The Story Of Coffe
Discovery of the coffee bean
Origin in Kaffa
Numerous tales tell the story of the discovery of the very first coffee bean and it´s very uniquely invigorating effect. According to a story written down in 1671, coffee was first discovered by the 9th-century Ethiopian goat-herder Kaldi. While roaming the countryside of the Ethiopian kingdom Kaffa with his goats, he noticed, that his goats started behaving erratically when eating the fruits of a mid-sized, dark green shrubbery with yellow and red berries.
Following his curiosity, he took some of those stimulating “magic berries” with him to the next monastery to have its effects explained to him by the chaplain. Declaring it a devilish temptation, the chaplain furiously tossed the berries into the fire. Shortly after, the unique and aromatic smell of roasted coffee rose from the fire, beguiling the monks. They quickly saved the beans from the fire and, sooner or later, brewed the very first coffee.
Reinvention in Arabia
Today, there are about as many different stories about the discovery of coffee, as there are varieties of coffee. What we know for sure is, that coffee has been used by various cultures for quite some time. In Kaffa, people started eating coffee berries around one thousand years ago. They either ate raw coffee berries or processed them into a stiff dough made from animal fat and fleshed coffee beans.
Even though Kaffa is understood to be the place of the coffee´s birth, the Ethiopian province´s name is not responsible for the naming of coffee. In Ethiopia, coffee isn´t actually called coffee but rather “buna”. What is thought today is, that Arabic words like “kachve” (giving strength) or “qawah” (Wine, Drink) established European words like “coffee”, “café” or “Kaffee”. In Turkey, coffee is still called by the Arabic word “Kaveh” to this date.
About 1000 years after Christ, it wasn´t Ethiopians or Italians, but the Arabs, who became the very first to start roasting and grinding coffee beans to brew them up with hot water. They also became the first to cultivate coffee plants and build their first plantations in Yemen. From the discovery of the very first specimen of Coffea arabica all the way to its refinement to Italian Espresso as we know it today, coffee conducts a long, successful and very interesting journey.
4 Types of Coffee Beans
If you’re an avid coffee drinker, you’ve probably wondered just how many different types of coffee beans there are and what makes them unique. We’ve got the answers!
There are four different types of coffee beans:
Arabica
Robusta
Liberica
Excelsa.
The most common (and popular) are Arabica and Robusta, but you might get lucky and run into the other two.
Arabica Coffee Beans
Arabica beans are by far the most popular type of coffee beans, making up about 60% of the world’s coffee. These tasty beans originated many centuries ago in the highlands of Ethiopia, and may even be the first coffee beans ever consumed! The name Arabica likely comes from the beans’ popularity in 7th-century Arabia (present-day Yemen).
The downside of Arabica beans is that they’re harder to grow. Because of this, Arabica beans are pricier. All coffee beans grow in the so-called Bean Belt, an area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in 50 countries around the world. But Arabica beans need extra shade, water, and high altitude to grow properly. These plants are more susceptible to plant diseases and must be grown at an altitude of at least 2,000 feet. They’re also smaller plants, measuring between 8 and 15 feet when fully grown.
Arabica beans are widely available, especially from gourmet coffee companies. If you want to try Arabica coffee, check the label to ensure that it hasn’t been blended with Robusta beans, the second variety.
Robusta Coffee Beans
The second most popular type of coffee bean is Robusta. This bean originated in sub-Saharan Africa and is now grown primarily in Africa and Indonesia. It’s also particularly popular in Vietnam and is often mixed into coffee blends. It’s a less expensive variety, making it a very budget-friendly choice for roasters.
Robusta beans are larger and more rounded than the other bean varieties. These plants typically grow much larger than Arabica plants, measuring between 15 and 20 feet. Robusta beans are typically considered to be hardier because they can grow at lower altitudes and resist diseases. But recent research suggests that they don’t handle heat as well as was previously thought.
Robusta beans are pretty easy to find since they’re common in blends. Some gourmet roasters offer special Robusta blends, and you can check Vietnamese coffee suppliers like Len’s Coffee. Plus, instant coffee is typically 100% Robusta.
Liberica Coffee Beans
Native to central and western Africa – specifically Liberia, hence its name – Coffea liberica is prized for its piquant floral aroma and bold, smoky flavor profile. This hardy species is frequently mixed with other varieties to add body and complexity, but rarely receives any credit. Unheard of in Western civilization before the late 1800s, Liberica gained a foothold with Southeast Asian coffee producers after a fungal disease (“coffee rust”) wiped out much of the region’s Arabica crops.
