INTRODUCTION TO COFFEE

For centuries, Coffee has played a far more important role in the world than most people
realize. Of course, it’ s one of the most popular beverages in disparate cultures and the second
traded commodity around the globe.

But have we ever wondered where coffee came from, have you ever traced its origin????

THE ORIGIN
1. Uganda
Where coffee in the early 1700’ s was used for traditional brotherhood rituals known as
OKUTTA OMUKAGO.
2. Ethiopia
Where coffee was discovered by the goat herder called KALDI.
3. Yemen
Where coffee was discovered by a sheikh on a holy pilgrim

World coffee production depends mainly on two species, Coffea Arabica and Coffee canophera
which are called Robusta Coffee. Arabica and Robusta can be easily contracted by their
contents in caffeine, sugars and total free Amino Acids.

NOTE; - There are three main types of coffee and they are the following;-
1. Arabica coffee
2. Robusta coffee
3. Liberica coffee

But Arabica being high produced, it has many varieties as per country it grows in and some
others passed through the laboratory in order to get high yields and disease resistance and
they are:-
1. Typical
2. Geisha
3. Bourbon
 4. Bhatia
5. Ruili 11
6. Sl 14, Sl 18, Sl 28
7. E.t.c

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARABICA AND ROBUSTA

PLANTING
Coffee is the seed of the cherry fruit from the evergreen coffee tree. Some of the green
coffee beans are kept to be used for the next crop of coffee trees. These seeds spend their
first year planted in nurseries, where they are carefully tended, watered and sheltered from
the sun.
Arabica Robusta
• 70 % world production • 30% world production
• Altitudes 600-2200m • Altitude 0-800m
• Temperature 15-24 degrees Celsius • Temperature 18-36 degrees Celsius
• Rain 1200-2200mm • Rain 2200-3000mm
• Susceptible to diseases & pests • Disease & pest resistant
• Oval shaped bean • Rounder shaped bean
• Caffeine content is 1.2-1.5% • Caffeine content is 2.2-2.7%
• Chlorogenic acids content 5.5- • Chlorogenic acids content 7.0%-
8.0% 10.0%
• Sugar(sucrose) content 6.0-9.0% • Sugar (sucrose) content 3.0-7.0%
Once they grow between 18 and 24inches, there tough enough to withstand the full sun and are
removed from the nursery and planted in the field with a spacing of (10 × 10) ft.
It takes between 3 to 5 years before the tree begins to produce coffee berries, also known as
cherries because of their shape and red color. Coffee trees can grow to 20ft but are pruned to (8-
10) ft to simplify harvesting

1. Pulp
2. Parchment
3. Outer skin
 4. Silver skin
5. Coffee bean

HARVESTING

Harvesting is the process of picking the ripen cherries from the coffee tree. In Uganda we have
two harvesting seasons which are July to October and December to February. Coffee cherries
ripen at different times, so most coffee cherries are recommended to be selectively
handpicked in order to maintain the cup quality. This means that you have got to go out and
pick the ripe berries, come back 8 to 10 days, later to pick the next ones, and then come back 8
to 10 days later to finish the harvest
But there’ s also strip harvesting that is mainly done on the large scale farms to prevent high
expenses of employing human labor but might affect the cup quality since also green cherries
are also included during this kind of harvesting.

INTRODUCTION TO COFFEE PROCESSING

Coffee processing are the steps taken after harvesting to green beans ready to be
sorted and graded, then roasted. There are usually two main methods of processing and they
are Dry (Natural) process and wet process.

DRY PROCESS
This is the oldest method and is still used in many coffee producing countries were water
is scarce. The ripe, freshly picked cherries do not go through the pulping process but are sorted,
floated and then spread out, skin and all, on a large even raised beds or tapelines to dry under
direct sunlight. Because the skins are left on and the cherries aren’ t all lying in the same tank,
each one ferments a little differently to the other. When it’ s done right, though; it delivers the
most complex and intense flavors with great body.

