Arabica Coffee

Arabica Coffee is brewed coffee or coffee beans from the coffee plant species Coffea arabica or one of its varietals such as Typica (Coffea arabica var. typica), Bourbon (Coffea arabica var. bourbon), or Arabica (Coffea arabica var. arabica).

Growing Arabica Coffee

The Arabica Coffee plant species is grown almost exclusively in tropical and sub-tropical climates at elevations between of usually at least 2,000 feet above sea level and more commonly from 4,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level.

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Classification of the Arabica Species

The name Coffea arabica was first given to the plant by Linnaeus, a renowned European botanical expert who categorized all of the flora on the Arabian peninsula.

Among all premium gourmet coffee beans on the world market, Arabica Coffee beans are by far the beans of choice due to their tendency to produce coffees with a good body and a rich flavor.

The Arabica Coffee Market

About 70% of all coffee beans grown are Arabica beans. Most of the rest are Robusta (Coffea canephora var. robusta), the other main coffee grown commercially along with a relatively small amount of Liberica (Coffea liberica).

Though Arabica beans are generally more flavorful than Robusta (which has twice as much caffeine) not all gourmet coffee beans are Arabica.

Arabica Coffee Growing Regions

Arabica coffee plants are cultivated in East Africa and Central Africa, all throughout Latin America, in India, and also Indonesia.

Botanical Description of Arabica Coffee Plants

Arabica coffee plants have dark green, oval-shaped leaves and oval fruits (cherry) that take about 8 months to ripen. The Arabica species is genetically distinct in that it has four sets of chromosomes instead of two.

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Comparisons Between Arabica Coffee and Robusta Coffee

Arabica Coffee is more expensive to produce than Robusta coffee because it is more vulnerable to pests, more prone to coffee diseases, and more difficult to grow than Robusta coffee plants. Arabica Coffee plants are also more sensitive to temperature and handling, and yield a smaller harvest per acre than the Robusta variety.

Arabica plants require more care and hand-cultivation, and Arabica coffee beans are usually are harvested by hand to ensure a high quality of coffee fruit (cherry) picked at peak ripeness. Harvesting occurs periodically throughout the fall and winter months as the cherry ripen.

Before the Arabica Coffee beans are roasted they often have a smell similar to blueberries. Once they are roasted Arabica beans continue to give off a sweet fragrance.

Varietals of Arabica Coffee – Bourbon and Typica

Some of the most distinguished Arabica coffees are Bourbon and Typica, from which many culitvars, hybrids, and strains have been developed.

Also see:

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Guide to Specialty Arabica Coffee

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