Green Bean Theory: Why Coffee Roasting Matters More Than You Think

Photo by @blackprojection

Coffee is derived from a plant.

While a handful of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes can be safely consumed and enjoyed raw, coffee beans are not one of them.

The coffee bean is a green sphere that needs to be roasted with precision to become what we see on shelves.

Every ready-to-grind bean has a birthmark from its time in the fire, hence the indent that runs across every coffee and espresso bean.

The care that goes into the roasting process defines the bean more than anything.

Some major coffee companies don’t roast their beans with acute precision and intentionality, and what ends up in stores are unevenly roasted beans, or even worse, burnt ones!

Worst case scenario, many beans can’t come back from being burnt or burnt out.

They’re more than scarred from their transformation in the fire.

These beans that don’t receive proper rearing and roasting are the ones that negatively shape many people’s coffee-tasting experiences.

I’ve heard too many people say, “This coffee is too acidic and bitter”.

And my response is always to introduce those to the beans in my home if I have the chance.

Preparation and care matter more than anything when it comes to these green beans and what they become.

We’re just like the beans, aren’t we?