WET PROCESSING
In this method, the pericarp covering the bean is removed before they are dried by
pulping. . The pulping process is all about getting rid of the skin and the pulped fruit
(mucilage) that surrounds the beans. De-pulping is only done if the beans are destined for wet
or semi- washed processing. A pulper machine is used to mechanically remove the skin of the
coffee cherry.
PULPING MACHINE
 Below is a simple diagram describing the wet processing methods:

The pulped beans are sorted by size and then thrown into fermentation tanks. After 12 to
48 hrs of fermentation in the tank, the naturally occurring enzymes dissolve the layer of
mucilage surrounding the beans. The beans are then washed thoroughly in fresh water to stop the
fermentation process and to remove the last of the pulp. This leaves the beans covered in just a
thin sheath, or parchment, called the endocarp. This process allows the farmer to carefully
control how much fermentation takes place and results in a more consistent coffee with clean and
complex flavors. Then beans left with parchment are laid out on raised beds to dry under
controlled temperatures for a period of time.
Typical notes: - chocolate nuts, Lemon, floral and fruity
Flavor profile: -
Clean, meaning more flavors inherent in the seed. It will produce a well-balanced,
complex, pronounced acidity and tea-like body in the cup.
There are other process that have bean created on the way with time, research and
technology. E.g. honey or pulped natural, anaerobic fermentation, etc.
NOTE;-
Anaerobic......................... No oxygen environment Carbonic
............................ carbon dioxide rich environment
Maceration........................ (Fermentation) refers to microbial metabolism

Processing transforms the coffee from fruit cherries to green beans which are then classified,
analyzed and then roasted.

GREEN BEAN ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION IN

GENERAL
Coffee is graded by sorting the hulled green beans over screens with different sized holes. The
beans remaining in each screen are weighed and the percentage of the total is recorded. The
coffee screening method was developed from a theory that coffees grown at a higher altitude
are denser and larger, while also generally holding the best flavor profile. The main objective is
to produce beans of uniform size, so that an even roast is achieved.

Equipment used for coffee grading

Green beans are also classified by different grades and the following are the
classification systems and methods used; -
1) SPECIALTY GRADE COFFEE BEANS
This is the highest grade of the beans and to be classified as Grade 1 coffee,
the beans need to have no more than 5 full defects in 300g of coffee. No primary
defects allowed, distinctive attribute in body, flavor and aroma hence taints and faults
free. No Quakers are permitted
NOTE; -
 ➢ SPECIALITY COFFEE is the coffee scoring 80 points or above on the 100-
point coffee review scale. Coffee graded from 90 – 100% is graded outstanding;
coffee that scores 85 – 89.99% is graded excellent while coffee scoring 80 –
84.99% is graded very good. Etc.
➢ QUAKERS are coffee beans that don’t properly reacts during the Maillard stage
of roasting. They remain pale, orange, khaki and when ground, emit a rancid
toasted peanut aroma.

2) PREMIUM GRADE COFFEE BEANS

The second highest grade, and quite similar to grade 1 coffee beans but a
maximum of 3 Quakers and 0 – 8 defects are allowed and free of faults and taints.

3) EXCHANGE GRADE COFFEE BEANS

These beans will have 50% above screen 15 and 5% below it, with a maximum of
8 Quakers, free from faults but between 9 – 23 full defects are permitted.

4) STANDARD GRADE COFFEE BEANS

These will have 24 – 86 full defects per 300g.

COFFEE DEFECTS
These are unpleasant irregular coffee flavor characteristics/taste sensations due to
careless processing of the green coffee beans, improper harvesting, improper moisture content
during storing or any other bean property including physical defects that causes a flavor or
aroma defect/fault/taint which include; - baked, foreign matter, moldy, musty, potato, Quakers,
sour, stale, rotten, unbalanced, grassy, hidey, over fermented, bread and baggy.
Coffee defects are classified in two types according to the Specialty Coffee Association SCA,
and below is the table showing how the defects are classified and analyzed in 300g of green
coffee beans: -
For example: -
For every 300g of green coffee beans
Total defects (TD) = number of defects by count
Sound beans (SB) = number of beans without any defect
% by count of defects = {(TD) ÷ (TD + SB)} × 100 = .... %

