About coffee
Coffee has accompanied mankind for more than 1000 years. There are various anecdotes about when and how the first coffee roast was made. One of the most beautiful is the story of a shepherd who wondered why his goats were very active all night after eating the red fruits of a particular tree. The shepherd took some cherries to a nearby monastery and showed them to the abbot. The abbot believed the fruit to be the work of the devil and threw them into the fire. After a short time, a bewitching scent flowed from the fire, which the monks put out immediately and then they prepared a pleasant drink from the roasted coffee beans.
The coffee plant originally comes from the region around the Horn of Africa. When coffee began its triumphal march around the world, individual beans were smuggled into other regions in order to establish the lucrative coffee cultivation there. Today coffee is grown in a narrow belt around the equator in countries in South America, Africa, and Asia and is the most widely traded raw material after oil.
The two varieties Robusta and Arabica are relevant for commercial processing today. Robusta beans are mostly cultivated in the lowlands, Arabica beans are much more sensitive and thrive at heights of approx. 600 to over 2000m. In the lowlands, coffee can be cultivated by machines much more cheaply; which also affects the price. Arabica is often still cultivated and harvested in small-scale agriculture. An optimal harvest - the coffee cherries on a tree ripen at different times - ensures an optimal taste. Of course, these beans are also correspondingly expensive.
After the harvest, the beans are freed from the pulp of the coffee cherry, processed, and usually packed in jute sacks.
The most important growing countries in terms of quantity are Brazil and Vietnam today. Most of the beans cultivated there, however, are of poor quality and are only used in industrial coffees. Only hand-picked and selected green coffees from certain farmers or cooperatives are used for the production of specialty coffees.
In addition to the type of roast, the origin of the green coffee determines the taste. In general, it can be said that Arabicas from South and Central America have a spicy and nutty note, beans from Africa usually have a more pronounced fruit note and Asian coffees add earthy and chocolate notes. But even within the countries and within the growing areas there are clear differences in taste. The art of the master roaster is then to put together an optimal coffee from these different origins.
The large roasters usually process the coffee at very high temperatures in a short time. This is the cheapest way of production. However, the coffee does not have enough time to develop its aromatic substances and break down unfavorable acids. Artisanal coffee, on the other hand, is roasted slowly and gently in relatively small batches. Each bean has its own optimal roasting profile (time, temperature curve). That is why we roast each variety separately and mix after roasting according to the recipe we developed.
Freshly roasted coffee is a pleasure that few people know today. After a short time, the taste begins to degrade due to the action of oxygen. This process can be delayed by suitable packaging, but not completely prevented. We pack our coffee in special aroma valve bags immediately after roasting. Nevertheless, we recommend using the coffee within six months.
Our adventure roastery in Munich
When you're around! Visit our new roasting shop. You can look forward to our tasting counter with freshly roasted Fausto coffees. Espresso machines, coffee machines, and accessories for testing. Transparent roastery, expert advice, demonstration, and our coffee academy - and all of this right next to the Auer-Mühlbach.
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