☕ Coffee Facts

3–4 cups/day of coffee associated with 15–20% lower CVD risk (Poole et al. 2017 BMJ umbrella review of 201 meta-analyses). U-shaped dose-response curve; benefits attributed primarily to chlorogenic acids and diterpenes.

Coffee is the #1 antioxidant source in the Western diet (Svilaas et al. 2004). Two cups provides ~1,800mg polyphenols; ORAC value of brewed coffee (11,000–15,000 μmol TE/100g) exceeds blueberries (4,669) and red wine (5,000) per equivalent volume.

Caffeine has a plasma half-life of 5–6 hours in healthy adults, metabolized by CYP1A2 liver enzyme. Fast metabolizers (CYP1A2*1F allele) clear caffeine in 3–4 hours; slow metabolizers take 7–10+ hours.

SCA golden ratio: 55g/L (1:18) for drip, TDS 1.15–1.35%. Espresso 1:2 (18g/36g), TDS 8–12%. Cold brew 1:8. Lungo 1:3–4. Brew ratio is the primary lever for beverage strength independent of extraction yield.

Coffee grind size by method: espresso 200–300μm, AeroPress 350–800μm, pour-over 400–700μm, drip 500–800μm, French press/cold brew 1000–1400μm. Finer grind = more surface area = faster extraction.

The AeroPress generates 0.35–0.75 bar manual pressure with 1–3 minute brew time and variable 1:6–1:16 ratios; over 230 World AeroPress Championship winning recipes have been publicly documented.

Cold brew coffee steeps 12–24 hours in cold water (1:8 concentrate ratio), producing pH 5.3–5.8 — significantly higher than hot-brewed coffee at 4.85–5.10 — and 67% lower perceived acidity.

Specialty espresso is extracted at 9 bar, 90–96°C, for 25–30 seconds at a 1:2 brew ratio (18g coffee in/36g out), producing a concentrated beverage at 8–12% TDS.

French press immersion brewing uses a 1:15 brew ratio, 4-minute steep at 93–96°C, and coarse grind at 1000–1200 microns; metal filter retains coffee oils and micro-fines for a full-bodied result.

Pour-over coffee uses 93°C water, a 30-second bloom (2× coffee weight in water), 1:15–1:17 brew ratio, and 3–4 minute total brew time with medium-fine grind at 250–350 microns.

Moka pot coffee brews at 1.5 bar steam pressure with a 1:7 brew ratio, using medium-fine grind and pre-heated 95°C water in the lower chamber, removed from heat at first gurgling.

Coffee carbon footprint: 3.5–17 kg CO₂e per kg roasted (Humbert et al. 2009 LCA). Farming accounts for 38% of emissions; transport 20%; consumer brewing 22%. Organic certification reduces total by ~10–15%.

Coffea arabica originates in Ethiopia's Kaffa region; first cultivated in 15th-century Yemen by Sufi monks for night prayers. First coffeehouse opened Constantinople 1475. Ethiopia holds the widest genetic diversity of Arabica varieties on Earth.

Arabica C-market price: $1.50–$3.00/lb green. Specialty premium: $4–$12+/lb. Fair Trade floor: $1.80/lb. Retail markup 400–1,000% over green cost. Producers receive approximately 1–10% of final retail price paid by consumers.

Global coffee production: ~175 million 60kg bags (ICO 2022–23). Brazil 38–40%, Vietnam 18–20%, Colombia 8–9%, Ethiopia 4–5%, Indonesia 4%. Arabica 60%, Robusta 40% of global output.

Third wave coffee emerged 1990s–2000s in US and Scandinavia, emphasizing single-origin sourcing and roast transparency. Pioneer roasters: Intelligentsia 1995, Stumptown 1999, Blue Bottle 2002. Specialty coffee: ~17% of US market by value.

Brewed hot coffee has a pH of 4.85–5.10; cold brew measures 5.3–5.8. Perceived acidity is a positive flavor attribute in specialty coffee, distinct from measurable acid concentration.

Espresso delivers 63mg caffeine per 30ml shot, drip coffee 95mg per 240ml cup, and cold brew concentrate 200mg per 300ml serving, per USDA FoodData Central.

Caffeine extracts rapidly and completely at brewing temperatures — extraction is essentially complete within 5 minutes at 93°C regardless of grind size, making dose-to-water ratio the primary determinant of caffeine concentration.

Green coffee contains 6–9% chlorogenic acids by dry weight; roasting degrades 50–95% of these compounds, with light roasts retaining significantly more than dark roasts.

