Have you seen gourmet coffee proudly proclaiming that it contains Arabica beans and you wondered what that means?
Arabica coffee beans are considered by some coffee lovers to make milder, less bitter coffee. They are generally more costly to source because the plants they grow on are not as hardy as the Robusta coffee bean plant.
Arabica best grows in mountainous climates while Robusta grows in more varied climates. The Arabica coffee plant is more vulnerable to pests and needs low pH soil, light shade, evenly distributed rain and a temperature of around 20 C (68 F) to thrive. All of this, plus a longer growing cycle, contributes to Arabica’s higher cost.
Arabica was first grown in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia, southeastern Sudan, Yemen and Kenya, hence the name Arabica – meaning “from Arabia”. It is now grown in many regions of the tropics including Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia and others.
So next time you see that a coffee contains Arabica beans, you’ll know that you hold a precious commodity in your hands.