In Australia, coffee imports and plantations have almost doubled over the past decade. The coffee market is enormously growing in Australia since people are interested in making their coffee taste. The fresh coffee beans can be purchased directly for grinding, but the processes involved are laborious in coffee making at home from seed to the cup. People wanting to avoid such time-consuming methods can opt for a coffee subscription in Australia to get fresh coffee powder with the perfect blend of aroma and flavours they need.
Need for coffee production in Australia
Australia has been a major importer of coffee beans from various countries. The increase in coffee consumption has significantly increased the demand for coffee beans resulting in the hike of the import price for the seeds. So farmers have restarted the farming of coffee plants, knowing the demand for the coffee seeds and economical feasibility. Because of the increase in coffee estates in Australia, there is a considerable decline in coffee imports after 2019.
Since climate plays a major role in coffee plantations, only certain coffee plants can be grown in Australia’s dry and subtropical climates. The varieties of coffee plants include K7, SL6, SL14, Arabica, Mundo Novo, catuai Amarillo, kieperson, catuai Rojo and other Kenya coffee varieties.
Coffee production process
Listed below are the processes involved in coffee production.
Sowing
Coffee beans are nothing but seeds planted in large soil beds in the shade until the seeds get sprouted. After sprouting, they are transferred to bigger pots for further growth. The fully grown plants are then carefully transferred to the soil containing the required nutrients for good quality beans. For the roots to get established, the soil must remain wet always.
Harvesting
Normally it takes approximately 3-4 years for the coffee plants to bear cherries. Once the plants are ready for harvest, machines or skilled labourers are employed in plucking the berries because they are aware of the ripeness of the berries.
Cherry processing
After processing, the cherries need to be processed immediately to retain the flavour and avoid spoilage.
Dry method
- This method is used in the regions where there is water scarcity
- This is a natural process used by farmers owning small-scale farms.
- The berries are scattered over a large surface and left to dry completely under sunlight for 15 to 20 days.
- Air circulation is very important for even drying
- The seeds are dried until the outer layer becomes dark.
Wet method
- This is a new method comparatively.
- Water is used to clean and flush out the seeds from the cherries.
- After the seeds are extracted, they enter into the pulping machine for removing the outer layer completely.
- The extraction process takes nearly 24 hours to complete, and the extracted seeds are then sun-dried for three days or machine dried.
- After drying, the seeds are separated into various grades.
Before roasting the beans, hulling is very important because this process helps to remove the dried husk containing the exocarp, mesocarp and endocarp.
Roasting
Roasting is the process that makes the magical drink more aromatic by changing the colour of the beans from green to brown. The beans are roasted to a temperature of 550F, during which an aromatic oil called caffeoyl is released. The roasting can be light, medium and dark depending on the needs of the consumer.
Grinding and packaging
Depending on the customers’ needs, coffee beans are ground finely or coarsely for the release of flavours. The powder is then packed in airtight containers or covers before selling. Since many processes are involved in making coffee, it is better to choose a coffee subscription in Australia offered by many big brands.
