The journey of a coffee bean – from the bush to the cup

Where does our coffee bean come from?

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world and everyone drinks it for different reasons. For some it is a wonderful start to the day, for others it is a ritual that ensures enjoyable moments alone or with friends. But where does our beloved coffee bean actually come from?

The coffee plant originally comes from Ethiopia and was discovered there about a thousand years ago. Legend has it that a shepherd named Kaldi saw his goats suddenly become very excited after eating berries from the coffee plant. Interested in this phenomenon, he picked some berries himself and took them home, where his wife roasted and brewed them. The two liked the taste and that’s how the story of coffee began.

Today the coffee plant is grown in many countries, but mainly in South and Central America. The conditions here are ideal for the plant: warm and humid climate, rich volcanic soils and protection from wind and sun. This is how the plant thrives and provides us with delicious coffee beans every year.

What role does roasting play?

As many know, time is the most important factor in coffee roasting. Industrial roasting usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the desired degree of roasting. In the NABER Kaffee Manufaktur, however, the beans spend around 23 minutes in the drum – this is what makes our coffee so incomparably good, because we give it time to slowly develop its aromatic bouquet. During roasting, the coffee is constantly stirred so that it is roasted evenly. Under-roasted coffee, which is most cheap industrial roasts, tastes sour and grassy, while over-roasted coffee tastes bitter and burnt – this is often found at home roasters who mean too well with the slowness.