{"id":139,"date":"2024-01-20T21:20:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-20T21:20:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brewedcaffeine.com\/?p=139"},"modified":"2024-01-20T21:20:05","modified_gmt":"2024-01-20T21:20:05","slug":"cocoa-beans-vs-coffee-beans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brewedcaffeine.com\/cocoa-beans-vs-coffee-beans\/","title":{"rendered":"Cocoa beans vs coffee beans (beans showdown)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Two of the most popular beans you hear about are cocoa beans and coffee beans. Do you know the difference between them? Read on to find out the difference of cocoa beans vs coffee beans!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cocoa and coffee beans are very different since one is used for coffee products, and the other is used for chocolate products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cocoa beans come from a pod<\/strong> and have to be hacked out (typically by using a machete), picked manually from their pod on a cocoa tree, and then processed. Coffee beans come from cherries of a coffee<\/strong> plant where they are separated from the skin and processed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tastewise, cocoa beans are bitter, whereas coffee beans are earthy and somewhat chocolatey<\/strong> — cool, right? There\u2019s a lot more to know, though, so keep reading!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What are cocoa beans?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cocoa beans are the starting point of your favorite chocolate-based products, including hot cocoa, chocolate chips, and chocolate bars. These beans come from a pod handpicked from a very sensitive tree (keep reading to know why).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workers must cut open the pod and pull out the cocoa beans. The beans are large and narrow. They are often light brown. They are bitter since they contain very little natural sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun Fact:\n<\/em><\/strong>\nDid you know that the cocoa tree can refuse to bloom the next season if you nick its bark with your machete or other cutting utensil?<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
What are coffee beans?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Coffee beans are, of course, where our coffee and coffee-related products come from, including espresso and all types of coffee roasts. These beans are the centers of the cherries on the coffee bush. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are either mechanically stripped or hand-picked. They are small and have a seam in their middle, similar to a peanut. They taste earthy and sometimes chocolatey, depending. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cocoa beans vs coffee beans key differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Already, you can see that there are many differences between the beans. But let\u2019s take a closer look at what differentiates them in all their critical areas for a deeper and richer understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harvesting <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cocoa beans are always handpicked because they are very fussy. Not all pods can and should be picked at the same time, and they ripen differently from pod to pod. A machete is used to harvest them and then slit open the pods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coffee beans can either be picked by hand or stripped mechanically. It\u2019s the most cost-effective to strip the plants, but some unripened or rotted beans can get thrown in with the ripe and healthy ones. Handpicking prevents this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Processing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cocoa beans have a lengthy processing time. They start by fermenting for six days, at least in a carefully controlled environment. The pulp dissolves gradually during this time. They will move on to the drying process, which I\u2019ll discuss next!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coffee beans start their processing by washing. There are three main methods for this, including the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n