Ever sipped a coffee so sweet it felt like dessert? That magic comes from perfectly timed harvesting—when coffee cherries hit peak ripeness. For beginners, understanding the harvest cycle can help you snag the freshest beans for your brew!
➡️ Why ripeness rules: Coffee cherries need high sugar levels, which peak when fully red. Early picks taste flat, so farmers wait—making ripe beans pricier but worth it.
💡 Harvest basics: Most regions harvest once a year, with Arabica ripening 1-2 months before Robusta. Northern hemisphere picks run late winter to early summer; southern flips to late summer to early winter.
🔍 Freshness tip: Beans from places like Vietnam’s Gia Lai (harvested October-December) hit markets around March after processing. Buy early in the season for peak flavor!
New to coffee? Check your bag’s harvest date next time you shop. When would you hunt for the freshest beans—spring or fall? Share your strategy!
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