The life cycle of a cup of coffee - A.J. Jacobs

Summary

The journey of a single cup of coffee is a complex, global endeavor involving numerous individuals. From Colombian family farms to New York City cafes, the process includes manual picking, meticulous sorting, and expert cupping. Workers often face low pay and tough conditions. The narrative highlights the hidden human cost behind our daily caffeine fix, urging us to value not just the coffee, but the people behind its production.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Coffee is a global commodity with a complex supply chain that spans the world.
• 🌱 The process begins in remote locations like Pitalito, Colombia, where local forests are cleared for coffee plantations.
• 👨‍🌾 Coffee cherries are handpicked by workers who often labor under harsh conditions for low wages.
• 🏭 Post-harvest, the cherries are processed in wet mills to separate the seeds and sort them by density.
• 💧 Coffee seeds undergo fermentation and are dried, often by hand, over several weeks.
• 🛠️ Specialized machines at mills further sort the beans by size, density, and color, ensuring quality control.
• ☕️ Q-graders evaluate the coffee's taste, aroma, and mouthfeel through a process called 'cupping' to determine its grade.
• 📦 Dried and sorted coffee beans are packed into burlap sacks and shipped in large quantities via cargo ships.
• 🚢 The United States, particularly New York City, is a major importer of coffee, consuming millions of cups daily.
• 🔍 Upon arrival, coffee beans pass through customs and are transported to roasteries for further processing.
• 🔥 Roasting transforms the beans into a form suitable for grinding and brewing, with engineers monitoring the process closely.
• 🚚 Roasted beans are then packaged and delivered to cafes and stores by a logistics team.
• 👥 Hundreds of people are involved in bringing coffee from farm to cup, including those maintaining the supporting infrastructure.
• 💰 Many individuals in the coffee supply chain work for low pay and in dangerous conditions, highlighting the need for ethical consumption.

Q & A

What is the starting point of the coffee production process described in the script?

The coffee production process begins in remote locations like the Colombian town of Pitalito, where family farms clear local forests to make room for coffee tree plantations.

Where were coffee trees originally domesticated?

Coffee trees were first domesticated in Ethiopia and are now cultivated in equatorial regions around the world.

Why are coffee cherries picked by hand?

Coffee cherries are picked by hand because fruits on the same branch can ripen at different times, requiring selective harvesting.

What is the role of the wet mill in coffee processing?

The wet mill separates the coffee seeds from the fruit and sorts them by density, with the heaviest and most flavorful seeds being collected for further processing.

How long does the fermentation process for coffee beans typically last?

The fermentation process for coffee beans typically lasts for one or two days.

What method is used in Pitalito to dry coffee beans after fermentation?

In Pitalito, coffee beans are spread onto large mesh racks and dried over the course of three weeks, with workers regularly raking the seeds to ensure even drying.

What is the purpose of the air blower and sieves in the coffee bean sorting process?

The air blower re-sorts the coffee seeds by density, while sieves filter them by size, ensuring uniformity and quality in the final product.

Who are Q-graders and what do they do?

Q-graders are professionals who evaluate the taste, aroma, and mouthfeel of coffee beans through a process called 'cupping' to determine their quality and assign a grade.

How is coffee transported from the port to the roastery?

Coffee is transported from the port to the roastery using a fleet of eighteen-wheeler trucks.

What happens to the coffee beans during the twelve-minute roasting cycle?

During the twelve-minute roasting cycle, the beans are heated and stirred, which releases oil within the seed, transforming them into grindable, brewable beans with a dark brown color and rich aroma.

What is the role of the head buyer in a coffee company?

The head buyer in a coffee company is responsible for carefully selecting beans from all over the world, ensuring the quality and variety of coffee offered.

How many people are involved in the process of getting coffee to its final destination?

Hundreds of people are involved in the process of getting coffee to its final destination, including farmers, harvesters, mill workers, Q-graders, truck drivers, dockworkers, roastery engineers, and baristas.

What is the script's message regarding the value of the people involved in coffee production?

The script emphasizes the importance of not valuing the final coffee product more than the people who make it, acknowledging the low pay and difficult conditions many of these individuals face.