Want to know more about beans and love coffee? You are a coffee enthusiast looking for the perfect brew. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of coffee beans. Each sip tells an origin story, roasting method, and storage technique that will elevate your coffee experience.

Understanding coffee bean varieties is like knowing how a chef selects the ingredients in a gourmet meal. It allows you to create a cup of brew that reflects your tastes. These coffee species, from the velvety richness and robust intensity of Robusta to the smooth richness and intense flavor of Arabica, are the building blocks for your daily cup.

The journey does not end when you have chosen your perfect bean. The unsung hero of preserving precious aromas and flavors is proper storage. Imagine your coffee beans like fine wine. They require careful handling to keep their complexity and freshness. By protecting them from moisture and sunlight, you can ensure that every grind is bursting with flavors ranging from caramelized sweetness to fruity undertones. Our comprehensive guide will help you enjoy every moment with a perfectly brewed coffee, whether you are a coffee expert or a novice.

The Coffee Bean Species

We drink two types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Imagine that we are talking about different apple species. We have Royal Gala, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious. They are all apples, but they produce other fruit with different flavors. The coffee plants are all the same. Other species will produce other fruit, which gives different flavors to the coffee. The seeds of the little red cherry are the coffee beans. You will normally find two beans nestled back-to-back inside the cherry. Only one bean develops inside of a cherry in 4-5% of trees. This is called a Peaberry due to its rounder shape.

Robusta beans are usually smaller and rounder. Arabica beans are generally larger and oval (but this is not always the case). Robusta beans produce a bitterer coffee and are used primarily for instant coffee. This species grows well at lower altitudes, making it easier to harvest. It also has twice as much coffee as an Arabica plant. We use Robusta for three of our blends. A small percentage of Robusta will enhance the flavor and crema of the coffee. Arabica beans are more flavorful, with more flavors that people like, such as nuts, chocolates, and caramels. They also have floral, fruity, and floral notes. Robusta tastes like burnt popcorn and burnt rubber.

What are coffee blends?

Crema has eight different blends, each of which is made from 13 different coffee origins. Single Origin Coffee is coffee that comes from a single origin. A coffee blend, however, can be a mixture of beans from various origins. If you order coffee in a café, you will usually be drinking a blend, which is a mix of different origins to create a specific flavor. Blends allow you to control the flavor and strength of the coffee. For example, Ethiopian coffees have a fruity floral taste, Sumatrans have an earthy woody flavor, and Brazils tend to be mild and nutty. By manipulating the origins of the blend, you can bring out different flavors or make the coffee stronger or softer.

What is Single Origin Coffee?

Single-origin coffees are similar to wine, which showcases the unique flavors, aromas, and characteristics of one particular geographic area. You can embark on a sensory experience by focusing on beans that are sourced from one location. Whether it is the lush mountains in Ethiopia or the volcanic soils in Guatemala, this will tell you a story about its origin. The purity of the beans allows for more subtle flavors, which coffee lovers can detect. Single-origin coffees are like reading a book, where every sip reveals a new chapter. This will enable you to appreciate the complexity and beauty of coffee’s craftsmanship. Single-origin beans will also allow you to connect directly with the farmers who dedicate their lives and skills to producing these amazing beans. This is a great way to support fair trade, sustainable practices, and the livelihoods that depend on coffee.

What is the coffee bean belt?

Coffee Beans Belt is the name given to this area where all coffee grows. The Coffee Bean Belt wraps around the world and is located between the Tropics Capricorn and Cancer. This provides ideal conditions for coffee plants to grow. The plants prefer warm, humid days with tropical temperatures and cool nights when the temperature drops. This allows the plant to conserve energy and concentrate on the development of the coffee bean and cherry. Coffs Harbour and above is the right climate for the Top End of Australia. Below Coffs Harbour, the weather is too cold, with frost, which is not good for the coffee trees. High altitudes are also conducive to great coffees. So, although Australia is in the Bean Belt, we do not have the same high altitudes as other continents.

