| One of the best ways to understand your daily cup of | | | | caffeine as Arabica, but it often has a bitter or harsh |
| Joe is to discover how it came to be in the growing | | | | taste. |
| process. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks | | | | Coffee is best cultivated in an area that is well aerated |
| worldwide, and it is actually the second most exported | | | | and well drained with fertile soil. Coffee trees need a |
| commodity globally, second only to oil. Coffee comes | | | | large amount of oxygen to their roots during the |
| in many different forms based on the brewing method, | | | | growth process, which is why many farmers rely upon |
| whether it is espresso, French Press, or regular drip | | | | aerating the soil to help them to thrive and grow. |
| brew coffee. However, all coffee is grown in a similar | | | | Coffee trees also require a serious amount of rainfall |
| manner using different techniques to cultivate diverse | | | | at anywhere from 1500 to 2000 mm per year. If there |
| flavors. | | | | is less rainfall yearly within the coffee growing region, |
| To begin with, coffee can only be grown between the | | | | then that deficit needs to be accounted for with the |
| Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This coffee growing | | | | use of irrigation. |
| region is throughout equator, and it includes Northern | | | | Many of the finest coffees are grown at higher |
| South America, Central America, Indonesia, India, Africa, | | | | altitudes at over 3000 feet. The reason that this is so |
| Hawaii, and the Middle East. When a coffee tree is | | | | important to growing coffee plants is because it |
| planted, it starts out small and evergreen. Coffee is | | | | provides cloud cover and mist. This combination allows |
| grown in larger plantations, and it involves intense labor | | | | the coffee plants to grow more slowly, which is |
| since many beans are handpicked. This is precisely | | | | important for developing deeper and more complex |
| why many developing countries rely upon coffee | | | | flavors. There is also a higher oxygen content at these |
| production because they can start their own small | | | | altitudes so that the plants can continue to grow slowly |
| farms and support the community with this livelihood. | | | | and intake more oxygen. This environment also |
| Coffee is actually best grown in the equator because | | | | provides diffused light and moderate winds to the |
| it provides a suitable climate. There are two different | | | | coffee trees to further enhance their development. |
| types of coffee trees that produce beans called | | | | At lower altitude regions, you will normally find Robusta |
| Arabica and Robusta. Robusta is seen as the lesser | | | | coffee trees growing. These are stronger plants that |
| quality variety that makes up around 30% of the | | | | are more resistant to disease, but they are still subpar |
| market, with Arabica encompassing the remaining | | | | in flavor to the more premium Arabica variety. When |
| 70%. Arabica is often used for gourmet and specialty | | | | you are looking for the best cup of Joe, look for |
| coffees, and Robusta beans are used for cheaper | | | | coffee that is cultivated with care made from Arabica |
| fillers. Robusta coffee actually contains twice as much | | | | beans! |