In today’s world, there are so many different types of coffee with many different vendors serving flavored coffee and espresso.
Whether you get the coffee from
Starbucks or at the local gas station,
all the different kinds of coffee comes from the simple coffee bean. Incidentally, the coffee bean is essentially a seed.
These seeds or beans, as they are referred to, contain up to 2.5% caffeine.
To grow the
best coffee beans, the plants need a good climate to flourish. One of the best climates in today’s world
is South America where more than 50% of the coffee beans are produced. The coffee plant requires warm, humid conditions with a lot
of rain, sometimes requiring more than 70 inches. Often, the geographic location of the coffee is displayed on the store packaging
because different environments determine the taste and quality of the coffee. This is because the soil and the climate determine the
development and flavor of the beans.
There are mainly 2 types of coffee beans produced today. The two types are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is the higher quality of the two
and produces high quality coffee while the Robusta is cheaper alternative to the Arabica beans. All of the coffee cafes like Starbucks
only use the premium Arabica beans while the grocery stores will see both varieties sold.
An example of a coffee brand using Robusta beans is Maxwell House and Folgers. All coffee makers can accept either type of bean although
the specialized
one cup coffee maker and the
pod coffee makers are intended for use with premium beans like the Arabica type.
The coffee plant is actually a tree growing up to 30 feet in height with the majority growing 15-20 feet. It usually takes at least 3-5 years
before it will produce fruit. Once it begins producing on a yearly basis, it will continue for 10-20 years. The crops are planted in a row several feet apart.
Some varieties in specific geographic locations are planted on the side of the hill because of the unique requirements it takes for the plant to flourish.
When it becomes time to harvest the crop, the tree is displaying brilliant white flowers and the fruit has matured to a bright red cherry. The crop is hand picked
or the entire tree is striped by shaking it. The fruit is actually called coffee cherries or coffee berries. Most of the coffee today is processed using the “wet
processing” method. In this method the outer husk or flesh is stripped from the bean and the bean is then immersed in water to remove any residue from the bean and
begin the fermentation process.
It is then dried and roasted using commercial drying machines. These specialized machines enhance the flavor by drying it at the precise intervals and releasing
the oils of the bean. The bean that is roasted until it is almost burned and is the darkest Espresso type of coffee. These beans are to be used in coffee makers
designed for espresso, cappuccino, and pod coffee makers. Some of the older low budget third world techniques will hand wash and dry the beans.
This “dry processing’ method works but not as effective as the “wet processing” method.
The best advice for determining what are the best coffee beans is to try different brands and types of coffee. Some people prefer a light roast while others may
choose a dark roast which will give a more robust and stronger flavor. Many individuals choose the medium roast which gives you a balanced full bodied
flavor indicative of the medium roast coffee beans.
More Info:
Chocolate Coffee Beans
1 Cup Coffee Maker
Keurig Coffee maker
K Cup Carousel
K Cups Coffee
Pod Coffee Makers
Tassimo Coffee Maker
