Coffeeine Blog

The heart of a good cup of coffee lies in the coffee bean used to make the coffee. Technically, the coffee bean is the seed of the coffee plant; it is the pit inside the reddish purple fruit pulled from the coffee plant. These fruits are commonly called coffee berries.

Coffee beans are grown in over 50 countries around the world. First discovered in Ethiopia thousands of years ago it soon was cultivated and spread around the world. Today’s coffee is mostly from Latin America, Western Africa and the Philippines. Coffee is also abundant in Indonesia and southeastern Asia.

Arabica and Robusta are the two main categories of coffee bean that are used for making coffee. These two make up approximately ninety percent of all the coffee drank today. Each bean has a different characteristic based on the growing region, the picking method, the roasting method and finally the actual coffee preparation.

Bean Types

The Arabica bean accounts for over 75% of the beans used to make coffee. These beans are full of flavor and have less caffeine than Robusta beans. Arabica beans are primarily grown in Africa and Latin America. There are several varietals of the Arabica bean; each with its own distinctive flavor based on the region of the country it as grown in.

These varietals have distinct tastes that make them popular among coffee drinkers. For example, Ethiopian coffee banes tend to have a smooth flavor with a hint of floral. Tanzanian coffees have a fruity aftertaste, similar to coffees from Kenya.

Latin America offers many varieties of coffee that are widely popular worldwide. Brazilian coffee has a bitter cocoa flavor with a slight trace of nuts. One of the more popular Latin coffees, Columbian coffee is a rich, strong coffee, perfect for waking up in the mornings. It has a thick, deep feel followed by a walnut ending.

Latin America is also responsible for growing some of the best Robusta coffee beans. These beans contain approximately 5% more caffeine than the Arabica bean and also tend to be less expensive. Robusta beans have less oil and a higher acidity than Arabica beans which makes them bitterer in taste.

Sumatra and Komoto, two areas in Asia are responsible for cultivating Robusta beans that are more acidic and bitter than other areas. However, the flavor and texture of the coffee beans are full bodied, slightly herbal and very tasty.
 
Influencing Factors

In addition to the growing region, there are other factors that can affect the taste of the coffee bean. Roasting methods are a huge influence on the resulting coffee taste. The longer the beans are roasted, the darker, more full-bodied and full of flavor the coffee will be.

Other factors that influence the taste of a coffee bean or cup of coffee are roasting methods and final preparation. As a rule of thumb, the greater the amount of time spent roasting, the darker, more full-bodied, and flavorful a coffee will be.

As can be seen from the various tastes and flavors the coffee beans produce, they truly are the heart and soul of a good cup of coffee. Low quality beans will produce low quality coffees while a good bean means a great coffee.

-Katya Coen

People tend to mistakenly think that espresso refers to the bean that the coffee is brewed from. Espresso can be brewed from any coffee beans. There are roasting companies who claim that their beans are the best for espresso but it still boils down to a marketing tool. You can make espresso from any bean of any roast.

Although there isn’t any one specific bean that is necessary for making espresso, there are espresso enthusiasts who favor one roasting method over another and one that combines the two.

One school of thought concerning the bean roast for espresso prefers the darker roasts. Darker styles tend to be sweeter and tend to leave a less acidic taste in the espresso. Beans that are dark roasted have more body, chocolate, bitters and other caramel like flavors that are a result of the high temperatures. Espressos made from dark roasted beans create the flavors that most people associate with an espresso shot.

On the other side of the coin there are those professional espresso brewers who favor the lighter roasted beans. This train of thought believes that the lighter roasting process maximizes the inherent characteristics of the bean itself.

This roasting process results in espressos that have a vast array of flavor traits, such as citrus, pectin, floral and more. The lighter roasting preserves these characteristics while higher roasting temperatures that create dark roasts burn them off.

Of course, there are those who prefer to combine the two roasts to come up with what they consider to be the best of both schools.

Geographic Regions

The coffee beans used to brew espresso is dependent on the geographic region where you happen to be getting the espresso. In the States, darker or French roast beans tend to be used on the West Coast.  On the East Coast you would find espresso made with lighter roasted beans.

If you were to travel to the birthplace of espresso, Italy, you would find a similar situation. The roast of the bean used would be dependent on what region you are in. Southern Italians prefer the darker roasts while traveling north brings you to areas that prefer to use a lighter roast.

Pre-Ground or Whole

Once you have decided on light or dark roast beans you have half the battle won. Next, you have to decide if you are going to use pre-ground or whole beans. And, if you use pre-ground, you also have the option of using pre-filled coffee pods.

If you choose to go with coffee beans you will have to be prepared to grind the beans. It’s a little more work, but many people think the flavor is more intense. You also have more control over the grind.

However, if you are like the majority of people you will be buying pre-ground coffee. You can buy pre-ground loose coffee and use the tamper to make your espresso or you can purchase coffee pods.  Pre-packaged pods are coffee that has been finely ground and packaged in little pods for your espresso maker. If you choose to use the pods, make sure they will fit your machine.

Another option is to purchase and grind the ‘espresso beans‘ at your local market. This allows you to know that they were freshly ground and not months old and you can select the grind that you want.

Espresso is a term for a type of coffee drink, not a specific coffee bean. The flavor of the espresso is dependent on the coffee bean chosen and the roast that was used for the coffee bean. Experiment with different ones to see which one you prefer.

-Katya Coen