For centuries, coffee has been the favorite drink of mankind. The homeland of coffee trees is Ethiopia, Africa, but later they spread all over the world. Moreover, grains are one of the main products of world trade, yielding only oil. The bulk of coffee produces hot tropical countries: Brazil, Colombia and Vietnam, but today coffee plantations can also be found in Australia or China, and, surprisingly, in some European countries. Trees that require special care are grown by experienced experts in their field on certain soils, and coffee berries, ripe, are collected manually. Later they get a favorite drink, without a cup of which many people do not think the beginning of a new day.
Coffee arabica: basic characteristics and regions of growth
Arabica and robusta ... you constantly meet these words when you buy or order a cup of coffee in a cafe. It's no secret that they denote the names of the two main varieties. So what's the difference? Coffee arabica is more expensive and has a delicate, sweet, but at the same time quite intense flavor. The smell can have shades of caramel, honey, spices or fruit. The trees on which Arabica coffee is grown are very whimsical and require special soil, humidity and specific climatic conditions. The best varieties of Arabica coffee are supplied by Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Robusta coffee
In contrast to the aristocratic subtlety of Arabica, the rosta variety has a bitter, so to say "earthy" taste with a woody, slightly astringent shade. But in general, robusta has much less flavor characteristics compared to arabica coffee. That is why this grade is not particularly represented on the market, although it is quite cheap. Robusta trees are much less capricious than their species counterparts, they do not require any specific growing conditions, are frost-proof and widely distributed. As a rule, famous cafes and restaurants do not offer their visitors coffee of this class.
How to choose the best arabica coffee
Attention, not all Arabica coffee grades are the same. They too can be grown in inappropriate conditions that undoubtedly affect the taste of the drink (as we recall, the coffee trees are very moody), collected not at the right time for maturation, are subject to improper storage or roasting. Therefore, the words "this arabica" does not yet say that of grains you will get quality aromatic coffee. When choosing grains, first of all pay attention to their aroma: coffee should not smell of burned grains. If this is the case, then there were gross violations in the roasting: they must be dry, without visible changes and damages. Also look at the country of manufacture: today, the best Arabica is supplied to the world market by Brazil and other countries of Central America. Also one of the determining factors is the price, which averages from $ 50 per kilogram of good coffee. And the most exquisite and expensive for today are the varieties Jamaican Blue Mountain, Tarrazú, Colombian Supremo, Costa Rica, Guatemalan Antigua and some others.
Coffee arabica - care, storage and roasting
Gourmets should also understand the methods of roasting coffee, because this has a significant effect on its taste characteristics. For example, medium roast coffee will give you a clean, sweetish flavor with a nutty note. But the same grains with maximum roasting will give a more pronounced smell with inclusions of spices, citrus and chocolate. Nuances of shades, as a rule, depend on a certain grade of coffee. Once again, I remind you that coffee beans should in no case have a burning smell.
Store the grains of arabica coffee best in a sealed can, in a dry and dark place. Take care not to get moisture inside. Each new portion is better to get a special spoon, which can be put inside the container. And after, grinding fragrant grains and making coffee to your taste - espresso, latte, or Turkish - you will get a fragrant drink that will help you cheer up at the beginning of a new day.