The Coffee Journey
Each coffee bean takes an incredible journey starting on a farm in a tropical landscape then travelling through a number of stages before it’s finally poured into your coffee cup here in the UK. We’ve put together a very brief roundup of these different stages
Growing & Harvesting
Growing: Grows on a shrub-like bush 
Growing: Takes 3-4 years before plant matures 
Growing: Has a Jasmine like flower 
Growing: The fruit is called a cherry 
Growing: Grows best in tropical, high-altitude environments 
Harvesting: It’s picked when the cherry is red 
Harvesting: Speciality coffees are harvested by hand 
Harvesting: Inside each cherry there are normally two beans 
Harvesting: Seasons vary with location, climate & variety 
Harvesting: One bush can be harvested over time as the cherries ripen
Processing (washed process) & Packing
Processing: Cherries are washed and defects (floaters) removed 
Processing: De-pulping removes the outer skin (cascara) and pulp 
Processing: The cherries are now tied in a bag to ferment 
Processing: They are then washed and picked over to remove damaged or defective beans 
Processing: Now they are laid on raised beds to dry and turned regularly 
Packing: Now in the factory, the outer husk is removed 
Packing: Beans are graded for colour and size 
Packing: Then they are put into hermetic bags to control moisture and oxygen 
Packing: Sacks are printed and stitched ready for shipping 
Packing: Sacks are inspected and tested ready for shipping and customs
Roasting, Brewing & Tasting
Roasting: Small samples are roasted and cupped to check quality and flavour profile 
Roasting: The batches are roasted in a rotating drum while temperature & air flow are controlled 
Roasting: Beans change colour and expand as the moisture escapes then ‘First Crack’ starts 
Roasting: Maillard reaction occurs – compounds start to change forming flavour & browning the beans 
Roasting: Beans are immediately cooled to stop the roasting process 
Tasting: Aroma: brewed coffee has over 800 aromatic compounds (eg fruity, toasty, woody, grassy…) 
Tasting: Taste – aspects of taste (eg acidity, bitterness, sweetness) are experienced on our palette 
Tasting: Texture – body or mouthfeel (eg watery, syrupy, smooth…) 
Tasting: Flavour – aroma and taste combine to give us a perception of flavour (eg fruits, nuts, chocolate…) 
Tasting: Aftertaste – is it pleasant or unpleasant? Dry or lingering? 
Brewing: Around 30% of a coffee bean is soluble 
Brewing: Time, temperature & turbulence all affect the extraction of flavour (taste/aroma) 
Brewing: Different grind sizes are used for different brew methods 
Brewing: Different filters (paper, cloth, metal) give different results 
Brewing: The water quality impacts the flavour of your coffee
Find out about the unique coffee journey taken by Gorilla Conservation Coffee and Moneyrow Beans to deliver coffee in support of Conservation Through Public Health