A Brief History of Coffee - Back
Although there is only a record of coffee consumption in the Western world
dating back three centuries, coffee has been around since ancient times according
to Arab and Eastern records.
The actual discovery of coffee is vague, however most accounts point to a
quaint legend of a goatherd in the 1400's who noticed his goats acting more
lively than usual. He looked over to see some of the herd chewing on bushes
heavy with red berries. Curious, he plucked a few berries for himself and
after chewing on them, noticed his energy increase substantially. He took
the berries to a local monastery where the chief monk boiled the berries in
water and produced an aromatic but bitter liquid, which when drunk acted as
a stimulant and warded off drowsiness and fatigue.
It was still some time before the Arabs learned to roast the pits (or beans) inside the berries and some time after that before the roasted beans were ground. Eventually, however the coarsely ground coffee was boiled in water and what is known as Turkish coffee today became the style of making coffee.
Towards the end of the 16th Century, coffee's commercial potential brought it to Europe and before long the Arab tradition of coffee houses had emerged on European streets. With the growing popularity of coffee, the Europeans began to realize the value of the plants. European scientists smuggled the plants from the east and introduced them to some of their colonies. Soon coffee was being harvested in Java, Martinique, Asia, and South America. Eventually, after much experimentation, the prime areas in Brazil had been located for coffee growing. Brazil is now one of the leading producers of fine coffee in the world.
As the centuries passed, coffee growing and exporting burgeoned.
Today, coffee is found in most every country in the world. It is a major trade
commodity ranking alongside oil, steel and grain as an important exportable
raw material. Many of the world's prime coffee producing countries rely solely
on the coffee market for their national wealth.
Coffee Info That's Good To Know
Harvesting Coffee
Coffee is harvested off a shrub that grows at altitudes of 200 - 2000 metres.
The shrubs grow fragrant white flowers for a short period that turn into green
"cherries". Eventually, the coffee cherries grow larger and ripen
to a deep red. Each plant yields about 1&1/2 to 1&3/4lbs of coffee.
Harvesting can take several weeks, as not all the cherries ripen at the same
time. They are either picked or stripped from the bushes - picking ensuring
more unified and ripe beans and stripping faster and less costly for the grower.
Coffee Species
The two best known coffee species are Robusta and Arabica.
Arabica, originating from Africa, it is the most highly cultivated species of coffee. It is known for its fine quality, rich taste and flavour. It grows only in rich soil and at altitudes above 600 metres because it is more susceptible to both insects and heat. Arabica beans take longer to grow because of the high altitudes they are grown in and are more difficult to harvest. For these reasons, Arabica beans are much more expensive than the Robusta strain but are considered far superior.
Robusta, originating from the Congo, is a hardy disease
resistant species. Grown mainly in Africa and Asia, Robusta grows well in
less than ideal soil and adapts well to various locations. It yields a high
amount of cherries which are smaller and rounder that Arabica. It is usually
used in blends and in filters. It is not a stand alone coffee. Sharp in taste,
it has twice the amount of caffeine of an Arabica strain.
Gourmet beans almost always are of the Arabica strain. The Planet Coffee Roasters
uses only grade 1 beans. Our beans are small batch roasted, which allows the
Roast Master to monitor the roasting process very closely. 95% of our beans
are sold within 2 days of being roasted, guaranteeing the ultimate in freshness.
Storing Your Coffee
Coffee beans or ground coffee should be stored in a cool dry, dark area in
an airtight container, keeping the container as full as possible. It is not,
however, advisable to put your coffee in the fridge or the freezer, as these
environments tend to dry the coffee out. Buy amounts of coffee that can be
used in 7 to 10 days. Use whole beans within 21 days of roasting.
Whole beans retain their flavour and freshness for two to
four weeks after roasting, depending on the method of storage. Ground coffee
on the other hand loses its qualities within an hour of grinding unless it
is packaged and vacuum-sealed. There are containers on the market such as
the 'Vacuvin' which remove the air from the container providing an effective
seal, and protecting your coffee.
If you are interested in purchasing the Vacuvin please contact us.
Brewing Coffee
After brewing coffee, don't leave on a warming element longer than 20 minutes.
It will start to burn. Transferring brewed coffee to a pre-warmed thermal
container will maintain its flavour and temperature.
The more coffee used in preparing coffee the stronger the
cup. Usually 1 to 1.5 tablespoons per 6oz (175ml) cup is recommended. The
grind style must match the design of the coffee machine being used. The finer
the grind, the stronger and possibly more bitter the taste. The coarser the
grind, the weaker the cup. Always use freshly drawn cold water. Ideally it
should pass through an activated carbon filter. The best coffee shop machines
heat to a temperature of 75*C (200*F) and draw for between 31/2 to 41/2 minutes
per pot. This is the benchmark for all home brewers. Also, make sure coffee
filters fit snugly in the basket and that the coffee grounds are spread evenly.