Anatomy of a Coffee Cherry
Visit to Fazenda São João, Brazil, 2018
The dreamy and delicious beverage that is brewed from pulverized coffee beans that were at one moment, actually green in color and cradled within a juicy cherry. These cherries grow on bush-like trees and are carefully plucked by coffee pickers, or by machines in Brazil. But how does the cherry become the bean that is sold to roasters and roasted to be ground and brewed for our consumption?
Understanding the anatomy of the coffee cherry can help one understand how the magical seed is extracted and dried then shipped to your local roaster. Another article will explore how coffee grows from seed to tree to cherry…so stay tuned for that.
The exterior of the cherry is sometimes referred to as the pulp or skin. This can range in color depending on the variety of coffee you are growing, but is generally quite tough and firm. Peel away the skin and you will hit the mucilage, the juicy and sugar-rich section of the cherry that contains much flavor. Chew through the goodness of the mucilage and you will hit the parchment, a slimy layer that attaches the seed to the fruit. Lastly, silverskin is the thin layer of sclerenchyma cells that act as a shield or protector of the coffee seed. Think of a lemon seed and its slimy exterior when you remove it from the citrusy center. Once you remove each of these intricate and special layers of coffee-goodness, you will find, sleeping tightly together, two coffee seeds, situated perfectly inside the cherry. There are some cherries that contain only one seed, and these are called peaberries - this is more common in Kenya and normally hold the connotation of ‘lower quality,’ but I have tasted some lovely peaberries!
Now that you know the complex nature of a coffee cherry - you can more easily understand the importance of cherry development, processing of coffee and how different processing methods can impact coffee taste. So beat on, brew another cup, read some more, ask some questions - and most importantly, spread the knowledge to others!
