To be completely honest, yes it is.
Coffee beans grow as the pit of a fruit, commonly referred to as a ‘cherry’. They are surrounded by the flesh of the fruit, which is very thin, and the skin. The plant itself can range from short and bushy to more upright like a small tree.
The blossoms are white, five-petal flowers that are very fragrant. Upon first glance, these flowers appear in clusters similar to a white carnation. In reality, each individual flower will produce a separate coffee cherry. The final image is closer to clusters of grapes.
Like other fruits, the skin is an indication of ripeness. When the skin of the fruit turns red ish maroon (in most cases) the fruit is ready to be picked.
You may be asking yourself, “What about the flat side of the coffee bean?”
Simply put, there are typically two beans per fruit and the flat sides are pressed together in the center. They are held together by a thin membrane which is removed in the drying process.
A quick side note.
If you happen upon a bean that does not have a flat side and is almost completely spherical, it’s a genetic mutation known as a ‘Peaberry’. (It kind of, maybe, looks like a pea.). There is a popular market for these beans and you can find them listed in stores (including ours) as Peaberry coffee. We commonly have a Peaberry from Tanzania in stock for roasting.
So the next time you mention how great your coffee tastes and someone says “Coffee is the pits!”, you can tell them they’re absolutely right. And smile to yourself.
'Till Next Time,
Doug
"The Curious Roaster"
P.S. If you have ideas for us to explore, shoot an email to ask@mistergcoffee.com!
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