Have You Ever Seen a Green Bean?
It dawned on me the other day. Unless you work in the coffee world, you've probably never seen green coffee -- that is, beans before they get roasted. These rather homely jade drops, randomly selected specimens of our Colombia Las Mingas Relationship Coffee, are pebble-hard and seemingly inert. Yet lurking inside are all the brain-stoking bouquets and body-embosoming brios of the Beautiful Beverage, as they call it in the Olde Country. Apply a dose of hot air and let the alchemy begin.
Roasting produces visible effects such as browning, slight cracking, and expansion. Essential oils glisten on the surface. When beans come out of the roaster, they're full to bursting with scalding gases. If you flick one at the floor it will POP like those old gunpowder gimmicks. It's okay to freak somebody out, but be nice and say sorry.
Anyway, I'm no expert. Colleen and Gabe of our Greens & Roasting squad could probably tell you a whole mess about greens. Can they look at greens and tell you, "This stuff is schwag and that stuff is money"? Not sure, but I imagine that beans have a few tells. Hours of quiet observation for students of the bean.
Browse Kevin's photos from Las Mingas to see coffee cherries on the tree. Once they're picked and depulped and dried, then they start to look like the greens in these photos. Mike's Mexico gallery also illustrates coffee drying in the sun.
Anyway, I'm no expert. Colleen and Gabe of our Greens & Roasting squad could probably tell you a whole mess about greens. Can they look at greens and tell you, "This stuff is schwag and that stuff is money"? Not sure, but I imagine that beans have a few tells. Hours of quiet observation for students of the bean.Browse Kevin's photos from Las Mingas to see coffee cherries on the tree. Once they're picked and depulped and dried, then they start to look like the greens in these photos. Mike's Mexico gallery also illustrates coffee drying in the sun.
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stylee Feb 3, 2009 – 4:00 AM
Gorgeous shade grown Coffee! Love the pictures of the Mingas farm!