Collection: Green Coffee - Buy Online

The quality of green coffee is influenced by several factors, including the origin (growing region) , the type of coffee plant, the cultivation methods and the processing of the beans. High-quality green coffees usually come from high altitudes with optimal climatic conditions and are harvested by hand to select only the ripe cherries . The processing method (e.g. washed, honey, natural) also plays a major role, as it fundamentally influences the taste of the bean.

For standard qualities, only the bean size, origin and number of defects are usually used as quality characteristics, which unfortunately greatly limits the variety of coffee. That is why everything that could have an influence on the taste profile is examined in specialty coffee.

The choice of roast curve depends on factors such as bean variety, growing altitude and desired final taste. Light roasts emphasize fruity and floral aromas and require shorter roasting times at low temperatures. Dark roasts, on the other hand, bring out rich, chocolatey and caramel notes and require longer roasting times at higher temperatures. One important point is the "crack": During the roasting process, a cracking sound occurs that signals the transition to the next roasting phase. Roasting for too long can destroy volatile aromas, so it is recommended to remove high-quality raw beans from the roaster at the first slowdown of the crack and cool them quickly.

Based on the resulting taste profile, you can make targeted changes to the final taste by adjusting the temperature curve and roasting time in order to shape the coffee according to the desired aromas and nuances. This allows the roasting process to be further refined to achieve the perfect taste.

Some green coffees are predestined for light filter roasts due to their variety and processing, while others are better suited for espresso roasts.

Light roast : This roast emphasizes the original aromas of the green coffee and preserves the fruity, floral and acidic notes. The roasting process ends before the "first crack" of the bean is completed.

Medium roast : This creates a balance between the aromas of the green coffee and the sweet, caramelized notes from the roasting process. The beans have a fuller flavor, with a pleasant acidity.

Dark roast : In dark roasts that go up to or even beyond the "second crack", roasted aromas such as chocolate and caramel dominate. The beans lose the fruity and floral notes in favor of a stronger, fuller flavor.

Coffees from major supermarket brands are often dark roasted to ensure consistency as they produce in large quantities. This masks the unique flavours of the green coffees, resulting in a consistent but less complex product. Darker roasts minimise the original flavours and allow the use of cheaper, lower quality green coffees as the intense roasted flavours dominate the taste.

A common mistake is making the roasting process too fast or too slow. Roasting too fast can lead to an uneven result, while roasting too slowly deprives the beans of the chance to fully develop their flavors. Another mistake is not stirring the beans regularly during roasting, which can lead to uneven heat distribution. Exceeding the desired roasting time can also lead to bitter and burnt flavors. It is also important to cool the beans properly after roasting to stop the roasting process and preserve the flavors.

As a little help to work towards good roasts in the long term:

• The bean is roasted from the outside to the inside, which requires energy.
• Too little energy extends the roasting time and leads to flat taste.
• Too much energy makes it difficult to control the roast and makes the taste unbalanced.
• Experiment with different roasting times (e.g. 8, 10, 12 minutes).
• Taste the results to find your preferred roasting time.

Green coffee can be stored for around 6 to 12 months under optimal conditions (cool, dry, dark) without the quality suffering too much. It is important to store the coffee in airtight containers to protect it from moisture, light and air, which can affect its freshness and aromas. Longer storage can cause the green coffee to lose aroma and taste, so it is advisable to store smaller quantities and buy more regularly.

When coffee is processed by washing, the pulp is removed from the coffee seed by machine immediately after harvesting and then the coffee is placed in water. Every farmer probably has his own procedure, but this processing method results in the least variation in the taste profile of the varieties, as microorganisms and sugar are only present in small quantities to effectively implement fermentation processes and thus significantly influence the taste. Washed processed coffee usually tastes clear, with a pure mouthfeel, present acidity and, depending on the roast, is most reminiscent of the generally "traditional" coffee taste.

In contrast to washed coffee, the honey process leaves the pulp on the bean, which promotes a fermentation process. During drying, the pulp sticks to the bean and gives it a darker color. The term "honey" describes the sticky texture of the beans that is created by the drying pulp. In terms of taste, this process leads to a more complex coffee flavor.

In the "natural" processing (also called dry processing), the whole coffee cherry is dried. This longer process promotes fermentation by microorganisms, which gives the coffee fruitier aromas and more body.

These relatively new fermentation methods have one thing in common: something is added during the fermentation process. We call coffees to which flavors have been added from outside "infused," which can be anything to explicitly change the taste of the coffee. From fruits to syrups, the producers' ideas are endless. The fact is that a flavor that exists outside of the coffee is brought into the coffee and into the cup. This includes fermentations with e.g. lychee, pineapple, strawberry and other wild ideas. Most of our Sens Coffee series are infused coffees.

When we talk about "co-fermentation" we mean adding microorganisms such as yeasts and bacteria, which do not bring the desired flavor, but create the flavor in the coffee during fermentation. This includes fermentations with the koji fungus or other yeasts.