TEP Talk: From Beans to Brew
Whether it’s an iced americano, a warm cappuccino, or a good old house brew, there’s a lot that goes into your favorite coffee before it gets poured into your mug. To find out what our community members at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP) knew about the intricacies of their morning brew, we caught up over doughnuts and espresso and put their coffee knowledge to the test.
Much to our surprise, the TEP members who stopped by that day could do without a morning cup of joe, admitting their current preference of tea over coffee. This could be why 50 percent of participants from Abbott and VERO Biotech only got one out of the following three coffee trivia answers correct!
1. Which country produces the most coffee in the world?
✓ Brazil - 49.3 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019
✖ Colombia - 15 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019
✖ Vietnam - 27.2 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019
2. Does the coffee plant produce beans or fruit?
✓ Fruit
✖ Beans
3. For a latte, what is the espresso to milk ratio?
✓ 1:4
✖ 1:3
✖ 1:2
The most frequently missed answer? Contrary to popular assumption that morning, the coffee plant does not produce beans — it produces fruit. Commonly known as the “coffee cherry,” the coffee plant produces a red, green, or purple fruit. The pit of the fruit, which is the coffee seed, is then processed, dried, and roasted into what we know as coffee beans.
Did You Know?
According to Reuters, the pandemic did not decrease the amount of coffee Americans consume. Due to quarantine this year, the National Coffee Association reported in the survey that online coffee purchases increased by 57 percent,“ as many roasters started to sell ‘coffee subscriptions’ to consumers willing to cut trips to grocery stores.”
Where does your favorite coffee blend come from, and how do you like to take your cup of joe? Let us know in the comments below.