One of the biggest reasons for coffee’s popularity is the almost limitless) number of blends that can be created from the two basic types of coffee beans.

 Coffee is the stuff of history. The origins of coffee, according to legend, go back to the 6th century when an Ethiopian shepherd boy noticed that his herd of goats was staying awake all night after eating red coffee berries.

“After realizing that the beans had the same effect on him, the resourceful shepherd told the abbot at a nearby monastery about the beans, which were then brewed by the monks into a hot drink that kept them awake for long hours of prayer.” (History of Coffee Beans, ehow.com, accessed 24 April 2010)

From those considerably modest beginnings, the reputation of coffee spread from East Africa to the Arab region, and from there to India, Europe and eventually North America.

 “In the 1700′s, coffee found its way to the Americas by means of a French infantry captain who nurtured one small plant on its long journey across the Atlantic. This one plant, transplanted to the Caribbean Island of Martinique, became the predecessor of over 19 million trees on the island within 50 years.” (History of Coffee, coffeebeans.ie, accessed 24 April 2010)

By end of the 18th century coffee had been identified as the beverage of choice for millions of consumers worldwide.

Two Very Unique Types of Coffee Beans

The world’s finest wholesale coffees are the result of a selection process that begins by choosing the best blend of coffee beans. Many coffee consumers don’t know that there are two types of coffee beans, and each variety has its own special qualities.

According to the coffeeresearch.org website, Coffea arabica, known as Arabica coffee, accounts for 75-80 percent of the world’s production. Coffea canephora, known as Robusta coffee, accounts for about 20-25 percent and differs from the Arabica coffees in terms of taste.

There are a number of essential differences between Arabica and Robusta. The beans are different, their plants are different, and naturally their flavors are different.

The Robusta bean has a higher caffeine level than Arabica, which is why it was originally used by Italians to make espresso. Robusta, as the name indicates, is hardier with greater resistance to disease and variations in climate and weather conditions.

Arabica is grown at higher altitudes than Robusta. It is more aromatic with a milder flavor. It possesses lesser sharp or bitter tastes than Robusta.

Its cultivation requires better care, and Arabica’s supporters compare it to the cultivation of grapes for fine wines.

Interestingly, the two varieties of coffee plants are also botanically different. An article on the italianespresso website lets us know that Robusta “…is very different from the Arabica, even genetically, since it has 22 chromosomes, whereas the Arabica has 44 chromosomes.”

How Coffee is Made from the Beans

The fruit of the coffee tree is called a ‘cherry’. Cherries can be machine harvested or hand picked. After the harvest, the fruit is removed from the cherry leaving the bean to be refined.

Coffee Illuminated tells that there are two ways of preparing beans: wet and dry. “Dry processing is a centuries old method in which the harvested beans are laid out in the sun to dry for about 15 days or so. They are periodically turned and spread to dry evenly.”

Wet processing is a more modern processing method that involves a cycle of washing and fermentation. It’s now the preferred way to process beans because it leads to less damage to them.

The next step in processing coffee beans is roasting. Roasting cooks the beans to a particular level of roast – mild, medium or dark. The longer the beans are roasted, the more flavor is released.

The final step in the procedure of turning the beans into a beverage is grinding them so they can be used to brew coffee.

A Blend for your Taste Choice

Most coffees sold today are made from a combination of Arabica and Robusta beans that give each blend its unique taste. The great assortment of blends permits coffee lovers to select their favorite from those on supply, or even make up their own custom blend.

Today, coffee is a large global industry employing more than 20 million people. This commodity ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide.

“With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. If you can imagine, in Brazil alone, over 5 million people are employed in the cultivation and harvesting of over 3 billion coffee plants.” 

Because of the further effort it takes to create the Arabica beans they are naturally more costly than the hardier Robusta. But true coffee fans don’t care about the cost of the beans; they just want the flavor they like best.