There are two major types of coffee: arabica and robusta.
Arabica is the most widely used bean in the world. It contains half the caffeine of robusta and is considered a superior bean in taste and quality. Arabicas are grown at high altitudes (4,000 - 6,000 feet above sea level), need some moderate to abundant rainfall, warm temperatures, fertile soil, and sometimes shade. The average tree or shrub yields anywhere from a meager 1/2 to 2 pounds of coffee beans per year. Arabica beans come in several grades of coffee due to defects and the bean sizes. Only 5-10% of arabica beans are considered “specialty grade”. Every bean that Alakef Coffee purchases comes from the top 5-10% of Arabica beans!
The grading system, based on the following,
determines specialty coffees:
Growing Region
Conditions of the beans
Bean Size
Taste
Number of defects
The more common robustas are hardier plants and grow at low altitudes and usually in quite hot climates. Not only do robustas have a higher yield per tree, robustas double the yield when brewed (as in parts per million-water solubility). This is why they make up such a high percentage of most commercial and instant coffee blends. Overall you receive a smaller bean and much less flavor.
Specialty Coffee
Despite arabicas’ superiority, even many arabicas fail to meet the standards of specialty coffee. In fact, out of all the arabica crops in the world, only 5-10% meet the requirements for specialty coffee.
The majority of specialty coffees are “washed” coffees. After being picked at the peak of ripeness, the coffee beans are squeezed out of the cherry skin by a pulper with the aid of water. The beans are then fermented for two to three days in order to remove the mucilage or fruity part. After the washing process is finished, the beans are dried in the sun for about three weeks, and they are turned several times each day to ensure that all of the beans dry evenly.
Specialty coffees that are not washed are called “naturals” or “sun-dried” coffees. Instead of going through the washing process, the cherries are placed on concrete slabs or tarps and allowed to dry in the sun. After drying, the coffee is transported to mills, where it is milled to remove the dry hulls.
At this point, all the coffees are carefully graded by size, density and, of course, taste (liquor). Specialty coffees should be larger and have few defects in the bean. Farmers send the green coffee to importers for sampling. Once the importer roasts, cups and approves the coffee, the importer will then either purchase the beans to sell or send more samples on to the individual roasters for additional cupping and subsequent approval. At this point, the coffee is shipped to the U.S. and sent out to the roasters. The roasters then sell their coffee to the retailers, who sell it to the consumer.
Green coffees can vary widely in taste according to the type of bean selected, how each farm prepares the beans, and the way the beans are processed. Before buying any coffee, samples are cupped for quality at our roasterie. This ensures that each and every single origin has the taste profile we are looking for.
