The journey of a coffee bean to your cup is a long and intricate one, but it all begins with a small, unassuming flower and its transformation into a vibrant fruit—the coffee cherry. This little cherry is a true powerhouse of nature, containing the seeds that will eventually become the coffee we know and love.

 

 

The Blossom: The Circle of Life

The life of a coffee cherry begins with the coffee plant's flowering. After the rainy season, the branches of the coffee plant erupt in delicate white blossoms that resemble jasmine. These flowers have a sweet, intoxicating scent. This beautiful bloom, however, is a brief one, lasting only a few days before wilting and giving way to the development of the fruit. This beautiful bloom is the beginning of a sacred journey, a promise of the rich, complex profile that awaits inside.

 

 

The Cherry: From Green to Red

Once the flower withers, a small green cherry begins to form in its place. Over several months, it will slowly mature, growing and changing color. The process is a slow one, a crucial factor in developing the complex sugars and acids that give coffee its flavor.

The cherry goes through several stages of color as it ripens:

• Green: The unripe cherry, hard and dense with a vegetal flavor.

• Yellow/Orange: The cherry is in a transitional stage, beginning to sweeten.

• Red (or yellow, depending on the variety): The cherry is fully ripe and at the peak of its sweetness. This is the optimal time for harvesting.

Inside this ripe cherry are the seeds—what we call coffee beans. Typically, each cherry contains two beans, nestled together.

 

 

The Hands of the Cultivators

The coffee cherry's journey is also guided by the hands of our cultivators. Our farmers, in Peru, nurture these cherries with wisdom and dedication, ensuring each one reaches its peak ripeness before harvest. This is a slow, careful dance of hand-picking and selection that honors the fruit itself. This reverence for the cherry is the foundation of our quality.

The Layers of Flavor

The coffee cherry is composed of several distinct layers, each playing a role in the journey of the bean:

• Exocarp (Outer Skin): The tough outer skin of the cherry, which can be green, red, or yellow when ripe.

• Mesocarp (Pulp): A sweet, gelatinous layer beneath the skin. This pulp is a key component in the honey and natural processing methods, as its sugars contribute to the final flavor of the bean.

• Endocarp (Parchment): A thin, papery layer that protects the bean. This is what you see on green coffee beans after they have been processed and before they are roasted.

• Silver Skin: A very thin, almost translucent layer that clings to the bean. It often comes off during the roasting process.

• The Bean: The heart of it all—the green coffee bean, ready to be roasted and brewed.

From a simple flower to a multi-layered fruit, the coffee cherry's journey is a reflection of the intricate process that defines specialty coffee. Understanding this small fruit is the first step to appreciating the complexity and care that goes into every cup.

Want to discover these beans? Contact Sunrise Trading today.

 

Taste the rainforest!