Have you ever stopped to think about the incredible journey your morning coffee takes before it reaches your cup? It's far more fascinating than you might imagine. At Over a Drink, we celebrate every step of this magical transformation, especially when it comes to the unique Kenyan specialty coffee we proudly share.
Let's embark on this journey together:
1. The Coffee Seed: A Humble Beginning
It all starts with a tiny seed – what we often call a "coffee bean." These seeds are planted in nurseries, often in high-altitude, fertile regions of the "Coffee Belt," a band around the equator. Our beautiful Kenya sits right in this prime zone, offering ideal conditions for coffee to thrive! After months of tender care, these seedlings are ready for the bigger world.
2. From Seedling to Cherry: Nature's Masterpiece
Transplanted to open fields, coffee plants grow into small trees. After about 3-4 years, they begin to produce beautiful, fragrant white blossoms. These blossoms eventually give way to small, round fruits called coffee cherries. Inside each cherry, usually, you'll find two coffee "beans" (which are actually seeds!). As they ripen, these cherries turn from green to a vibrant red, yellow, or even purple – a breathtaking sight!
3. Harvesting: The Art of the Pick
When the cherries are perfectly ripe, it's harvest time. In regions like Kenya, where much of our specialty coffee is grown, hand-picking is the preferred method. This "selective picking" ensures that only the ripest, most flavourful cherries are chosen, contributing significantly to the high quality of Kenyan coffee. It's a labour of love, ensuring every bean has reached its peak potential.
4. Processing: Unveiling the Bean
Once picked, the fresh cherries need to be processed quickly to extract the green coffee beans from their fruity flesh. There are two main methods:
- Washed (Wet) Process: This is very common for Kenyan coffee. The cherries are de-pulped (skin removed), then fermented in water to break down any sticky mucilage, and finally washed and dried. This method often results in a cleaner, brighter, and more acidic cup – a signature characteristic of our favourite Kenyan brews.
- Natural (Dry) Process: The whole cherries are simply spread out to dry in the sun on 'African coffee beds'. The beans absorb flavours from the fruit as they dry, leading to a fruitier, heavier-bodied coffee with less acidity.
5. Milling, Sorting & Selling: Ready for the World
After drying, the beans (still green!) are hulled to remove any remaining layers. Then comes the crucial step of grading and sorting. Beans are carefully inspected and sorted by size, density, and colour to ensure consistency and quality. Only the best beans make the cut. These sorted green beans are then packed into large bags, ready for direct selling or auction to companies like us, here at home and across the globe.
6. Roasting: The Flavour Awakens
This is where the real magic happens at Over a Drink. Green coffee beans have no aroma or flavour. It's the roasting process that transforms them. Our expert roasters carefully apply heat, bringing out flavour compounds. From light to dark roasts, each profile highlights different characteristics of the bean. This is where the rich, complex aromas and tastes you love are developed.
7. Grinding, Brewing & Enjoying: Your Perfect Cup
Finally, the roasted beans arrive at your home. Grinding them just before brewing unlocks their freshest flavour. Whether you choose a pour-over, French press, or espresso machine, the right brewing method extracts the deliciousness, delivering that perfect, aromatic cup right into your hands.
So, the next time you savour your Over a Drink Kenyan specialty coffee, take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey each bean has made. It's a testament to nature's bounty, dedicated farmers, and the passion that brings truly exceptional coffee to your everyday moments.
Shop our Kenyan specialty coffees today and experience the journey for yourself.
AI Content Disclosure
This blog post has been crafted with the assistance of an artificial intelligence language model (Google's Gemini Pro). While the initial content was generated by AI, it has undergone thorough review, editing, and factual verification by the Over a Drink editorial team to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with our brand voice. Our aim is to leverage technology to provide valuable and engaging content for our readers while maintaining our commitment to quality.
(Generated on June 17, 2025)
