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Cascara and coffee leaf: what beyond the bean

When we think of coffee, we think of the bean - roasted, ground, brewed. But the coffee plant is one that gives far more than the seed alone. Around the bean is a whole coffee cherry, and the plant also has leaves - and from both you can make a drink. Cascara is an infusion of the dried husk and pulp of the coffee cherry, and the coffee leaf gives its own, tea-like infusion. These products, long treated as waste or a curiosity, today are gaining recognition as fascinating drinks of their own character. It is a story of how, from the leftovers of coffee production, a valued drink arose. In this post you will get to know cascara and the coffee leaf: their flavour, caffeine content, tradition and how they went from waste to value. It is a journey into the coffee plant, beyond the bean itself. Let us start with what hides in the coffee cherry beyond the bean.

The coffee plant is not only the bean

The coffee we know is the seed of the fruit of the coffee plant, called the coffee cherry. But around this seed is a whole fruit, and the plant also has leaves - and both these parts have long been used to make drinks. The bean is only part of the coffee plant. The coffee cherry consists of the skin, the sweet pulp, a mucilaginous layer and finally the bean inside. During coffee processing the skin and pulp are usually removed as a byproduct. The coffee leaves in turn are a part of the plant that was never the main product, but in some regions a drink was brewed from them. Looking at the coffee plant as a whole plant, and not only a source of the bean, opens a fascinating world of products beyond the bean. It is proof that the potential of the coffee plant is greater than we think. Understanding that the coffee plant gives more than the seed is the key to this post. So let us get to know the most famous of these products - cascara.

What cascara is

Cascara is a herbal infusion prepared from the dried skin and pulp of the fruit of the coffee plant, which remain after the coffee beans have been collected. The name comes from the Spanish cáscara, meaning skin or husk. When during coffee processing the bean is separated from the fruit, the skin and pulp remain as a byproduct - and it is precisely these, dried, that serve to prepare cascara. It is brewed similarly to tea: by pouring hot water and steeping. Although it is sometimes called coffee cherry tea, it has nothing to do with real tea from the tea plant - it is a separate herbal infusion from the coffee fruit. In coffee-growing regions, such as Ethiopia, Yemen or parts of Central America, cascara has long been traditionally brewed as a drink. What for the world was waste, in the countries of coffee origin was a valued drink. Cascara is literally the other side of coffee - what remains when you take away the bean.

The flavour of cascara

Cascara surprises with its flavour, because it does not resemble coffee at all. It offers a profile of notes of cherry, hibiscus, red currant and tobacco, of a slightly sweet and tangy taste. It is sometimes described as very sweet and fruity, with notes from honey and raspberry to sweet cherry and tobacco. Some compare its flavour to apple juice with notes of cherry, cranberry, raisin and honey. It is a fruity, sweetish and refreshing drink, far closer to fruit teas or infusions of dried fruit than to coffee. This fruitiness surprises everyone who expects the flavour of coffee - cascara is a completely different world of aromas, even though it comes from the same plant. Its delicate sweetness and fruity tang make it a pleasant, light drink for any time of day. The flavour of cascara is proof of how different faces the coffee plant can have: the bitter, roasted bean and the sweet, fruity fruit. It is a fascinating contrast within one plant. Cascara is a fruity surprise hidden in the coffee cherry.

Caffeine in cascara

Since cascara comes from the fruit of the coffee plant, it is natural to ask about caffeine. And yes, cascara contains it, but far less than coffee. The level of caffeine in cascara is close to that in black teas. Specifically, cascara has about 25 milligrams of caffeine per cup, compared to about 80 milligrams in a typical cup of coffee. In other words, well-brewed cascara has about four times less caffeine than black coffee, but about twice more than traditional tea. This makes it a drink of moderate, mild stimulation - enough to add energy, but without the intensity of coffee. For people sensitive to caffeine or seeking a lighter alternative, cascara is an attractive choice. It also contains a range of bioactive compounds, including antioxidants and polyphenols. Moderate caffeine is another asset of cascara: it gives gentle stimulation without excess. It is a drink for those who want something between tea and coffee. Cascara combines a fruity flavour with a mild dose of energy.