PRIMARY DEFECT SECONDARY DEFECTS

1 full black = 1 3 partial blacks = 1
1 full sour = 1 3 partial sours = 1
1 foreign matter = 1 5 husk/hull = 1
1 Fungus damage = 1 5 floaters = 1
1 cherry & pods = 1 5 withered = 1
5 severe insect damage = 1 10 slight insect damage = 1
5 parchments = 1
5 shells = 1
5 broken/ chipped = 1

Below is the table 3 showing different coffee defects and their occurrence.
DEFECT DESCRIPTION CAUSES ROASTING AND
CUP PROFILE
EFFECT
Black or partial Brown to black beans, ➢ Lack of water ➢ Lack of flavor,
black beans shrunken wrinkled, flat during aroma and
faced, crack too open development of acidity.
cherries. ➢ Intense off –
➢ Over ferment flavors.
➢ Over ripe ➢ Dull roast.
cherries picked
from ground.

Moldy Beans Beans infected by mold ➢ Long ➢ Intense off –

presenting whitish, interruptions flavors E.g.
yellowish and reddish during drying Earthy, musty
spot process ➢ un even roast
➢ Storage of NOTE:-
beans with high Moldy composes
moisture Ochratoxin A
content responsible for cancer.
Sour or Partial Reddish brown silver ➢ Delay in ➢ Intense sour and
sour beans skin between coffee grassy flavors
Light brown to dark picking ➢ Potato flavors
brown beans ➢ Over extended
fermentation
➢ Use of
contaminated
water
Faded beans ➢ Stained beans ➢ Uneven drying ➢ Leather – like,
showing an ➢ Improper and hidey
irregular greenish Long time ➢ Slight loss of
colour. storage flavor and acidity
➢ White beans, ➢ Iron deficiency ➢ Woody flavor
yellow, semi in the soil ➢ Loss of weight,
 transparent beans rapid roast,
irregular roasting

Cut or nipped Cut or nipped sides ➢ Beans broken by ➢ Lack of flavor

beans the DE pulper ➢ Dirty cup
machine
➢ Unripe cherries
harvested
Insect damage Circular Holes on the ➢ Fungus attack ➢ Harsh to bitter
surface depending on the
damage
Shrunk beans Wrinkled ➢ Affected by ➢ Slight loss of
drought aroma, flavor and
conditions acidity.
➢ Lack of ➢ Characteristic
fertilization dirty flavor and
astringent.
Immature beans Green or light Grey ➢ Cherries picked ➢ Slight loss of
beans, size smaller than before ripeness aroma, flavor and
normal, a very ➢ Lack of acidity
adherent/sticky silver fertilizers characteristic
skin. ➢ Beans Affected immature acre
by drought flavor.
Hull or husk Parts of dried cherry or ➢ Improper ➢ Bland and
parchment setting of the neutral
Equipment
Foreign matter Sticks, stones and leaves ➢ Improper ➢ Bitter
selection ➢ Woody
during picking ➢ Bland flavors
and grading
Quakers Light brown ➢ Harvesting ➢ Bitter
unripe cherries ➢ Bland flavors

COFFEE ROASTNG AND CUP ANALYSIS

Coffee roasting is the act of using heat to transform the green coffee into a
consumable product. It brings out the aroma and flavors that are locked inside the green
coffee beans. Green coffee beans have none of the characteristics of roasted coffee beans
hence tend to be soft and spongy on bite and smell grassy. Although green beans contain all
the complex makeup and chemicals, they exude the irresistible coffee flavors and aromas
only when roasted on intense heat.
Why do we roast Coffee?
1. The coffee roasting process develops the coffee’ s distinctive flavors and aromas.
2. Coffee beans have to be roasted to allow coffee soluble to dissolve in water.
3. The cellulose structure on the outside of the bean must be broken down through high
heat, the bean becomes more porous and larger through roasting, allowing water access
to the soluble material to make it easy for brewing.
4. To make beans suitable for grinding.

