sEnsuri coffee
Coffee may have originated in Africa but has been perfected in other parts of the world. If you are a fan of aromatic coffees, then there is not much more than a cup made with Colombian coffee.
The coffee industry in Colombia dates back to the early 1800s and began exporting to Europe and North America shortly after plantations began.
The coffee variety, which is cultivated mainly in Colombia, is the Coffea Arabic Tree, which grows best in mountainous climate and prefers shade in direct sunlight. Native plants such as gum and bananas protect coffee plants from the sun and provide the perfect environment for growing beans.
Coffee trees usually take between four and five years to maturity. At this point, the farmers can finally harvest the berries. Traditionally, Colombian coffee was selected by hand, so only ripe fruits can be removed and the rest remains ripe. At present, the clearing is also used where the whole tree is shaken when most of the berries have ripened. Of course, this eliminates ripe and unripe berries, so it's best to select them by hand (although it takes a lot more work).
The journey through a coffee bean begins with planting coffee beans in a nursery. Whenever it is planted; Thousands of beans are planted there. All are planted close to each other and covered with rich and fertile soils.
It will take eight weeks for the seeds to germinate and the roots to develop. Then the coffee plants are carefully inspected, the healthiest selected, then carefully planted in the nursery and cared for six months carefully.
When the seedlings are about two feet high, they are then transplanted to the plantation where the plants are grown with care. It takes about three to four years for the average coffee to grow and flourish. The first fruit will appear about six months later. Unlike other fruit trees, coffee trees are unique. They will bring fruits and flowers at the same time. Each coffee tree produces one pound (455 grams) of coffee per year.
Process of Coffee Bean
When the coffee beans are rich, red, they are ready to be harvested. Then and only then are the berries picked individually. After all the grains have been harvested, they are loaded into sacks and loaded onto mules or donkeys.
Then the grains become the only means of mechanical help for the farmer, the machine for removing the pulp. This machine removes the pulp from the two seeds that are in the middle of each bay. The two beans in the bay are flat on one side and rounded on the other side. The pulp or red husk you see returns to the soil as a fertilizer for new plants and seeds, while beans that are still trapped in a hard parchment shell get into large concrete tanks.
In these tanks, the beans are soaked for 24 hours in the cold water of the mountain. Soaking begins with a light fermentation process that is crucial to the aroma of coffee.
The coffee beans are then washed in small potions. Any branching, debris or grains of poor quality are discarded. Unlike beans of other origins, all Colombian coffee is "washed", giving Colombian coffee its flavor and aroma.
After washing, the coffee beans should be dried. They are all gathered together and placed in large baskets full of straw. They are scattered on large open terraces, where they are brought back and brought back until the wind and the sun have completely dried them. It is necessary to cover the grains at night to avoid getting wet, and of course they should be covered when it rains.
Quality Maintenance
Another aspect of Colombian coffee that makes it unique is the country's high-quality level. The quality process starts from farm where the National Coffee Growers Federation of Colombia sends their appointed representative to inspect every farm for hygienic conditions, healthy trees and the quality of each harvest. The inspector also confirms that the beans have been washed properly.
The inspector also looks for the size, color, texture and overall quality of the grain. Begin the last test by removing the skin and tough parchment to expose the bean. If you were there to see, you would see him halve the beans with a sharp knife. If the beans do not contain much moisture, the beans will not fly. If the grain is too dry, it will divide too quickly. However, if the grain is properly dried, the inspector will bring farmers to harvest his crop.
The beans are placed in jute sacks and loaded in jeeps. In some areas, mules and donkeys are still an important transport route from the farm to the market.
Once on the market, the owner of the farm once again tests the peasant culture. His assistant hits the coffee bag and draws a random sample of beans and in a small machine that comes parchment beans. The owner tests the beans for flavor, color, size, moisture and texture. Only the best crops are sold and distributed for export.
After that, the grains are now transported to the mill, where they are fed into machines that remove the hard shell of parchment and silver skin around each grain. Grains that go through a different screening process, where they are cleared of impurities, and size, weight and shape. The young women perform this last critical inspection and discard the inferior grains. Now the lush green beans are ready to be finally bagged and sealed for export.
It is only after this long process that the Federation gives its seal of quality. However, before closing the bags another sample is taken which is graded and weighed. This coffee sample is roasted, ground and finally tested in a properly prepared cup of coffee. The experts give hints of aroma, acidity and uniformity. If the experts are not satisfied with the quality of a particular lot, the export will be rejected.
2 main types of Coffee Beans
A good cup of coffee amounts to one thing: good beans. There are two basic types of beans: Robusta and Arabica:
Arabica Coffea, commonly known as Arabica, are considered the highest quality beans and therefore tend to be more expensive. Arabica beans thrive best at high altitudes and give a very tasty and aromatic coffee with little caffeine and acidity. In Colombia, Arabica is grown exclusively. In addition, this is the kind of beans used by My Coffee Gourmet.Com.
Coffea Robusta or Canephora is commonly known as Robusta. As the name suggests, this tree can withstand harsher temperatures and conditions than most. Considered by the industry as less tasty and aromatic than Arabica, it is widely used in instant coffees and cheaper. Robusta beans produce a cup with twice as much Arabica caffeine and have a good acidity. Robust crops are not grown in Colombia
Colombian also known as washed Arabica. It is the Arabica coffee of the highest quality. Unlike beans of other origins, all Colombian coffee is "washed"; this process releases many impurities and acidic agents that give it its fresh taste and aroma.
