What's with the Wrinkles?

A Sign of Character?

When coffee beans are harvested, they’re not immediately ready for roasting. First, they go through a drying process, during which they lose moisture and shrink slightly, causing some natural wrinkles. This is perfectly normal and part of the beans' journey to your cup. During roasting, the beans puff up and expand, but the outer shell may still wrinkle or contract as they release gases and moisture. This is especially noticeable in lightly roasted beans, which often have a slightly uneven texture with natural wrinkles.

These wrinkles are nothing to worry about—they actually indicate that the beans were handled in a way that preserved their flavor potential. The real concerns are beans that appear too oily, wet, or overly dark, which could signal a problem in the process. You can read more about that in my blog post "The Dark Side of Coffee"! 

So yes, a little wrinkling on your beans is normal, but just keep an eye out for any odd shine or wetness—those might indicate something’s off with the beans!