Having coffee any time of the day refreshes you and makes you energetic. The coffee should be your all-time drink as it has a lot of nutrients. Now, you must be wondering what’s in coffee that is making it so healthy. Coffee contains many anti-oxidants that can be helpful in fighting inflammation which is often a cause of many chronic problems as well as arthritis and several types of cancer. However, it should be taken in moderation. 
According to research, coffee can improve the rate of metabolism by 3-11%. Thus, coffee aids weight loss. Coffee can also help in reducing the risk of type II diabetes. Also, coffee aids in combating depression. Coffee can be enjoyed in many different forms. There is espresso coffee, café latte, macchiato, filter coffee, coffee without milk. Espresso constitutes the base for many types of coffee. Further, let us look at how espresso is made and then how coffee is made.
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How are Different Types of Coffee Made?
Espresso:
The process of making espresso coffee includes pushing a small amount of boiling water through the compression of fine coffee powder. Espresso coffee is quite thick compared to coffee brewed by other methods. The espresso coffee also forms the base for many other types of coffee like the café latte, macchiato, mocha, Americano, etc. Naturally, the espresso coffee has more caffeine compared to other types of coffees. Some people prefer to drink espresso shot directly by adding a thick cream layer to the shot.
Cappuccino:
Cappuccino is prepared by mixing espresso with hot milk, and a thick layer of cream is used to give it a thick texture. To make this coffee, espresso is first poured into the cup. The amount of espresso will decide how strong or light the coffee is. After this, hot milk is added. Lastly, a thick layer of milk foam is added.
Caffé Latte:
Unlike Cappuccino, this coffee is made using only espresso and steamed milk. Since no cream is used in this type of coffee, the quantity of this kind of coffee is fairly less than Cappuccino.
Café Americano:
Americano is for those who do not like milk to interfere with coffee. In this, espresso is brewed with hot water to give a powerful dose of coffee. Some people like to have some milk on the side with this type of coffee to blend the strong taste of coffee.
These are the four most popular types of coffee usually found in almost any coffee shop. Apart from this, there are some quite interesting variations that people use to bring a different twist to the coffee. Now that we know how coffee is made, it is important to rewind a bit further and see how to make coffee powder. For that, it is important to understand how is coffee processed.
Processing of coffee
The process of transforming raw fruit of coffee into the finished product is called coffee production. It is a proper industrial process involving manpower. In many places, there are traditional methods of processing also used. The fruit pulp of the coffee fruit and the coffee seed or the coffee bean is left for drying. There are three methods for further processing of the coffee that is the wet method, the dry method, and semi-dry method.
- Wet Method: A particular kind of equipment or machinery along with the proper quantity of water is required for the wet method of processing coffee. This process involves the fermenting of the coffee bean. The fermentation has to be done very carefully to ensure that the coffee does not lose its flavor. The machine based wet method of processing coffee the separation of coffee bean is through scrubbing mechanically.
- Dry Method: The dry method of processing coffee is an ancient practice. Once the harvesting is done, the entire coffee cherry is cleaned and put in the sun, to dry. While the coffee cherries are put for drying, they are turned around continuously to ensure that drying takes place from all sides. It can take about four weeks for cherries to dry thoroughly. If the plantations are huge, then the coffee cherries are dried using machines after they are dried in the sun for few days. Drying is the most important part of making coffee. If the beans are over dried, then they can become brittle.
- Semi-Dry Method: The semi-dry method of processing coffee also called “Giling Basah” is very popular in Indonesia and Brazil. It is a very hybrid approach. This process is also known by other names such as Wet Hulling, Wet Grinding, etc. Then the dried coffee cherries are stored until they are put into the further process of milling, sorting, grading and packaging.
Further, let us see how is coffee Decaffeinated.
Decaffeination of Coffee
Extracting caffeine from the coffee before roasting involves the process of decaffeination. The process of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction is the most widely used method. With the temperature of 90 to 100 degrees Celsius and the 4000-pound pressure, the high amount of carbon dioxide is used to extract caffeine. This process can remove up to 97 percent caffeine from the coffee bean. An alternative to this is the solvent extraction method. This method is also very popular. In this method, the caffeine is extracted from the coffee after roasting with the help of the solution. Further, let us understand how to make coffee powder.
Making Coffee Powder
The aroma of fresh coffee powder always feels great. To make coffee powder at home, you can use a grinder or mortar and pestle. If you don’t have any of that, putting the coffee beans in a good-quality plastic bag and beating until it is fine is also a good option. However, it is a labor intensive option, and you may not get finely powdered coffee.
Overall, the coffee making process is a well-defined process and it involves lot of monitoring and meticulous preparation. Thinking of how to make coffee taste good? You can do so by mixing coffee, sugar and water in right quantities. Also, everyone has their own tastes and preferences for coffee. If you prefer black coffee, then you can mix the ingredients accordingly, and if you prefer to add milk to your coffee, then you should add it according to your taste. Lastly, even though coffee is good for health, you must consume in moderate quantities.
