THE ESSENCE OF COFFEE SCAA Trainer’s Guide to Specialty Coffee Myth, History, Cultivation through Export

COFFEE BASICS: Coffee Species The Development of the Coffee Cherry

Coffee Species roasted Specialty Coffee beans

The passionate care and devotion to coffee does not END with the development and success of the coffee house. Rather, it BEGINS with the meticulous care given to coffee from seed to cup. Coffee is truly a hand-made product and the 50 or so beans that make it to our morning cup do so through individual scrutiny and great care.

fruit covered arabica tree

Arabica and Robusta Species Many species of coffee exist in the world. However, Coffea arabica and Coffea canophora (Robusta) are grown principally for commercial use. Visibly, these two species differ slightly. However, as a consumable product, they differ tremendously. At a glance, the robusta plant’s leaves are larger and have a more corrugated appearance than do those of the arabica plant.

Additionally, the arabica coffee fruit or cherry is more oblong in appearance when compared to the more rounded robusta version. The robusta beans are also larger. While arabicas represent 75% of the world’s commercial production, only about 10% of these make the grade as Specialty Coffees, which are sold by gourmet coffee retailers. Of the two species, arabica coffee is more delicate and flavorful.

Generally, arabica coffees offer a balanced aroma and a sweet, bright taste. These refined qualities of arabica beans stem in large part to where they are grown. Arabicas primarily grow at altitudes of 2000 to 6000 feet above sea level.

Some coffees, such as those found in the Caribbean basin, grow at lower altitudes where conditions replicate those found at higher climates. Due to the increased quality monitoring of and production costs in cultivating, harvesting, and processing, arabica beans command a higher price on the world coffee market.

mountainside covered with growing coffee

Robusta beans grow at a lower altitude than do arabicas and represent 25% of the world’s commercial coffee supply. Robusta coffees are more disease resistant than are arabicas and have a more pungent flavor and a heavier body than their higher grown relative.

Robustas’ disease resistance stems, in part, from their caffeine content which acts as a natural pesticide. Robusta coffees have up to twice the caffeine content as do arabica beans. Less expensive to produce, robustas are most often found in instant or commercial grade coffees.

The Development of the Coffee Cherry Coffee beans are the seeds contained in the coffee plant’s ripe cherry. It takes about 5 years of careful tending before the mature coffee tree will bear fruit. This requires producers to make years of tremendous investment and effort prior to harvesting a first crop.

Branch with ripe cherries

The development of fruit begins when delicate jasmine scented flowers appear on the tree. These flowers last about 3 days. Within 6 to 9 months, the tree’s fruit, or cherries, develop. coffee flowering

As the cherries mature, they change in color from green to yellow, to a deep ripe red. varying degrees of maturation

Ripe cherries are comprised of several layers, which include: Cherry skin: the outer red fruit covering Mucilage: a sweet pulpy substance Parchment: a protective membrane Silver skin: the last thin protective membrane And 2 oval beans: facing each other with 2 flat sides

open cherry revealing inner membranes

In rare instances, about 10% of the time for arabica beans, one of the coffee seeds will fail to develop. When this occurs, the remaining seed will take on a smaller, more rounded shape. The resulting peaberry has more flavor intensity than the typical arabica bean.

peaberry