Growing from a much larger plant than Arabica or Robusta, most Liberica cherries tend to be irregular in shape and closer to Robusta in size and general appearance. It’s also tolerant of hot, humid climates and does well at low altitude. Now produced mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the bean makes up roughly 2% of the world’s coffee supply. Over 95% percent of the Malaysian coffee yield is Liberica beans. However, it’s not commonly found in North American and European markets.
Among enthusiasts, Liberica coffee has a controversial and polarizing reputation for wild inconsistency. Those who’ve tried this rare variety either love it or hate it. Some coffee drinkers adore the unusual, nutty, woody flavor and sneaky backbite on the finish. Others compare the flavor to burnt garbage.
Perhaps the most renowned Liberican coffee is found in the Philippines, where it’s known as “kapeng barako” (Barako coffee), which translates to “macho stud” in Philippine culture. Typically served black with sugar, this hard-charging Liberican brew is not for the faint of heart. Considered somewhat of a relic from an older generation, kapeng barako is still widely available on the shelves of local supermarkets and served in coffee shops across the Philippines. In fact, outside of Southeast Asia, your best bet for finding Barako coffee (or Liberica beans) is in a market that caters to the Filipino ex-pat community.
Excelsa Coffee Beans
The fourth major type of coffee bean is called Excelsa. Though it was once considered a separate coffee species, scientists recently reclassified it as a Liberica variant.
Excelsa beans grow almost entirely in Southeast Asia, and they’re shaped somewhat like Liberica beans — elongated ovals. These beans grow on large 20 to 30-foot coffee plants at medium altitudes.
Where can you find Excelsa beans?
Excelsa beans aren’t as common as Arabica and Robusta beans and can be harder to find outside of Asia. Luckily, specialty roasters like Len’s Coffee offer Excelsa beans.
Coffee benefits
Coffee is characterized by its delicious taste, delicious aroma, and many health benefits.
There are many benefits of coffee for men and women
the most important
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Global Production
The 5 Countries That Produce the Most Coffee
By
While some of the world's top coffee-producing nations are well-known, others may come as a surprise. More than 70 countries produce coffee, but the majority of global output comes from the top five producers: Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia.1
1. Brazil
The production of coffee has played a pivotal role in the development of Brazil and continues to be a driving force in the country's economy. The plant was first brought to Brazil in the early 18th century by French settlers. With the rise in popularity of coffee among Europeans, Brazil became the world's largest producer in the 1840s and has been ever since.2 3 Some 300,000 coffee farms are spread over the Brazilian landscape.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brazil is expected to produce 58 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee in the 2019-20 marketing year, accounting for more than a third of the world's production.1
2. Vietnam
Relatively new to the international coffee trade, Vietnam has quickly become one of the largest producers. In the 1980s, the Communist Party made a big bet on coffee, and production increased by 20% to 30% every year during the 1990s, completely transforming the nation's economy.4 Vietnam is expected to produce 32.2 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee in 2019–2020, according to the USDA.
Vietnam found a niche in the international market by focusing primarily on the less-expensive robusta bean. Robusta beans can have up to twice the caffeine as Arabica beans, giving the coffee a more bitter taste. Vietnam is the No. 1 producer of robusta coffee in the world, accounting for more than 40% of global output in the 2019–2020 marketing year.1
3. Colombia
A popular advertising campaign featuring a fictional coffee farmer named Juan Valdez helped brand Colombia as one of the most famous coffee-producing nations. Colombia is renowned for its quality coffee and is expected to produce 14.3 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee in 2019-20.
For several years beginning in 2008, Colombian coffee crops were hit by a leaf disease known as coffee rust. Output plummeted but has since rebounded as the country replaced trees with rust-resistant varieties.5 Colombia ranks second in arabica production, and millions worldwide prefer their mild, well-balanced flavor.1
4. Indonesia
Indonesia's location and climate have helped it become the third-largest producer of robusta beans in the world. Total production, including robusta and arabica, is 10.7 million 60-kilogram bags in the 2019–2020 marketing year.1 In Indonesia, there are 1.2 million hectares of coffee crops; small, independent farms account for the vast majority of output, each owning one to two hectares.6
Indonesia produces several types of highly sought-after specialty coffees, the most interesting of which is Kopi Luwak. Harvested from the feces of Asian palm civets, the beans have a distinctive and understandably unique flavor. The process of collecting and harvesting the beans is rather intensive, and the result is one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world.
5. Ethiopia
Ethiopia regained the No. 5 spot in the 2018–2019 year and is expected to produce 7.3 million 60-kilogram bags in the 2019–2020 marketing year, just edging out Honduras, which had captured position from Ethiopia in the 2016–2017 marketing year.
Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and is expected to export a record amount in the 2019–2020 marketing year, according to the USDA