Hey, coffee lovers! Do you know how your favorite beans are graded before they reach your cup? You won’t believe what I learned from a coffee farmer I met in Colombia last week. He told me a story that blew my mind and changed the way I look at coffee forever.

Coffee bean grading is the process of evaluating the quality of coffee beans based on their size, shape, color, density, defects, aroma, and flavor. There are different standards and methods for grading coffee beans around the world, but the most common ones are:

• Screen size: This method measures the size of the beans by passing them through a series of screens with different hole sizes. The larger the beans, the higher the grade. For example, AA is the largest size in Kenya, while 18+ is the largest size in Brazil.
• Specialty grade: This method assesses the beans based on their physical characteristics and sensory attributes. The beans must meet certain criteria to be considered specialty grade, such as having no primary defects, a uniform appearance, a distinct aroma, and a balanced flavor. Specialty grade coffee beans are usually sold at a premium price and are highly sought after by coffee connoisseurs.
• Cupping score: This method evaluates the beans based on their taste and aroma using a standardized scoring system. The beans are roasted, ground, brewed, and tasted by trained experts who rate them on a scale of 0 to 100. The higher the score, the better the quality. For example, 80+ is the minimum score for specialty grade coffee, while 90+ is considered exceptional.

Now that you know how coffee beans are graded, let me tell you the story that shocked me. I was visiting a coffee farm in Colombia as part of a tour group. We were walking around the plantation and learning about the different stages of coffee production. The farmer who owned the farm was very friendly and passionate about his work. He invited us to his house for a cup of coffee and some snacks.

As we entered his house, I noticed a huge pile of coffee beans in one corner of his living room. They looked like they had just been harvested from the fields. I asked him what they were and he said they were his personal stash of coffee beans. He said he had been collecting them for years and that they were his secret treasure.

He then proceeded to tell us how he graded his own coffee beans. He said he didn’t care about screen size, specialty grade, or cupping score. He had his own method that was much more fun and surprising. He said he graded his coffee beans based on how they reacted when he threw them into a fire.

He explained that some beans would pop like popcorn, some would crackle like fireworks, some would explode like grenades, and some would do nothing at all. He said he loved watching the beans burn and listening to their sounds. He said he could tell the quality of the beans by their behavior in the fire.

He said he preferred the beans that exploded because they were more exciting and unpredictable. He said they had more flavor and aroma than the other beans. He said he hated the beans that did nothing because they were boring and bland. He said he threw them away or fed them to his chickens.

He then asked us if we wanted to see his grading method in action. He grabbed a handful of beans from his pile and threw them into a fireplace that was burning in his living room. We watched in awe as the beans started to pop, crackle, explode, and smoke. The farmer laughed and clapped his hands as he saw his beans perform.

He then invited us to join him in his grading game. He gave each of us a handful of beans and told us to throw them into the fire and see what happened. He said we could keep the beans that exploded as souvenirs. He said it was his way of sharing his passion for coffee with us.

I was hesitant at first, but I decided to give it a try. I threw my beans into the fire and waited for them to react. To my surprise, one of my beans exploded with such force that it flew out of the fireplace and hit me in the face. It burned my cheek and left a mark on my skin.

I screamed in pain and shock as I felt the bean scorch my flesh. The farmer looked at me with a wide grin and said “Wow! You got a good one! That’s a rare bean! It’s very high quality! You should be proud!” He then handed me a band-aid and said “Here you go. That’s your souvenir.”

I was speechless as I put the band-aid on my cheek. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I felt angry and confused as I looked at the farmer and his pile of beans. How could he do this? How could he grade his coffee beans by burning them and risking his own safety and ours? How could he enjoy this madness?

I realized then that he was not a normal coffee farmer. He was a coffee fanatic. He was obsessed with his beans and had no regard for anything else. He had turned his passion into a dangerous and destructive hobby. He had lost his mind.

I decided to leave his house as soon as possible. I didn’t want to stay there any longer. I didn’t want to drink his coffee or eat his snacks. I didn’t want to see his beans or his fire. I didn’t want to hear his laughter or his words.

I wanted to forget this experience and never think about it again.

But I couldn’t.

Because every time I looked at my cheek, I saw the mark of the bean that exploded.

And every time I smelled coffee, I remembered the story of the farmer who graded his beans by fire.