Anatomy of an 'Australian' Bean

AT JACK MURAT, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING MORE THAN JUST COFFEE ROASTERS; WE'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF AUSTRALIA'S DISTINCTIVE COMMUNITY OF COFFEE GROWERS. THIS BLOG CONTINUES OUR SERIES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A DETAILED LOOK INTO THE COFFEE CULTIVATION PROCESS IN AUSTRALIA, AND ALL ITS ASPECTS. ON THIS OCASSION WE FOCUS ON THE DETAILED STEPS AND STRUCTURAL ANATOMY OF THE 'AUSTRALIAN' COFFEE BEAN (REFER TO DIAGRAM IN THE FOOTER AS A REFERENCE).

HARVESTING: TIMING AND TECHNIQUE

OUR CULTIVATION PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE CAREFUL TIMING OF THE HARVEST. OUR COFFEE TREES, AFTER FOUR YEARS OF GROWTH, YIELD CHERRIES THAT WE HARVEST AT THE PEAK OF RIPENESS—WHEN THEY TURN FROM GREEN TO BLOOD RED. THIS COLOR CHANGE SIGNALS THE OPTIMAL TIME TO PICK THE CHERRIES, ENSURING THEY HAVE HIGH SUGAR CONTENT AND THE RIGHT FLAVOR PRECURSORS FOR THE BEST QUALITY COFFEE.

WET MILLING: ESSENTIAL PREPARATION

ONCE HARVESTED, THE CHERRIES UNDERGO WET MILLING—A CRUCIAL STEP TO PREPARE THE BEANS FOR DRYING. THIS STAGE INVOLVES MECHANICALLY REMOVING THE CHERRY’S SKIN AND MOST OF THE FLESH, LEAVING THE BEANS COVERED IN MUCILAGE. SUBSEQUENT WASHING REMOVES THIS STICKY LAYER, LEAVING THE BEANS CLEAN AND ENCASED IN THEIR PARCHMENT. THIS PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL IN OUR AIM TO PRODUCE A CLEAN, FLAVOR-RICH AUSTRALIAN COFFEE.

DRYING AND DRY MILLING: ACHIEVING THE PERFECT CONDITION

DRYING IS NEXT, WHERE WE CAREFULLY REDUCE THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE BEANS USING BOTH SUN-DRYING AND MECHANICAL METHODS. ACHIEVING THE RIGHT MOISTURE LEVEL IS CRUCIAL FOR STABILIZING THE BEANS AND PREPARING THEM FOR MILLING. DURING DRY MILLING, WE REMOVE THE OUTER PARCHMENT AND THE SILVERSKIN, REFINING THE BEANS TO ENSURE THEY ARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND READY FOR THE FINAL STAGE.

ROASTING: CRAFTING THE FLAVOR

ROASTING IS WHERE WE FINALLY SHOWCASE ALL THE PRECEDING HARDWORK. HERE, WE CAREFULLY CONTROL THE ROASTING PROCESS TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE THE UNIQUE FLAVOR PROFILES INHERENT IN AUSTRALIAN GROWN COFFEE. WORTHY OF ITS OWN ARTICLE ANOTHER TIME.

BY SHARING THESE DETAILS, WE HOPE TO FOSTER A DEEPER APPRECIATION AMONG COFFEE ENTHUSIASTS FOR THE COMPLEX PROCESS INVOLVED IN BRINGING THEIR FAVORITE BEVERAGE FROM OUR AUSTRALIAN FARM TO THEIR CUPS. AT JACK MURAT, WE CELEBRATE BEING PART OF BOTH THE GROWING AND ROASTING SEGMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY, SHOWCASING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF AUSTRALIAN COFFEE.