March 25, 2009

What do I need to know about Arabica coffee?

For anyone wanting a great cup of coffee, it doesn't take long to discover that you should start with Arabica coffee beans.

Arabica coffee first grew in Ethiopia and Yemen. Believed to be the first coffee to be cultivated, Arabica coffee is generally considered the best gourmet coffee bean. Arabica coffee has been grown in southwest Arabia for over 1,000 years. In 1699, Arabica coffee production began in Indonesia.

Today Arabica beans are grown throughout the world, in semitropical climates near the equator, in both the eastern and western hemispheres and at high altitudes. About 75% to 80% of the world's coffee production is Arabica beans.

Weather, elevation, soil and overall growing conditions greatly affect the Arabica plants. In perfect growing conditions like in Java, Arabica coffee plants can be planted and berries can be harvested all year. In parts of Brazil with less favorable conditions, the trees can only be harvested in winter.

What does coffee from Arabica beans taste like?

Arabica coffee is often described as "mellow" and "smooth." When Maxwell house changed to 100% Arabica beans in 2007, they said it would give a richer, less bitter cup of coffee.

Arabica beans have different flavors and are often blended with premium beans from other regions or coffees. For example, today's Indonesian coffees include Sumatran and Java. Known for heavy body and low acidity, they are often blended with higher acidity coffees from Central America and East Africa.

Since most of the world's coffee is Arabica, you may actually notice the difference most when you drink a different type of coffee. Drinking Arabica coffee tends to have a plesant flavor, not bitter, with a full taste but without a sharp edge. An memorable cup of coffee will provide a number of different subtle flavors, without a sweet or sour sensation.

Of course, the description is not nearly as important as whether you like the particular cup of coffee that you are drinking.

About Robusta Beans...

You should watch for blends that include Robusta beans. Robusta beans are the other major type of coffee produced and account for about 20% of the world's coffee production. Compared to Arabica beans, Robusta beans generally are cheaper, contain more caffeine, but with less desirable coffee flavor. The robusta plants tend to grow better and require less care than Arabica plant.

One reason why Arabica beans are more expensive is that the ripe Arabica cherries (unroasted beans) fall to the ground and spoil, while ripe Robusta beans stay on the tree. That means the Arabica plants must be watched carefully and picked regularly, which boosts production costs.

When advertisements say that the beans are "mountain grown" that really doesn't describe the type of bean. Most beans are grown in the mountains. However, coffee that is called "Coumbean Coffee" refers to exclusively Arabica varieties that came from Columbia. You can look on the container to determine whether the particular coffee contains Arabica beans.

Natural Decaf Arabica?

Ongoing research may lead to a naturally decaffeinated Arabica bean. Normal Arabica beans contain 12 milligrams of caffeine per gram, but newly discovered variations in Ethiopia and Nigeria have only .76 milligrams of caffeine per gram with full coffee flavor. Brazilian biologists are continuing their research in this area.