Coffee. Just from reading the word, you can smell it and taste it. In Australia Coffee has become synonymous with breakfast, morning tea and lunch. It is a drink to socialise over, to use as a pick-me-up (treating symptoms of our ever-worsening societal sleep and work/rest habits) or just simply a chance to enjoy some exotic flavours.
Just like the Mojito, there are several different accounts of how coffee came to popularity across our now globalised world.
The one I am the most familiar with starts with a goat herder in Ethiopia. He discovered that after his goats consumed the fruit of a certain tree, they were unable to sleep at night and instead, were rather (hyper) active. He passed the word onto the local monastery. The abbot found some of the fruit and made a brew with them which he found kept him quite perky during evening prayer. This brew quickly became popular in the monastery and from there, the roots of the coffee legend begun to grow.
Fast forward to the 16th century and most of the Middle East had adopted coffee. The 17th century saw the coffee bean flood Europe, but some reacted with fear of the bitter brew, and Pope Clement VIII was asked to confirm if coffee was the ‘bitter invention of Satan’. He apparently found the drink incredibly satisfying and gave it his seal of approval.
Soon after, the bean was brought to Asia and the Americas where it flourished in both regards, and now the majority of our coffee beans come from Ethiopia, Latin America and Asia.
Coffee starts life as a seed inside a green berry, like the ones pictured. They then turn yellow, and eventually red as they ripen. All varieties of coffee taste sweet, some with flavours of mango, other like berries.
The Roasting Process
The process of roasting is far more scientific than I thought. I was incredibly surprised when I first walked into Dawn Patrol and saw the computers with a myriad of graphs being manned and the circular roaster that had to be attended by someone at all times.
Drying the coffee beans begins to break the chlorophyll down. Chlorophyll gives plants the green colour, so when it broken down, the beans turn yellowish.
As the temperature rises, the beans begin to brown. While this is happening, there is a reaction that occurs between the amino acids and sugars in the bean. This is called the Malliard Reaction.
Compounds are formed, which creates that classic coffee aroma we all know and love. The Malliard Reaction can also be observed in other sources such as roast meat or toast. The ‘browning’ effect of say, a steak, is not due to the burning of the meat, but actually the chemical reaction between the sugars and acids when heat is applied.
Here we can also start to see caramelisation and the specific notes of flavour that each type of bean might have, depending on where it is grown. Fats are also turned into aromatic oils. This is the most important part of the process. Temperatures are watched closely and the chemical reaction is allowed to play out.
At this stage, the ‘first crack’ will occur, where the beans have built up heat to this point, and now they release some of it, along with moisture.
The second crack is the cellulose (the fibres used to make the rayon for our Hawaiian shirts) breaking down. Now it can be decided whether a lighter roast is preferable, or a darker roast is preferable. A lighter roast will cease at this point, and cooling will be applied. The beans will retain their flavours of origin – fruity and varied tastes. Past this, the roasts will start to lose their fruity flavours and start taking on the flavours of the roast instead. Darker, more chocolatey, and smoky flavours.
The second crack is where roasters will stop for an espresso blend. Espresso you want as levels of dark brown, but never black or close to black.
The roasters at Dawn Patrol have this science down to a t. All of their espresso blends have a nice light roast, maintaining all of the flavours of the original bean.
If you are looking for even more unique flavour, their single origin roasts are always a treat such as the Costa Rican San Marcos, Finca El Cerro single origin roast. It comes packed with flavours such as blood orange, melon and apricot. With seasonal changes every so often you will never be lacking variety in your coffee selection!
References
NCA 2021, The History of Coffee, National Coffee Association USA, viewed 18 March 2021, <https://www.ncausa.org/about-coffee/history-of-coffee>
Tastessence 2021, Coffee Culture: How the World Takes Their Cup of Coffee, Tastessence, viewed 18 March 2021, <https://tastessence.com/coffee-culture-how-world-takes-their-cup-of-coffee>
Dillon, J 2021, How to Roast Your Own Coffee Beans in 8 Easy Steps, Perfect Brew, 14 March 2021, viewed 18 March 2021, <https://www.perfectbrew.com/blog/how-to-roast-your-own-coffee-beans/>
Burman Coffee Traders 2021, The Science of Coffee Roasting, Burman Coffee Traders, viewed 19 March 2021, <https://burmancoffee.com/coffee-roasting-etc/science-of-coffee-roasting/>
Vänskä, A 2021, How Does a Coffee Cherry Taste Like?, Paulig Barista Institute, viewed 19 march 2021, <https://www.baristainstitute.com/behind-bean/how-does-coffee-cherry-taste>
Tibaagan Coffees 2021, Art and Science of Roasting Coffee, Tibaagan Coffees, viewed 19 March 2021, <https://www.tibaagan.com/coffee-roasting/>
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