I have never given much thought to my coffee. As long as it contains caffeine, I’m happy. On Saturday November 14th I attended a coffee presentation and tasting by Gimme! Coffee. Previously my only exposure to the details of coffee making was a rather unexpected encounter with a barista while traveling, while in Ithaca I consistently order the same drink for simplicity.
I was appreciative of how open the presenters were to questions; which ranged from how coffee was decaffeinated to the push for more sustainable crops. We tasted three or four different types of coffee, from beans we were able to examine before they were ground. I was particular interested in the company’s push for sustainably grown and fair traded beans. Such practices increase the quality of life for their suppliers and minimize the impact coffee plantations have on such biologically diverse forests, though also inevitably add costs to the final product, which, given their success, their customers are willing to accept.
Another point of interest was the processing of the beans from plant to cup. The presenters guided us through each stage of processing; from picking and washing, to roasting and grinding, all while explaining how variations at different stages change the characteristics of the final product. I hadn’t realized how particular artisanal coffee was from the plant to the cup, which made the experience pretty eye opening, seeing, as previously stated, I’m content as long as its not decaffeinated.
Though I couldn’t make it to the coffee presentation, the event sounds like a lot of fun! And like you said, I feel that a lot of common everyday things are overlooked and it’s certainly refreshing to fully understand how something as simple and delicious is coffee is made from the ground up!
I am a huge coffee lover and enjoyed the facts that you included about how coffee gets from beans to my delicious cup! Thank your for the post!