THE ROASTING PROCESS

Roasting of coffee is done either by a drum roaster or hot air roasting. Green coffee is roasted for
between 10 – 18 minutes in temperature ranging between 400 – 460 °F (200 – 250 °c).
• During roasting, countless reactions including mail-lard reaction, caramelization of
sugars and carbohydrates in the beans occur to produce browned color and aromas, and
beans plump 50% in size while losing around 16% water weight.
• When heat is transferred to the beans, the color changes from green to yellow to
light brown to medium brown with a weight loss of 13%. The resulting process is
called pyrolysis and is characterized by the release of carbon dioxide.
• Moisture in the bean escapes while gases become intense in the bean hence 1 st crack
as the bean expands causing a crack hence forming flavors. (Endothermic).
• Use less heat at this point, here the bean continues to develop and becomes darker and
bigger and cannot expand anymore hence 2nd crack at around 16 minutes.
(Exothermic).
• The process also conveniently makes the beans brittle enough to grind and porous enough
to allow water to access and extract the soluble flavors.
• After roasting the coffee continues to degas, hence releasing carbon dioxide which helps
protect the flavor and aroma of the coffee.
COFFEE ROAST PROFILES/TYPES
 Exploring roast profiles is integral to my journey as a coffee roaster, as each level imparts a
distinct flavor and aroma to the beans. I’ve found that mastering roast development is key to
unlocking those rich flavor variations that truly captivate the palate.
Here’s what I focus on:

1. Understanding the Bean: Each variety responds differently to heat, and I adjust my
approach accordingly.
2. Monitoring the Process: Careful observation ensures I catch the subtle changes indicating
the transition between roast stages.
3. Taste Testing: Regular sampling of different profiles guides my adjustments and hones my
craft
Classic definitions of the roast profiles
How your coffee tastes can be greatly impacted by the roasting profiles. There are two
distinct temperature thresholds during the roast process which are termed into as CRACKS.
1. LIGHT ROAST
I. Cinnamon Roast
This is the lightest roast of coffee beans and with this; you can still taste much of the beans’
original characters like toasted, grain, sharp acidity and sour tones. And it’ s discharged from the
roaster sometime very early in the first crack.
NOTE;-This also has the highest level of caffeine because, the longer a bean roast, the more
the caffeine compound broken down.
THE FIRST CRACK
Here the coffee has stopped absorbing heat and the sugars are starting to caramelize. In this
we specify into e.g.
2. MEDIUM ROAST
Ii. American Roast
This is the first roast within the first crack where acidity is slightly muted but the
original characteristics of the bean are preserved.
Iii. City Roast
This is discharged from the roaster during the last stages of or just after the first crack and it’
s currently common among the third wave roasters.
THE SECOND CRACK
A physical fracturing of the bean and the dividing line between the medium plus dark
roasts turns in color.
iv. Full city Roast
This is discharged from the roaster just before the second crack or sometimes 10 seconds into
the second crack, here the beans cellulose fractures further and the beans will have still a
medium brown color. This is the end of the medium roast profile and it’ s sometimes referred to
as the medium high roast.
3. THE DARK ROAST
v. Vienna Roast
This is discharged from the roaster in the early moments of the second crack. Here, the acidity
becomes muted with a bittersweet caramel flavor, darker brown, with a slight sheen of oil on the
surface of the beans.
vi. French Roast
Here the beans turn a dark, rich, chocolate brown color. As the sugars caramelize, the beans
continue to expand hence looking more weight but the oils and aromatic compounds are also
being cooked up leaving a very little acidity, bittersweet with burnt notes. Such dark roast makes
it difficult to detect the beans unique character.

COFFEE CUPPING
Cupping is the method of evaluating coffee which involves visual examination of green and
roasted coffee followed by a ritualized process of brewing ground coffee directly in the cup,
which is used to evaluate the coffee's aroma, acidity, body and flavor. And falls under coffee
quality control, we always cup by sight, smell and taste.
Why do we cup coffee?
1. Comparative analysis of samples :-
When cupping is done, a comparative analysis is done since a minimum of 2 cups is
tasted per sample; we always compare to find different attributes in different coffee
to know which particular sample stands out.
2. Quality analysis of samples;-
Since we are under quality control. Comparative blind taste sessions, frequently
scheduled will provide an invaluable base of information about the quality of
different coffees and prices on the market.
3. Taste education and knowledge building;-
The coffee taste knowledge for any individual will only improve with frequent cupping
of different types of coffees. Repeated taste tests of the same coffees will build the
memory for that particular group of coffee and their taste characteristics.

