How it Begins

Most people have never seen an actual coffee bean plant.

The coffee bean grows on what you can call small trees or bushes. There are two main types. There’s the Arabica and the Robusta.

The main one that is used by specialty coffee roasters is the Arabica. It has a smooth finish and easier to roast with. On the other hand, Robusta generally has twice the caffeine content, but doesn’t taste as good. Even with expert roasting, it’s difficult to get a good cup.

There are places around the globe that do a mix of the two. One place I visited in Mexico does 75% Arabica and 25% Robusta. The coffee tasted surprisingly good. There was an earthy aftertaste though that some people might not like. It’s always fun to experiment and try different roasts from around the world.