The Art of Roasting Coffee Beans

The coffee beans are green before roasting. This takes between 15 and 16 minutes per batch, depending on what we are burning. For example, we would roast an Ethiopian coffee differently than a Sumatran because the beans are different sizes and have additional moisture content. We don’t notice much of a change in the bean during the first 6 to 7 minutes. The first 6-7 minutes are spent cooking out the moisture. We don’t see much of a color change until 7 minutes into the roast. The darker the bean gets, the more sugar is caramelized, and the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate notes are enhanced. The darker the roast, the better the coffee could be. A roasting lighter will bring out the floral and fruity notes in the coffee. However, roasting it too slightly can result in a coffee that has a vegetable or raw taste. In Australia, we tend to burn lighter, not very dark, as Australian coffee drinkers like sweeter coffees. However, in Italy, they might prefer a darker roast, which brings out bitter flavors.

Coffee Freshness Dates and Best Before Dates

The coffee that you buy from Crema Garage is date-stamped to show you when it was roasted. The date stamp will tell you what week, day, and month of the year the coffee was roasted. It will also display the Best Before Date for six weeks. We package coffee the same day we burn it. This gives our coffee a 6-week shelf life. Date stamping the bag lets you know how old it is. You should use the coffee within six weeks of the roasting dates, not the date you opened the bag.

We give six weeks because we want the coffee to be fresh, sweet, and flavourful within those first six weeks. We have changed the beans during the roasting process. We caramelized the sugars but also released the carbon dioxide and beautiful oils in the beans. The first crack, or the release of CO2 gas, is what we hear when we roast the beans. It sounds like popcorn popping in the drum. The coffee bean has begun to expand at this point, and both CO2 and steam are being released. Depending on weather conditions, CO2 is removed from roasted beans between 5-10 days after roasting. De-gassing is the process. In warmer weather, it occurs quickly. In colder weather, it takes longer. Coffee bags always come with a one-way vent. The CO2 can be sucked out, but oxygen cannot enter the bag and age the coffee. In the roasting process, the beans are also releasing oils. We want to use them while the oil is still in the bean. During the roasting phase, we begin to unlock the oils at the center of the beans. Over six weeks, these oils will move to the surface and evaporate or become rancid. When you grind the coffee, place it on your handle and then run water through it; you will extract the oils.

We will either drop a single 30ml shot of espresso or a double 60ml shot. The crema, which is made up of the oils extracted from fresh coffee, will be visible in the 30ml and 60ml shots. The crema will not appear on an espresso shot if the coffee is older (older than six weeks), as it will be dark, black, and taste bitter. If you use it within the first six weeks, you’ll get the crema. It will also taste great with a creamy mouthfeel. We recommend a six-week “best before” date.

It is also important to avoid using coffee during de-gassing. We will store the coffee we roast this week in our warehouse for a minimum of 5 days before sending it to clients. If your coffee is still de-gassing and too fresh, it will extract espresso shots too quickly. You won’t be able to taste the coffee or see the crema. Allow it to degass for five days. The coffee will mature and settle down, and your espresso shots will be extracted more slowly.

How to Store Coffee

Coffee Storage is important because coffee, like bread, ages quickly and becomes stale when not properly stored. You need to keep coffee properly to maintain its freshness. This will help your beans to retain their oil and give you a six-week shelf life.

Avoid these four things:

• MOISTURE: We do not recommend storing your coffee in the fridge or freezer. Your coffee absorbs the condensation that forms on the inside of your bag or container. This moisture can affect the quality and extraction of your coffee.
• Store the coffee beans in a cool place. Avoid direct sunlight on the bags of coffee or the hoppers. Store bags and containers away from the espresso machine or the hotter area of your kitchen or café. The beans will heat up faster than expected and release oil. This will reduce the life expectancy of the coffee. You will also notice that the taste and crema will deteriorate sooner than six weeks.
• OXYGEN: Storing coffee in an airtight container will keep it fresh. Exposure to oxygen for a prolonged period can also cause your coffee to lose its flavor and crema. Reseal your coffee bags with a clip or store them in an airtight jar. You should also only keep the beans you plan to use in your hopper. Store the remaining beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.