Freshly roasted coffee beans emit CO₂ for 2–14 days after roasting; espresso crema is approximately 70% CO₂ by volume, with the rest being emulsified oils and water vapor.

The SCA Brewing Control Chart defines ideal coffee extraction at 18–22% solubles yield and 1.15–1.35% total dissolved solids (TDS) for specialty-grade brewed coffee.

Roasted coffee contains over 1,000 identified volatile compounds; 2-furfurylthiol (2-furanmethanethiol) is the primary roasted coffee odorant with a water odor threshold of 0.01 ppb.

Ground coffee staling begins within hours of grinding through lipid oxidation; whole beans lose approximately 50% of primary volatile aroma compounds within 2 weeks of roasting without vacuum sealing.

Coffee roasting generates over 700 identified volatile flavor compounds through Maillard reactions above 150°C, with non-enzymatic browning initiated at approximately 154°C.

The SCA Water Quality standards specify 150ppm TDS, 4 grains (68mg/L) hardness, 40ppm bicarbonate, and pH 7.0 as ideal coffee brewing water targets.

Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) coffee is grown above 1,200m; higher altitude slows cherry maturation by 8–10 weeks compared to low-altitude growth, increasing sugar and acid complexity in the bean.

Coffea arabica commands 60% of global production with 1.2–1.5% caffeine content; Coffea canephora (Robusta) accounts for 40% at 2.4–2.7% caffeine — roughly double.

Wet fermentation of coffee mucilage takes 12–48 hours using naturally occurring microbes; anaerobic fermentation in sealed tanks at controlled temperatures produces distinctive lactic acid and aromatic compound profiles.

Selective hand-picking of coffee cherries requires 3–4 passes per season with labor costs 3–5× higher than strip picking, which harvests 20–30% unripe or overripe cherries in a single pass.

Major Arabica varietals include Typica (genetic origin), Bourbon (20–30% higher yield), Gesha (auction premiums $50–800/kg), SL28 (drought-resistant, complex cup), and Catimor (disease resistant but lower quality).

Washed (wet) coffee processing produces clean, bright flavor profiles; natural (dry) processing creates fruit-forward sweetness roughly 10–15% higher in perceived intensity; honey retains partial mucilage for a hybrid profile.

Optimal coffee terroir consists of volcanic andosol soils, 1,500–2,000mm annual rainfall, 18–24°C mean temperature, 60–70% humidity, and soil pH 5.5–6.5 for maximum nutrient uptake.

SCA Grade 1 green coffee: 0 primary defects, ≤5 secondary defects per 350g sample, screen size 15+, moisture 10–12%. Primary defects include full black, full sour, pod/cherry, large stone, large stick.

SCA brewing standard specifies 93°C ±2°C (200°F ±3°F); temperatures below 87°C produce under-extraction (sour, thin), while above 96°C over-extracts bitter compounds and degrades thermolabile acid structures.

The SCA cupping protocol assigns scores on a 100-point scale across 10 attributes; coffee scoring 87+ points qualifies as specialty grade. Q Graders are the certified professionals administering the protocol.

Development time ratio (DTR) measures the percentage of total roast time occurring after first crack; specialty roasters target 20–25% DTR, with Nordic-style profiles targeting 18–22% for brightness.

Drum roasters transfer heat primarily via convection (60–80%) and conduction; fluid-bed air roasters are convection-dominant at 95%+ with faster roast times and cleaner cup profiles.

First crack in coffee roasting begins at approximately 196°C in an exothermic phase transition as steam and CO₂ pressure ruptures bean cell walls; second crack at ~224°C fractures the cellular matrix.

SCA defines primary green coffee defects (full black, full sour, pod/cherry, large stone) — each counting as one equivalent defect — and secondary defects (partial black, floater, shell, insect damage) at lower equivalency.

SCA guidelines recommend cooling roasted coffee to below 100°C within 4 minutes using forced-air cooling trays; water quenching (briefly spraying water) is common in large commercial roasters but controversial for specialty.

A standard coffee roast curve begins with charge temperature 180–200°C, turning point at 60–90 seconds (~80°C), mid-roast rate of rise 8–12°C/min, first crack, development phase, and drop.

Light roast coffee drops at 196–205°C internal bean temperature; medium at 210–220°C; dark at 225–230°C — each range producing distinct flavor, body, and acidity profiles.

Coffee loses 15–20% of its green mass during roasting: approximately 87% of that loss is moisture, with the remaining 13% comprising CO₂ release and volatile organic compound evaporation.