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The coffee bean we all know and love comes from a coffee cherry. Like most fruit, the ideal time to pick the coffee cherry is when it is ripe on the tree. Mature coffee cherries can manifest themselves in red, yellow and even orange pigmentation, i.e. orange bourbon. The cherries are then processed to remove the coffee bean, a time consuming process, and then prepared for shipment. Coffee beans are then roasted at their destination for somewhat immediate consumption. Cross-section of a coffee cherry Structure of a coffee cherry: 1: center 2: bean 3: silver skin 4: parchment 5: pectin layer 6: pulp 7: outer skin   STEP ONE: PICKING THE COFFEE CHERRY There are two types of picking: strip picking and...

What is espresso? Espresso is first and foremost a brewing method. Espresso is not a type of roast as often thought, like French Roast which is always roasted to a particular point in the roasting process. It is actually referring to the method of extraction or the ways the coffee is brewed, like French press vs. pour-over.  The method of extraction is accomplished by 150lbs+ of water pressure applied to a finely ground coffee bed from 20-30 seconds. The grind of the coffee is fine to allow for more surface area of the coffee in order to achieve a very quick extraction. The hot, pressurized water extracts solubles and oils from the coffee grounds, then passes through the metal basket filter,...