Most people don’t realize that coffee is actually a fruit that is a little bit bigger than a blueberry. It comes in different colors such as red, orange, and yellow.
Coffee is a fruit that grows on a tree; what we roast, grind, and brew is just the pit from inside the fruit. The fruit isn’t typically eaten by itself, however, there is a recent trend toward finding ways to use the coffee cherry as flour, tea, and many other substances.
Why does this matter to the coffee drinker?
This matters because coffee has the ability to produce so many different flavors to drink. Many coffees will have a more floral, or citrus and fruity flavor while other coffees will have a nutty or chocolatey flavor. Depending on the fruit and where it is grown (such as elevation) impacts what flavors come out of a coffee bean.
There is a recent trend in what is called the Third Wave Coffee Movement which is towards pulling out those fruity and hidden flavors of a coffee bean. This movement has gained a lot of traction in recent years and will probably become more prominent in coffee culture in years to come.
Happy fruity coffee drinking!
