Coffee beans start their journey as seeds inside the cherries of the Coffea plant, a tropical shrub that thrives in warm climates near the equator. These cherries ripen over several months, transforming from green to vibrant red or yellow when ready for harvest. Once picked, the cherries go through a process to extract the beans, which are actually the seeds.
The two main methods are the “washed” (wet) process, where the fruit is removed using water, and the “natural” (dry) process, where the cherries are sun-dried before the seeds are extracted. The beans are then cleaned, dried, and sorted before being roasted, which brings out their rich, aromatic flavors.
After roasting, coffee beans are ground to prepare them for brewing, and the grind size plays a crucial role in how the flavors are extracted. The grind size is adjusted based on the brewing method to ensure the right balance of flavor, strength, and aroma.
Some grinds are used for cold brewed coffee, some for french press, and others for espresso and then different approaches to the ground coffee then apply. Sometimes this could be a slow and steady drip where the essence of the ground is extracted over time. Sometimes the grind is subjected to intense pressure where water is forced through the compacted grind along with high heat.
This entire journey—from seed to sip—is a labor of love, shaped by farmers, processors, and roasters to bring out the unique characteristics of each bean. The same raw material that is the coffee bean can take on different forms depending on the pressure applied. If you’re feeling the weight of pressure right now, remember—just like the espresso bean, you’re becoming something bold, intense, and unforgettable. It’s not the pressure that defines you but what you become through it.