The Caffeine Chapter

Caffeine. Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants. It works by stimulating the brain & central nervous system, helping you stay alert & prevent onset of tiredness. Caffeine's main effect is on the brain. It stimulates the brain by blocking the effects of the neurotransmitter adenosline. When it comes to coffee, Caffeine is one of the Alkaloids present in coffee, & also contributes approximately 10% of coffees bitterness. The coffee plant produces caffeine as a defense to insects, as caffeine is toxic to the pests. A coffee planted at high altitude would probably produce beans with less caffeine because of the lower risk of insect attack.   An Arabica coffee may contain approximately 0.8% to 1.2% of caffeine. A Canephora coffee (Robusta) may contain approximately 1.5% to 2% of caffeine. A Liberica coffee may contain approximately 1% to 1.5% of caffeine. A Excelsa coffee may contain approximately 0.85% to 1% of caffeine.

 Roast Curve. Coffee Roasting:- Coffee roasting is a process of transforming chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into Roasted coffee beans. This process develops the aroma, flavors and other components in Coffee.   Physical changes during Roasting:- Change in color. Expand in size & volume Loos of moisture. Become brittle. Develops aroma & flavors. Change in density. Moisture Content:- Ideally green coffee must contain 10% to 11.5% of moisture. If moisture is too low, cup may taste like hay and woody. If moisture is too high, cup may taste like grassy and develops mold.   Phases of Roasting: - Drying Phase/ Dehydration phase: -   Green beans have humidity of 10% to 11.5%. Hence in the first phase of roasting beans are soaked before the starting of actual roasting. Once the green beans moisture reaches below 5% the color of the beans starts to change from green to yellow. This ...

 Origin Of Coffee. (Story of Kaldi) There are lots of stories regarding the history of coffee. But the most popular one is the story of “Kaldi and his Goats”.  In 7 th century there was a goatherder in Ethiopia called Kaldi. One day he noticed that his goats where dancing and jumping unusually after eating some wild cherries. He also felt energetic and wonderful when he tasted them himself. He took those cherries to a monk to try. The monk thought those cherries had some devil powers hidden in itself. He took those cherries and threw them into a fire burning near him. Eventually coffee started roasting and released its aroma. The monk thought the devil was showing its power, and took those cherries and put them into a glass of water, the water started turning into black color. And that was the first cup of coffee ever made and it was called as “Kaffa”.