakening, so all the labours moved to coffee growing.  This rapid expansion in Brazil and Java was responsible for the Coffee prices to fall worldwide, these reached such a new low (because of Brazilian overproduction) that people almost wanted to give up coffee plantations. But then, in 1890’s the Brazilian expansion slowed down and prices started growing, and newer plantations emerged in Guatemala, Mexico & Colombia!

Colombian coffee was also full of turmoil in the beginning. The best coffee growing areas were inaccessible because of the civil unrest in then. It was only in 1903, when there was peace In Colombia, did they turn to coffee cultivation! Advent of railways and Panama Canal encouraged growth of coffee and its transportation. Since Brazil was battling over production, the Colombian coffee was a hit among the Americans and Europeans.

That’s a brief overview of coffee’s journey to around the world. The coffee culture started with the coffee shops. It is common in most cultures to sit and sip coffee and talk. Many intellectuals have discussed world issues over a cup of coffee.

If that curious goat herder hadn’t noticed his goats dancing in euphoria, we wouldn’t have been sitting and drinking coffee today. Coffee has become a cult, I don’t think there is any place in the world that mat not serve coffee. Coffee has become the world’s most favourite beverage. It spread slowly from Ethiopia all the way to your local towns. Also, thanks to Brazil’s monster harvest, an elitist drink has turned into an everyday beverage for the common man the world over.

Did you know? According to many accounts, a group of Christian clerics tried to have coffee banned before it had become widely available. They came to Pope Clement VIII (1535-1605), claiming that coffee was for Satan's followers, and that Christians who drank it might lose their souls to the Devil. But before Pope Clement would ban coffee he insisted on tasting it. After drinking his first cup, the Pope was so impressed with the flavour, that he reasoned that such a drink could not possibly be the work of Satan and instead declared that coffee should be baptized to make it a true Christian drink.

Caffe, Qahwah, Kahve - Do any of these words ring a bell?

The origin of the word coffee for the coffee beverage is a little complicated and hard to verify. Most stories say that the name Coffee (English) was coined around the year 1600 from the Arabic word qahwah, but not directly. The Turkish cousin kahveh comes into play here. This was the name, not of the plant, but the beverage made from its infusion, being originally one of the names employed for wine in Arabic. 

Other stories trace the word coffee to quwwa or cahuha which means ‘power or strength‘ thanks to the invigorating effects of caffeine. A story of this version of the etymology goes like this, a poor Arab was travelling in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) in the 15^th Century.  It was the end of the day and he needed to eat his dinner, so he stopped near some trees covered with red berries and started chopping down one of them, for firewood. Once the cooking process started, he noticed that some of the berries has fallen into the fire. He soon realized that these half roasted berries were very fragrant and when crushed, their aroma increases. By accident, he dropped some into his water and discovered that the foul water was purified. Upon his return, he presented the beans to the mufti, an opium addict, who when tasting the roasted berries, recovered his health and dubbed the tree of origin, cahuha.

The alternate story says that the word is a variation of Kaffa, an African town in the southwest of Ethopia, documented as the native place of the coffee shrub.

And the stories go on and on, but the fact remains, that the word coffee comes from an Arabian word, and whoever has adopted the beverage, has modified it according to their convenience with regards to the pronunciation.  Some examples of the variation of the word are here:

English – coffee | French – café | German – kaffee | Dutch – koffie | Danish – kaffe

Hungarian – kavé | Bohemian – kava | Polish – kawa | Russian – kophe | Italian – caffè | 

Cambodian – kafé | Tamil – Kopi | Chinese – kia-fey , teoutsé | Japanese – kéhi

The claims of ‘coffee’s’ Arabic origins are supported by the fact that:

1.       The coffee plant (Coffea Arabica) is native to Ethiopia (previously Abyssinia)

2.       Coffee was first written about by the Arabian physician Rhazes

3.       Coffee plants were first cultivated in Yemen (previously Arabia Felix)

4.       The earliest records about extensive coffee drinking identified the Muslim dervishes in Arden

5.       Coffee was first roasted in Turkey

Early uses:

Now that we have a name, let’s just look at the first uses. Like all herbs and berries, coffee too was considered completely medicinal. There was a sort of mystery that surrounded coffee, also some cultures considered it to be spiritual.

Initially, coffee was consumed only as a part of religious ceremonies, but once the medicine men realized coffee's potential beneficial effects; they started prescribing it more and more. The initial prescriptions were to treat diseases like gout, kidney stones, measles, smallpox, and coughs.

Some Oromo (are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, in northern Kenya, and to a lesser extent in parts of Somalia) people would customarily plant a coffee tree on the graves of powerful sorcerers. They believed that the first coffee bush sprang up from the tears that the god of heaven shed over the corpse of a dead sorcerer. 

I find coffee to be really fascinating, especially its origin and etymology. Its initial uses are rather clichéd but then again the beverage itself is amazing. Hence, for me, reading and knowing more about it is a journey. In the next post, I shall write about the spread of coffee to around the world, before that, here is some trivia around coffee:

1.      The rise of Islam contributed a lot to the growth and acceptance of coffee, simply because, the religion prohibits consumption of alcohol. 

2.       In 1675, the King of England banned coffee houses, claiming they were places where people met to conspire against him. 

3.       In days gone by, Turkish bridegroom had to promise that they would always provide their new wives with coffee.

4.       The most severe punishment for drinking coffee was being sewn into a leather bag and tossed live into the sea.

More, later. Cheers.

I am no expert, what I write is about what I have read about this awesome beverage and the varieties that it is prepared in.

We all (mostly all the people who will be reading this) enjoy our morning cup of steaming hot coffee. It’s like the daily wakeup call! But have you ever wondered where it all started? Well, I have. This is the first post of the many to come which will give you some information about coffee.

Coffee dates back to the 13th century. But, the exact origin remains unclear. The folklore around it, is something like this –

The story goes that Ethiopian ancestors were probably the first to recognize and discover the ‘effects’ of the coffee bean. When I say effect, they believed it to be an ‘energizing effect’ (there are no documents that support this theory). Moving on, there is a story of a certain Mr. Kaldi, from the 9th century who was, well a goatherd. One fine day, while his goats were grazing, he noticed something rather peculiar with the behavior of them goats. They were dancing joyously around a shrub with red cherry like fruit. He soon figured that there was something mysterious about the cherries, and he tried them himself. He soon realized that these cherries caused euphoria.

The first credible evidence states that around the 15th Century, these cherries reached the Sufi monasteries of Yemen.  Monks in local prayer houses used them to stay awake during long prayer hours and eventually were distributed to monasteries around the world.

Its effects were so awesome, that it was shared far and wide. By the 16th Century, it reached the rest of Middle East, Persia, Turkey & North America. It was only later, that coffee reached Italy, Rest of Europe, Indonesia & America.

When coffee reached Africa, it was eaten. That is true, the African tribes used to mix the coffee berries with fat which formed the ‘edible energy balls’.

Voila, that’s how coffee was born!

The next post will about the etymology of the word "coffee" and the first uses of coffee along with its journey to all over the world. This post is just an introduction to the world of coffee. Along with you, I shall also learn more about coffee.

Lets embark on this journey together!