Before we brew the perfect cup of coffee, we must first learn a little more about the wondrous black drink we use for many purposes from social conversation to prying open the eyelids at o’dark thirty every morning.
For all intents and purposes, we’ll group ‘Coffee’ into Two Categories: Specialty and Commercial. Think of it like this – Commercial Coffee is available at the local grocery store as ‘instant’, in tins, pre-ground, ‘freeze dried’, in pre-shrunk bricks…you get it. Specialty Coffee is typically delivered whole bean but can be ground and usually has the wording ‘100% Arabica’ on the packaging. We’ll be concentrating our lessons on the latter – 100% Arabica Bean Coffees.
Just because a coffee is ‘whole bean’, doesn’t mean it is a Specialty Coffee. Commercial Producers are attempting to invade the Specialty Coffee market with exotic names and packaging. Buyer (and tastebuds) beware!
Coffee beans are grouped accordingly – High-grown milds, (misleading named) Brazils and Robustas. High-grown milds and Brazils belong to the species Coffea arabica. Arabica is the species (and the bean) that sold the world’s tastebuds on coffee. Robustas may belong to the species Coffea canephora var. robusta (or others).
Arabica…Robusta – “What’s the difference?”
The Arabica tree will not tolerate frost nor will it flourish in extremely high temperatures. It is typically found at altitudes between 2,000 and 6,000 feet above sea level. Arabica beans are typically harvested from fruit which is picked only when ripe, sorted and prepared using great care.
Robusta, conversely, is a much more ‘hearty’ tree, more resistant to disease, climatic conditions and grows at a lower altitude. Many robusta beans are picked ‘en masse’, dried and shipped in bulk. Robusta beans are found in the cheapest American coffees, especially those coffees which are ‘instant’ and ‘freeze dried’.
Arabica beans are less common, have outstanding flavors (when prepared properly) and make up Specialty Coffees.
Robusta beans are more common. lack discernible flavor profiles other than a vague ‘sweet’ aftertaste but do contain upwards of 40% more caffeine than Arabica beans.
The best coffees are 100% Arabica Bean and prices will reflect this fact. All iBEAN COFFEES are 100% Arabica Bean Coffees. We guarantee it and our coffees reflect it in their outstanding, complex flavor profiles.
Now that you know a little more about the different coffees available, stay tuned for the next round of education coming soon!
