CHAPTER 16. Influence of Genetics, Environmental Aspects and Post-harvesting Processing on Coffee Cup Quality

Coffee is essentially a product of its terroir and its quality is directly influenced by environmental aspects, both natural and human. The genetic traits of different varieties and the particular climate, soil, and relief conditions associated with local “know-how”, represented by different crop management methods and harvest, processing, and drying techniques, create the identity of the beverage. In the present chapter, the contributions of climate, genotype, and processing on coffee beverage quality are addressed. However, even more than these factors themselves, the interaction of these factors is what really counts in the expression of coffee quality. We also focus on studies related to quality in connection with the pleasure the beverage may provide. Some insights will be presented in response to one of the most intriguing questions at this time: What are the reasons for the quality of specialty coffees?