When you talk about coffee, you are quickly talking about Arabica coffee beans. This is the most widely consumed coffee worldwide. In fact, as much as 70% of the coffee grown comes from the Arabica plant. The coffee is also known for its subtle soft and sweet taste, often with slight acidic notes. It is a refined coffee that has countless fans.

Coffee gets its name from its origin. In the seventh century, coffee was first transported across the Red Sea from Ethiopia to Yemen. Here, coffee spread through the lower part of Arabia, which is where the name Arabica comes from. But what exactly is Arabica coffee and how is it made?

The Arabica coffee plant

The scientific name for the Arabica coffee plant is coffea arabica. This plant originally grew in the highlands of Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Kenya. The plant has since become widespread, growing in parts of Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean. Wherever you find the plant, it always grows at high altitudes between 600 and 1500 meters. It is this high altitude location that gives coffee its smooth taste.

Coffee plants produce caffeine to protect themselves from diseases and parasites. Because Arabica plants grow at high altitudes, they are less at risk of getting sick from parasites. As a result, the plants produce less caffeine, so there is also less caffeine in the final coffee. This gives the coffee the mild and sweet taste it has become known for.

It takes an average of seven years for the coffee plant to grow enough to be harvested. This is relatively long, but it also provides the characteristic mild flavor of the coffee beans. After a few years, the plant will produce white, sweet-smelling flowers. After these flowers are pruned, coffee berries grow. Once these have a deep red color, they are ready to be harvested.

Arabica coffee beans

When the Arabica coffee plant is harvested, the coffee berries are picked. On average, there are two coffee beans in each coffee berry. These do not yet have the characteristic color you expect from coffee beans, but are gray, blue, or light green. The familiar brown color only develops once the coffee beans are roasted.

After harvesting, Arabica coffee beans receive a wet treatment. This means that the beans are placed in water, whereby the unripe beans float to the surface and are removed. The next step is the removal of pulp and pulp, which is done in a rotating cylinder. After this, the coffee beans are ready to be dried, where they are left in the sun for several weeks.

The final step is the roasting of the coffee. This immediately creates the familiar dark brown color you expect from Arabica coffee. The roasting process not only changes the color, but also creates a richer flavor. The longer the coffee is roasted, the stronger the flavor. So, do you like coffee with a smooth and mild taste? Then choose Arabica beans with a light or medium roast. Beans with a dark or very dark roast taste more bitter and stronger.

After roasting, the coffee beans can be transported, whereupon they delight coffee drinkers all over the world with their mild taste. Discover the special qualities of 100% Arabica coffee or create your own blends by mixing this mild coffee with powerful Robusta coffee beans.