This section details the origin and estates of coffee producing countries. Topics include
the type of coffee grown, the famous coffee names or brands. It also explains the nature
of the coffee beans and its characteristics.
The coffee plant grows in tropical areas. It grows between
600 to 7200 feet above sea level. Fundamentally, coffee beans are of two types:
Arabica
Arabica is the earliest
cultivated species of the coffee tree. It grows best in altitudes between 4000 and 6000
feet above sea level. It require special soil conditions with just the right balance of
warmth and moisture. It is considered a higher quality bean and produces very flavorful
and aromatic coffee. It takes six to nine months to mature.
Because Arabica trees
are susceptible to disease, frost, and drought, and fall to the ground soon after they
ripen. Hence they must be harvested as soon as they ripen. They require careful
labor-intensive cultivation and produce only 1 to 1.5 pounds of beans per year. Hence they
are more expensive. The beans are low in caffeine content and high in flavor and aroma.
Arabica beans account for about 75% of the beans that are grown around the world.
Robusta
Robusta grows best in altitudes above sea level and
upto 2500 feet. It is maily cultivated in West Africa and Southeast Asia. It is less
flavorful and less aromatic. It is more tolerant of the cold and moisture. Robusta beans
do not fall to the ground once they ripen, hence it does not need to be harvested
immediately. This species is normally purchased as a 'filler' bean for canned coffees to
reduce the roasters cost. Robusta has twice the caffeine content of Arabica. In fact,
Robusta takes less time to mature, typically half the time needed for Arabica beans, and
tend to yield twice as many cherries. It is also low in flavor and aroma, and is less
expensive. It is usually found in instant coffee.
Robusta accounts for about 25% of the coffee grown
around the world. It's taste is more of an earthy quality.
Since this is a relatively new section, it will
be actively researched and updated. Please do visit this page often.
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The materials presented under South America, Africa and Asia/Pacific pages
were contributed by Mr. Kenneth Davids, a coffee expert. He is also an author of
his books : Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, & Enjoying, Espresso: Ultimate Coffee,
and Home Coffee Roasting: Romance & Revival. He can be contacted at kdavids@coffeereview.com. Thank you Mr. Davids.
