The Art of Grading Coffee Beans
Grading coffee beans is a tedious task for coffee graders. This process is a crucial step to producing the finest and richest brews. Finding any flaws is painstakingly done and it is why grading coffee beans is considered an art by most coffee aficionados, coffee growers and graders world wide.
The flavor and aroma of coffee are attributed to the process of grading coffee beans. There are standard characteristics that are being followed by coffee graders to ensure the quality of the beans when finally roasted.
Green is the color of coffee when it is not yet roasted. Grading coffee beans prior to its roasted state is done by green coffee sellers to ensure that the finest grade are shipped and distributed to customers.
Popular coffee shops, coffee roasting facilities and retail stores are among the clientele of green coffee sellers. Expert coffee roasters know which coffee bean is good to roast and which ones are not. Properly graded coffee will produce the rich, flavorful and aromatic coffee that we all know of.
Specifications to Consider When Grading Coffee Beans
Coffee graders know that the standard characteristics to look for in coffee beans. This standard sets the grade of coffee beans and to whether or not the beans are good for roasting or not.
* Bean segregation. This is an important process whereby the beans are separated according to geographic location and variety. It is crucial to do so to grade the roasted and brewed coffee.
* Size and shape of coffee beans. Uniform size and shape is important when grading coffee beans to ensure even roasting. Smaller coffee beans takes less time to roast compared to larger beans. Segregating the beans is essential when grading. Of course, the pricing also varies with the size of the beans.
* Coffee bean color. Uniformity in color is also essential to roasting and to get the desired flavor. Uneven bean coloring usually means the beans have been mixed from different varieties. Usually, this results to low grade roasted coffee beans, hence low grade coffee flavor.
Coffee is classified into two major varieties- Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is finest blend of coffee while Robusta is the next best blend. The process of grading coffee beans is important for these two major varieties. The flavor and aroma alone differs, which makes grading very important for these varieties.
Grading coffee beans may not be a glamorous task and may not be as popularly known as the end product in a cup. Coffee being the world’s popular beverage of today has brought about many businesses and interests. But knowing the art of grading the beans adds a deeper meaning to the world of coffee.
