Coffee internal structure layer decomposition, understand the coffee internal structure to give coffee flavor conditions!

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Coffee tree is a perennial evergreen shrub or small tree of Rubiaceae. The mature fruit of coffee tree is called coffee cherry because it is similar to cherry. What I want to share this time is not the shepherd's story of coffee, nor the three major varieties of coffee, but the knowledge about the internal structure of coffee cherries.

The structure of coffee is divided into exocarp-pulp-pectin layer-endocarp-silver peel-endosperm, and the coffee we drink is the germ, that is, coffee seeds, and the rest will be removed in the process of treatment. For example, the sun treatment will dry the coffee fruit directly in the sun, and then peel off the coffee fruit, while the water washing method first removes the skin and pulp, eliminates the stickiness of the colloid with the help of fermentation, then soaks the pectin in the fermentation pool, and then takes it to dry. so this is also the reason why the flavor of the two treatments is different, the sun alcohol is thick and fermented, and the washing acid is clean and bright.

Then we will analyze the structure of coffee cherries layer by layer.

1. Exocarp

That is, the outermost peel of coffee cherries, most coffee cherries turn red when they are ripe. But some do have different colors. Brazilian yellow bourbon is yellow when it is ripe. Yellow bourbon is a cross between bourbon and other coffee varieties. Pink bourbon ripe fruit is the pink of a young girl's heart, so it is named pink bourbon. It is a mixture of yellow bourbon and red bourbon.

2. Pulp

The pulp is closely connected with the exocarp, just below the exocarp, the coffee cherry pulp is a thin layer. After drying, the sun treatment will remove the pulp and other tissues only when the moisture content reaches 12%, while the water washing treatment will use a peeling machine to remove the peel and pulp within a few hours after the fruit is picked.

3. Pectin layer

The layer below the pulp is the pectin layer, also known as gum. This pectin layer is the source of the sweetness of coffee fruit, and honey treatment is graded according to the number of pectin layers. Coffee cherry pectin is not only high in viscosity, but also high in sugar. Farmers like to call it honey.

4. Endocarp

Under the gum is the endocarp, also known as parchment, which adheres tightly to the pectin layer. Parchment is a shell of cellulose. Parchment is named because when coffee beans are dried, the endocarp wrinkles due to loss of moisture, which looks very similar to parchment, so it is called parchment.

5. Silver skin

The silver skin is attached to the bean surface of the coffee bean, and the coffee bean is tightly wrapped by the silver skin. A thin film is the epidermis left by the development of coffee seeds, which is called silver skin in the industry. The silver skin will also be removed by treatment, whether in the sun or in water. If it is found that the silver skin has not fallen off before shipment, the silver skin will be removed by the process of polishing. The silver skin of the remaining coffee will fall off during the baking process, and there will be residue in the center line after the water-washed beans are roasted, which is characteristic of washed coffee beans and will be mixed with coffee powder when they are ground.

6. Seeds

Finally, there is the seed, the protagonist wrapped under the silver skin, also known as the endosperm, making coffee beans the second most traded commodity in the world only to oil.

This time, we have dissected the structure of coffee cherries layer by layer, and how many layers of substances the coffee beans are coated with, so that we can understand that a coffee bean will be treated differently because of different substances. It is precisely because the methods of removing these coatings are different, so it also creates a different flavor.

END

FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou China, selling freshly roasted beans from its own farm in Yunnan as well as dozens of carefully selected single-origin beans from around the world for both pour-over and espresso. The products deliver consistently excellent quality and great value, with shipping within 24 hours. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers, and the beans are now available online at the Tmall 。

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