Requirements used for coffee cupping or coffee tasting

• Different Sample roasted coffees
• Coffee trays
• Grinder
• Water and boiler
• Tasting table
• Tasting spoons
• Tasting cups
• Spittoons
• Score sheet

Steps to coffee cupping

➢ Use small tags underneath for blind tests
➢ Place the roasted coffees from each sample in each cup and grind them separately.
This maintains the integrity of the sample in each cup.
➢ Grind each sample fitting for the percolator.
➢ Observe and record down the fragrance of each cup before pouring in the boiled
water.
➢ Carefully pour the boiled water into each cup wetting all the grounds.
➢ The coffee will form ahead at the top of the cup (crust). Allow it to sit for 4
minutes after all the cups are filled
➢ Break it and smell the aroma, rinse the spoon and move to the next cup.
➢ Before tasting coffee, it’ s important to remove floating grounds; otherwise they
will stay in your mouth and affect the taste of the following cup.
➢ Allow the cups of coffee to cool at a comfortable temperature, and then taste the
coffee as it cools to room temperature.
 ➢ Place your spoon in the cup and draw 2/3 of a spoonful of brew and slurp it with a
great noise, so that it spreads the sample of the brew into your mouth along with a large
supply of air.
➢ Swallow the coffee around inside your mouth and cover all parts of your tongue,
feel the texture, spit the coffee carefully into the spittoon and draw air into your mouth with
a
pop. This will aerate the residual vapors in the mouth and allows you to sense the aftertaste.
➢ Taste all the samples in the same way and compare the results. Rinse your spoon
before each sample, arrive at your conclusion and record them on the score sheet.

Technologies used when we are cupping coffee

➢ Fragrance; - sensation of gases released from freshly roasted and ground coffee
as aromatic compounds are inhaled when sniffed.
➢ Aroma; - Sensation of gases released from freshly brewed coffee, it can either be
sensed nasally via smelling the coffee though the nose.
➢ Body: - the sensation that gives substance to the coffee. I.e.( the weight of the
coffee)
➢ Acidity: - a taste sensation related to the presence of sweet tasting compound
which are created as acids in coffee, combine with sugars to increase the brew’ s
overall sweetness. The perceived acidity of coffee results from the proton
donation of acids to receptors on the human tongue. It’ s a highly valued quality
➢ Aftertaste; - sensation of brewed coffee vapors’ as they are released in the
mouth after swallowing during expectoration.

A table briefly explaining the attributes used on the cupping forms

ATTRIBUTES Positive Sensations Negative Sensations
• Fragrance/Aroma Floral, fruity, berry – like, Earthy, carbon, pepper...
chocolate, caramel, spicy...
• Flavor (nose and Character, sweet, intensity, Grassy, peas, sour, bitter,
taste) pleasure, simple complex... woody, flat, musty,
• Aftertaste Sweet, clean disappearing, Bitter, harsh, astringent,
pleasant, lingering.... unpleasant, dirty, short...
• Acidity Lively, refined, firm, soft, Sharp, hard, sour, dull, thin,
structured, crisp, delicate, grassy
winey, grapefruit, citrus ...
• Body (mouth feel) Buttery, creamy, smooth, Astringent, watery, thin, rough,
round, velvety, rich, light, dry, chalky ...
• Balance Structured, acidity – body, Flat......
stable from hot to cold,
harmony ...
• Clean cup Purity, free from faults, Dirty, earthy, Moldy, off fruity
 clarity.... ...
• Sweetness Ripeness, sweet ... Green, undeveloped, closed,
tart
• Overall Complexity, dimension, Simplistic, boring, do not like.
uniformity, richness, ...