:: the coffee bean @ coffee.co.za
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	:: everything about coffee ::
	All over the world, people who used to be content with commercial blends are now searching for fresher, more flavorful alternatives. Whole bean coffee is now sold in kitchen shops, delicatessens, grocery stores and supermarkets. Unfortunately, not all beans are created equal. Coffee that looks beautiful sitting in a bin is often old, stale and harsh. Coffee lovers have learned that buying whole beans doesn’t guarantee coffee will be good ... From coffee.co.za our beans are frealy roasted and delivery to your door, within days ... :: Roasting :: Roasting each bean to its peak of flavor is a fine art, learned only after years of experience. The intense heat of the roasting process triggers a complex chemical reaction within the coffee bean. Sugars and starches in green coffee beans are transformed into the volatile oils that give our coffee much of its rich flavour and aroma. The longer a bean is roasted, the more these oils develop. At the same time, moisture is removed from the beans. The ideal roast to fully develop the character of high-quality coffee beans is a rich chestnut brown color. This is far darker than the pale tan cinnamon roast of the typical commercial blend. It’s even one step darker than the light brown city roast of most "specialty" coffees. While light roasters highlight acidity and sourness, a darker roast balances acidity with sweetness, bringing out the full range of flavors present in the best beans. Because longer roasting causes beans to swell and reduce their moisture content. Roasted beans lose about 20 percent of their total weight during roasting. Lighter roast styles remove only about 12 to 16 percent of the coffee’s weight. :: Freshness :: Freshness is a critical factor in good coffee flavour. High-quality arabica coffee is the product of ideal soil and climate – and an incredible amount of loving care. A coffee bush will grow five years before it yields its first crop. The 4,000 or so beans required to make up a pound of coffee are all hand-picked as they ripen, and each tree yields enough coffee cherries to produce only about one pound of roasted beans per year. Production of coffees of this quality is similar in complexity and detail to that involved in producing a world class wine; there are many steps involved, and great care is required from start to finish. > Green bean In its raw state, the bean’s flavor potential is locked deep within. > Yellow bean - (moisture loss) Beans turn from bright green to yellowish-orange as they begin to lose moisture. > Cinnamon Roast - (beans pop open) A light tan, sometimes called an institutional roast, this the color of supermarket coffee. Sour, "green" flavors predominate; body and complexity are not yet developed. > City Roast - (acidity dominates body) Beans have reached a uniform, light brown, with more flavor than a cinnamon roast. Still high in acidity, they have yet to reach their full potential. This roast is used by most specialty coffee companies. > Perfect Roast - (fully ripe) Beans turn a rich chestnut brown. At this stage, the acids and sugars are perfectly balanced and the full varietal character has been realized. > Espresso Roast - (caramelly spicy) The color changes from chestnut to bittersweet-chocolate brown. Specific varietal flavors fade slightly. The subtleties are best appreciated in a well-prepared espresso > Italian Roast - (smokey sweet) Flavor oils are brought to the surface as the natural acidity of this high-grown blend id transformed into the sweet tangyness of Italian Roast. > French Roast - (pungent, smokey, no acidity) The beans are nearly black. At this stage, what you taste is more of the smoky, pungent power of the roast rather than any specific coffee flavor.