Uhh…What Exactly Is A Coffee Bean?
A really common (and not stupid!) question we get a lot is what exactly are coffee beans? Are they literally beans?
We’re here to help. In this article, we’ll break down what coffee beans are, how the term came to be, and how understanding where coffee comes from and how it’s grown can impact your relationship with coffee and ultimately enhance your experience drinking coffee.
The Basics: What Is A Coffee Bean?
Coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee plant, housed inside its fruit. We call this fruit coffee cherry. While the seeds are incredibly dense, green, and mostly odorless, once roasted, they become the aromatic beans we use to brew coffee.
Coffee Beans Are Seeds
It’s worth emphasizing: coffee beans are seeds. They come from coffee cherries, which typically contain two beans nestled together. Occasionally, a cherry will produce only one bean. These varietals are referred to as “peaberrys.”
Why Are Coffee Beans Called Beans, Then?
The reason is deceptively simple: they kind of look like beans. It’s one of those things that people started saying, and it stuck!
Varietals: The Genetics Behind the Bean
Just like apples can be Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp, coffee plants have unique varietals like Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra. The varietal of the plant (along with many other factors) influences the flavor of the coffee, contributing to qualities like sweetness, acidity, and aroma.
For example:
- Bourbon is known for its balanced sweetness and gentle acidity.
- Caturra often has more vibrant acidity and a lighter body.
While growing conditions and processing methods also impact flavor, the varietal forms the genetic blueprint of a coffee’s taste. Exploring these differences can be a rewarding experience for coffee lovers.
Tasting Coffee
At ReAnimator, we generally approach our single origin coffees with a light roast profile. Out goal as a specialty coffee roaster is to try and highlight the natural characteristics of the coffee, and what makes each individual lot so special—flavors that are shaped by their varietal, as well as growing country and region, as well as things like terroir and processing methods.
Roasting coffee lightly preserves these nuances, allowing you to taste the difference things like a specific variety of the coffee plant or the coffee’s origin can make. It’s an opportunity to explore coffee, build your palate, and have a unique experience with each coffee you try.
When single origin coffees are roasted dark, you end up mostly tasting the roast process itself—the bitter, ashy, and sometimes burnt flavors. This darker roasting eliminates any opportunity to experience the nuances of the coffee.
In Conclusion
In addition to being a vehicle for caffeine, coffee should be an exploration of flavor, culture, and craftsmanship. By engaging with and building understanding of things like varietals, origins, and processing, you can deepen your knowledge base of coffee, and stay engaged. There’s always something new to taste.
Ready to start exploring? At ReAnimator Coffee, we offer single origin coffees and flexible subscriptions that let you try unique, dynamic coffees and discover new favorites.
