Where do Coffee Beans come from?

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You can find Coffee everywhere, from offices to gas stations and restaurants to parks. Many people cannot even imagine their morning breakfast without a good coffee cup. Coffee is the most common drink in the world, but have you ever wondered where do coffee beans come from?

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Brief History of where does coffee come from

During the 6th century, an Ethiopian Shephard named Kaldi discovered coffee beans. As Kaldi grazes his goats, he notices that they always gather around a specific plant and eat red cherries.  

Also, he noticed that the goats became more energetic after eating red cherries.   

When Kaldi tried these cherries for himself, he felt energized as well.  

 He told the whole story to the Monk and gave him some cherries to try.

Monk brewed these cherries and made a drink of them, and the Monk also felt more alert in his meditation after drinking it.

Monk Spread the word of this incredible Discovery, and the rest is History.

Are you looking to buy some good Espresso Beans: Check our guide on some of the best Espresso Beans

what plant does coffee come from?

Coffee beans grow on small trees and shrubs. The coffee plant has dense and waxy dark green colored leaves.

The life of coffee beans starts as tiny light green buds that grow into the red or orange-colored cherries. From these cherries, the coffee beans are extracted.

In approximately one year, a new coffee plant starts flowering, and in two to three years, it begins to produce fruit.

A mature coffee tree can grow up to a height of 35 to 40 feet. Coffee plants usually live for thirty to forty years if they are well taken care of.

Coffee Plant

where does coffee grow?

Coffee is mainly grown in the tropical zone, also known as the bean belt. The climate conditions and minerals in the soil of this zone are perfect for the growth of Coffee.

The coffee plant is one of the most profitable agricultural products in the equator zone. Southeast Asia, South America, and Central Africa had always been the most prominent regions for the production of Coffee.

Brazil, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Colombia are the biggest exporters of Coffee.

Check out our interesting article on What country has the best coffee

Types of Coffee plants

There are basically two types of coffee plants, one is Arabica, and the other one is Robusta. These two types have further many varieties in them.

1)Arabica

The Arabica Coffee bean is flat or oval in shape, and it has a sweet, fruity, and light flavor. Almost 70% of the Coffee beans grown around the world are Arabica. The reason is its smooth taste which most coffee lovers like.

Arabica beans are mainly cultivated at relatively higher altitudes. The production cost of Arabica beans is much higher than the Robusta beans because Arabica beans are more vulnerable to pests.

That’s why Arabica beans are expensive. Brazil is the largest producer of these beans.

2)Robusta

Robusta beans are smaller and round. The flavor of Robusta beans is earthy and bitter and has high caffeine content than Arabica beans.

Due to its harsh flavor and lack of sugar, it is not liked by most coffee lovers. They are mainly used to prepare coffee blends.

Robusta beans are grown at lower altitudes. Robusta plants are relatively easier to cultivate and are not vulnerable to pests.

That’s why the production cost of Robusta beans is somewhat lower than the Arabica beans. These plants are primarily produced in the Asian or African region.

What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta?

  • Arabica beans have lower caffeine content of about 1-2%, while Robusta beans have 4-5% caffeine content.
  • Arabica beans have a smooth and light flavor as it has more sugar content, while the flavor of Robusta beans is bitter and harsh.
  • Arabica beans are more expensive than Robusta beans.
  • Arabica beans are oily and acidic, while Robusta beans are dry and less acidic.

Also Read: Best self cleaning coffee maker

Processing of the Coffee beans

We get red-colored cherries from the Coffee plant. You might be wondering how these cherries are transformed into dark brown colored beans with the aroma of dark chocolate. Well! After harvesting, these cherries are then passed through different processing steps.

Processing of Coffee beans

The first is to remove the cherry cover and dry the coffee beans. There are two methods for it.

1)Dry Method

This method is usually followed in countries where water is scarce. The freshly picked cherries are dried on large surfaces under the sun. In this way, some cherry is left on the coffee seed and imparts a fruity flavor to it.

Due to the fruitiness present in the seeds, fermentation occurs while the seeds dry, imparting a winey flavor to the coffee. Some coffee lovers enjoy this fruity flavor, others do not.  

2)Wet Method

In this method, after removing the cherries from the seeds, the seeds are soaked in water for two to three days which completely removes any sticky pulp of the fruit from the coffee beans. After that, the seeds are dried under the sun.

The Coffee seeds processed by this method have a pure coffee profile; that’s why it is more liked by coffee lovers.

3)Roasting

Coffee Roasting

After drying, the green coffee seeds are roasted under high temperatures to produce final dark-colored coffee beans. Coffee beans have 1200 different aroma compounds, which can be developed by roasting.

Roasters test different roasting techniques to extract the perfect flavor from the coffee beans. For this purpose, the coffee experts examine different temperature conditions and different times for roasting.

Lighter roasts are fruitier and more acidic, while dark roasts are bitter and less acidic. For strong coffees like Espresso, usually dark or medium dark roasts are preferred.

If you wanna know more in detail about coffee roasting, Check our guide on Different types of coffee roasts

Final Thoughts

So next time you wonder where does coffee beans come from. You can easily search the name of your coffee brand on the internet and easily find the origin of your coffee beans, their type whether it’s Arabica or Robusta, and their drying method. With this little exercise, you can easily choose your favorite Coffee brand among various brands.

FAQs

1- Where do Americans get their Coffee beans from?

Central American countries like Costa Rica and Honduras are the biggest exporters of Coffee beans to the USA. The climate of these countries is best for the cultivation of coffee plants.

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