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The Journey of a Coffee Bean

Thank you for joining us as we celebrate National Coffee Day this entire week! Today on the

blog, Kahvi Bean Roasters is joining us to talk about the journey of a coffee bean, from plant to

cup. This blog will be best enjoyed in a cozy spot with a cozy cup of coffee – so settle in and get

ready to learn some incredible things about coffee!



A Little Bit About Kahvi Bean Roasters

Kahvi Bean Roasters Logo

Hello plant and coffee lovers! We are so excited to partner with Green Valley to celebrate

National Coffee Day for an entire week! We are a locally owned coffee roaster located in

Ramsey, Minnesota. We specialize in freshly roasted, small batch coffee, sourcing beans from

all across the globe. We believe that there is so much potential in a cup of coffee. You deserve

beans that are full of flavor, and with over 8 years perfecting our craft, that is what we strive

for. We have studied the journey of a coffee bean for many years, and it has been a

key tool in perfecting the art of roasting. We encourage you to check out our website

(https://kahvibeanroasters.com/) to learn more about what we do. Let’s get into today’s blog!


The Journey of a Coffee Bean

Stage 1: The Coffee Plant


Coffee plant

Coffee, like many food sources, begins its life on a plant in the form of a shrub or bush.

Coffee plants produce fruit called coffee cherries. Inside the cherries are little seeds, which is where we get coffee beans from! Most coffee cherries produce exactly two seeds per cherry. If a cherry produces only one bean, we call that bean a peaberry. The coffee beans are harvested from the cherries and eventually, will become the bags of coffee you see at local grocery stores or can purchase from local roasters, like Kahvi Bean!


There are 4 main species of coffee plants: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. Each type of

plant grows in a different part of the world and boasts of different flavor profiles. The Arabica

species is the most common, with nearly 60% of global coffee production centered around this

type of plant. It is well known for its deep, rich and complex flavor profiles, making it a highly

sought-after coffee. Besides the species type, factors such as altitude, climate, and soil type

make a major impact on what a coffee bean will taste like when harvested and roasted.


Stage 2: The Green Bean

Green coffee beans

Once a coffee cherry is ripe, it is ready to be picked and the beans harvested.

Unfortunately, many coffees lose their high quality due to a commercial process of harvesting

where pieces of fruit are machine-picked at the same time, some ripe while others are not. The

benefit of this practice is cheap labor and a product that is inexpensive to produce. The

consequence is a great loss in the quality of the beans. For the best quality and flavor of beans,

it is crucial to pick when the cherry is ripe. When we order beans from our distributors, we aim only to seek out the best quality beans so we can move one step closer to providing you with the best cup of coffee you've ever had.


Once the ripe cherry is picked, the seeds are ready for processing. The term processing simply

refers to the method by which green coffee beans are prepared for transport, storage, and

roasting. There are 3 main types of processing green coffee beans: natural or dry processing,

washed or wet processing, and semi-washed processing. Let’s take a look at each type before

we continue.


  • Natural Processing

In this method, the bean is dried within the coffee cherry. The cherries are left out to

dry, protected from the sun, for 2-3 weeks. This long drying process gives the beans the

opportunity to soak in notes of citrus and berry from the coffee cherry.


  • Washed Processing

In this method, the fruit of the cherry is removed from the beans in a matter of days

after picking. Once the fruit has been removed, the beans get washed with water and

then dried. Washed processing gives the coffee beans a cleaner flavor profile.


  • Semi-Washed Processing

In this method, only the first layer of fruit is initially removed. Once the outer skin is

removed, the inner layer remains intact and is dried with the seeds inside. Once the

seeds are removed, they go through a second stage of drying. These beans will be rich

with medium acidity and a higher level of sweetness.


After processing, the beans will go through a step of milling, in which they are hulled,

sometimes polished, graded, and sorted. From there, the green beans are ready for export!


Stage 3: Roasting the Bean


Coffee roasting

Here at Kahvi Bean, we are highly passionate about this aspect of coffee production because

roasting coffee is a crucial step in the life of a coffee bean and the enjoyment of the consumer.

It is the part of the process that transforms green beans into the delicious, aromatic brown

beans that ultimately turn into coffee. To make this transformation happen, the beans are

placed in a roaster and heated in a spinning motion to maintain consistency. As the heating

takes place, the beans will start to change color and release moisture. Around 385°F, the beans

go through their “first crack”. This step tells us that the beans are starting to roast and expand.

After the first crack, the person roasting the coffee controls the grade of the roast by adjusting heat and time. The longer the roast and greater the heat, the darker the roast will become. At Kahvi Bean Roasters, we have found that a medium roast brings out the best and brightest flavors that are accompanied by incredible aromas.


Step 4: Grinding & Brewing Coffee



Before coffee can be brewed, it must go through the grinding process. There are many types of

grind sizes that are determined by your end goal. If you want to make a shot of espresso with

your coffee, you need to grind the coffee more finely. If you want to make coffee with a French-

press, you need to grind the coffee more coarsely. Grinders will come with instructions on how

to change the grind size to best suite your coffee needs.


There are SO many ways to brew coffee! There are drip coffee makers, percolators, espresso

machines, pour-overs, French-press, Moka Pot, AeroPress, Turkish Pots and many, many other

types. Each method extracts flavor from the coffee in a different way and will influence the

flavor you get from the coffee. Try a few and see what you like best! There is no right or wrong

brewing method, but! We have developed a few key tips to brewing an amazing, rich cup of

coffee no matter the method you use.


1. Use freshly roasted coffee beans

For optimal flavor, it is best to use your bag of beans within 2 weeks of opening. It is even better if you can use your bag of beans within 2 weeks of roasting. The longer beans sit on the shelf, the more flavor they will lose.


2. Use the correct temperature of water

According to the National Coffee Association, the perfect temp for brewing coffee is between

195°F and 205°F. If you are using an automatic coffee maker, make sure to purchase one that will heat the water to this ideal zone. If using a manual brewing method, make sure to heat your water to the correct temperature.


3. Use the correct ratio of water to coffee

The National Coffee Association considers the “Golden Ratio” to be 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6oz of water. This ratio will ensure the perfect cup of coffee.


4. Grind your coffee beans just before you are ready to brew

This helps ensure freshness. Buying your coffee beans already ground can cause they flavor and aroma to deteriorate much more quickly than buying whole beans to be ground before brewing.


Chemex coffee brewer

What a wonder it is to observe the process of making coffee! From a coffee cherry to a freshly

brewed cup, beans travel a long way and undergo a lot of change to become the end product so

many of us love. We have so enjoyed studying this journey and are honored to get to share a

small sneak peek of it here with you today. Thank you for taking the time to walk through this journey with us.


We just launched two new coffees and can’t wait for you to try them! Visit our website to learn more and to see what coffees we’re brewin’ up right now. You can also visit our booth at Green Valley’s Fall Fest THIS SATURDAY! We hope to see you there!


Happy brewing,

Your friends at Kahvi Bean


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