The coffee leaf

Beyond the fruit, the coffee plant gives one more product beyond the bean: the leaves. The coffee leaf, like the tea leaf, can be dried and brewed, yielding an infusion known in some regions as coffee leaf tea. It is a tradition less known than cascara, but also reaching back to the coffee-growing countries, where the leaves were brewed as a local drink. The infusion of coffee leaves has its own, mild flavour profile, often described as something between tea and coffee, with herbal, slightly sweet notes. It contains caffeine, although the amount is variable. The coffee leaf is another example of how the whole coffee plant can be a source of drinks, not only its seeds. Although coffee leaf tea remains niche, it arouses growing interest as a curiosity and a potentially sustainable product, using a part of the plant that is usually not used. The coffee leaf broadens the picture of what the coffee plant has to offer. It is proof that the coffee plant hides more than one surprise. Beyond the bean and the fruit there is also the leaf.

From waste to value

One of the most interesting stories connected with cascara is its transformation from waste into a valuable product. For a long time the skin and pulp of the coffee cherry were treated solely as a byproduct of coffee processing, often discarded or composted. Meanwhile the growing interest in cascara changed this situation. Demand for cascara from large coffee chains meant that in some cases the dried husks fetched higher prices than the coffee beans themselves. It is a huge change from the earlier status of cascara as worthless waste. This transformation matters not only economically, but also environmentally: using the husks reduces waste and gives farmers an additional source of income. Cascara is a great example of the valorisation of byproducts - turning waste into value. It is a story of how a change of perspective can reveal a treasure where waste was previously seen. From waste to value - that is the path of cascara. We write more about reducing waste in coffee in our post on sustainable coffee.

Cascara and leaf in a table

Let us set the products of the coffee plant beyond the bean side by side:

The table shows that the coffee plant is one of many faces. The bean gives the known, roasted and bitter coffee of high caffeine. Cascara, from the skin and pulp of the cherry, gives a fruity, sweetish infusion of moderate caffeine. The coffee leaf gives a mild, herbal infusion. Each of these products has its own character and place. It is proof that the potential of the coffee plant reaches far beyond the bean alone. The whole plant, from leaf to fruit, can be a source of drinks.

Why it is worth getting to know products beyond the bean

Getting to know cascara and the coffee leaf broadens the horizons of every coffee lover. First, it is a fascinating discovery that the coffee plant gives more than the bean - the whole plant hides drinks of their own character. Second, cascara offers a completely different, fruity flavour and moderate caffeine, being an interesting alternative to coffee and tea. Third, the story of cascara is an inspiring example of sustainable development: using waste, reducing wastefulness and additional income for farmers. Fourth, trying these drinks is simply a new, interesting flavour experience. Fifth, appreciating the whole coffee plant deepens respect for the work put into coffee production. A conscious coffee lover knows that behind their favourite bean stands a whole plant, whose potential we are only discovering. Next time, seeing cascara in a cafe, it is worth trying it and seeing how the other side of coffee tastes. It is a journey that rewards curiosity and opens a new chapter of the relationship with the coffee plant.

The key points in a nutshell

The coffee plant is not only the bean - the whole plant gives products beyond the seed. Cascara is a herbal infusion from the dried skin and pulp of the coffee cherry, which remain after the beans have been collected. It has a fruity, sweetish flavour (cherry, hibiscus, red currant), completely unlike coffee, and moderate caffeine - about 25 mg per cup, that is less than coffee, but more than tea. The coffee leaf gives a mild, herbal infusion, less known, but growing in popularity. Cascara is a great example of valorisation: from waste it became a valued product, sometimes more expensive than the beans. Want to get to know drinks from the coffee plant and record your impressions? Keep tasting notes in the GustoNote app. See also our posts on natural process coffee and on sustainable coffee.