Coffee can be a quick pitstop and an invigorating morning necessity, but for some of us it is a passion and a ritual that makes life more enjoyable. Whether you are a barista, cafe owner, coffee connoisseur or a casual drinker who throws back a shot to keep the day rolling forward, understanding a little bit about how to visually assess a coffee bean is going to add another layer of enjoyment to your experience.
Here we have put together a few points for you to consider when you are looking to discover whether the beans you have chosen are of the best quality, so read on as we explore the best way to visually test your coffee bean quality. This is especially relevant for anyone who is in charge of serving up a perfect cup at a commercial venue – let’s upskill together.
Visual Test for Robusta vs Arabica
Robusta
These are the two types of beans which are most often used in commercial coffee production. You will find Robusta beans growing on the Coffea canephora plant in places with hot and humid equatorial climates – and at lower altitudes. These include West and Central Africa countries such as Uganda and India, as well as South East Asian areas like Vietnam and Indonesia. Robusta beans can be identified visually by their more circular appearance, and the plants can grow to a huge six metres high.
Arabica
The Coffea Arabica, whose name likely sprang from the period in the 7th century when coffee began to travel from Ethiopia to Arabia, can be visually distinguished by its more oval shape. Growing from 2.5 to around 4.5 metres in height, Arabica beans originate in Ethiopia but are now grown in other tropical climates at high altitudes close to the equator. You can find Arabica plantations in India, Guatemala, and Colombia. Brazil grows extensively as the largest global producer.
Checking Your Beans
Colour
So, once you have checked the shape of your coffee beans to identify the provenance, the colour of your beans is next when you are doing a quality check. Roasted Robusta beans are generally going to come up a bit darker, whereas Arabica should present as light to medium brown when roasted. You want uniformity in colour across the surface of your beans, as this indicates a nice, consistent roast at the right temperature.
Size & Appearance
Uniformity in the size of the beans in your batch is also important. Irregularities and odd shapes may indicate that they have been sorted haphazardly, that they may be of poor quality, or that they have been inadequately processed. A good way to visually test your coffee beans is by taking a handful and laying them down on a clean sheet of white paper. You can even use a magnifying glass to examine them.
Identifying Defects
Defective coffee beans can alter the flavour of your brew and the look of your pour. There are a few different things you need to look for here.
Image Source: Braista World Acamedy
Discolouration
If the bean looks patchy or if there are spots of uneven colour, it may be that the batch has been improperly dried – it may even be an indicator that the internal structure of the bean has been compromised by mould.
Cracks
The bean is supposed to crack during the roasting process—the first crack at around 196 °C indicates that you have reached a light roast, and the second at around 224 °C signals a medium roast. However, uneven roasting or less thorough drying processes may show up as lots of tiny cracks or pits.
Husk or Chaff
Husks – also called chaff or silverskin is the ‘skin’ of the coffee bean – and it shouldn’t be showing up in your bag of coffee. This epidermis responds to the heat of the roaster by falling away from the bean and should have been removed by your roasting team during processing. Husks can create a bitter brew and should be avoided.
Mouldy Coffee Beans
This is definitely one to be vigilant about, as mould is highly toxic. Visually test for fuzzy spots, discolouration, unusual textures, or a powdery appearance. Mould can present as white, green or black, and the beans may present with a musty odour – so don’t be afraid to engage other senses in your visual quality testing process.
Vigilance Across the Manufacturing Chain
Getting the bean into the bag and in front of the barista requires a huge amount of handling, and many stages are involved in producing the coffee you use at home. You need to be certain that the team you are dealing with have expert knowledge and that they are monitoring every step along the way, from the growth of your beans all the way to packing them to ensure that moisture can’t affect the quality between storage and use.
Use Segafredo Zanetti for Peace of Mind
At Segafredo Zanetti, we pride ourselves on being the only coffee company in the world that takes charge of quality control by working across the entire production process from the plant to the cup. We do this by taking charge of plantations around the world in the premiere coffee-growing regions and by ensuring that we always stay ahead of the game when it comes to the technology available for roasting our beans.
Coffee is our passion and that love shows up in every bag. From our Segafredo Extra Strong, produced with premium grade high altitude Arabica beans, all the way to our chocolatey Massimo – perfectly crafted with coffee beans grown in Central and South America – you can trust us to deliver the flavour you want to satisfy your palate.
Get in touch to chat – or shop the range now.
