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It’s All About the Espresso Beans
There are about as many varieties of coffee beans as there are lattes, but only certain coffee beans are suitable
for espresso. The main bean for espresso is the flavorful Arabica bean. It is considered the premium espresso
bean and provides the essence of espresso that we know and love. Another coffee bean, Robusta, was discovered in
the Belgian Congo, has twice as much caffeine, but lacks the flavor of the Arabica bean. The lower quality grades
of this bean are sometimes used as fillers in cheaper coffee to fluff the appearance of the coffee. Higher quality
grades of Robusta are quite good, but nothing out flavors the rich coffee flavor of the Arabica bean for espresso.
There are different varieties of Arabica beans from Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Zambia, Tanzania,
and Kenya. With Brazil in the lead, over 80 countries produce coffee for import.
The Journey of an Espresso Bean
The higher quality coffee bean is grown around tropical locations at elevations between 2,000 and 6,000 feet above
sea level. The berries from the coffee tree are picked at the peak of ripeness and are called cherries. You will
find two beans or seeds in each berry that is collected. The coffee beans are washed, fermented, dried, and graded
according to size. The beans are now ready for shipment to an importer. Once the beans are dried, they can be
roasted. Coffee beans are usually roasted in a rotating drum at 450 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes. After all that
tumbling and roasting, the beans are tired and need to rest for up to 36 hours to release gases.
Purchasing Espresso Beans
Most grocery stores and all coffee shops carry espresso bean blends for home consumption. You can buy them ground
or as whole beans to grind at will. For those who want to roast their own beans, unroasted espresso beans can also
be ordered and shipped to you for home roasting. You will need a bean roaster and home roasters are available.
Then there are pods. If you have stayed overnight in an upscale motel, you have encountered coffee pots with
little round filters that have compressed coffee between the layers. These are also available for purchase. The
Internet is a great source for unroasted beans, roasters, and pods if you want to try these methods of making your
own espresso.
Little Known Facts About the Bean
- An entire coffee bean tree produces about one pound of coffee
- Coffee beans are best picked overripe. Underripe picked cherries results in a loss of flavor.
- The average shelf life of a coffee bean before it begins to lose flavor is only two weeks.
- Coffee is the largest commodity traded throughout the world and even exceeds the trade volume of oil.
- Coffee quality declined in the United States following World War II when Robusta became the coffee of large commercial roasters for marketing can and instant coffee.
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