How to Buy High Quality Arabica Coffee

All over the world, millions or dare say billions of people consume coffee daily. In fact, a study says that at least, 2 billion cups of the beverage are consumed every day the world over.

Coffee is the second most valuable and traded commodity around the world. It is second only to oil. This shows how valuable and loved this beverage is.

It is dark and bitter and it has a great but slightly acidic taste which makes it quite enjoyable to drink. Asides from the taste, it has a very lovely and appealing aroma that draws you to have a sip. Depending on how the coffee beans are roasted, the aroma can range from light to fruity or burnt. You can get more information from this article.

Majority of this beverage typically smell lightly caramelized and nutty. It is warm, smoky, pungent, smooth and medicinal. It contains antioxidants that make it quite beneficial to human health. It also contains nutrients such as riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, pantothenic acid and so on.

Additionally, it contains caffeine; a stimulant that is useful for helping the drinker to stay focus and alert. Various studies have shown that coffee can reduce the risk of different diseases. These include diseases such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Coffee as a beverage can be prepared in several ways. Some of the common ways of preparing it include cappuccino and Frappuccino. Others are café latte, French press, espresso, double espresso, etc. When brewed, it may be taken black as is or you may add sweeteners as well as milk or cream.

It is grown in over 70 countries across the world. This region is usually called the coffee belt. It covers countries in Africa, Arabia, Asia, and the three Americas; North, South and Central.

Types of Coffee

As a coffee lover, you probably have noticed that most packs of coffee carry the words “Arabica Beans”. This is because Arabica is the most common. It makes up more than 60% of the coffee that is produced worldwide. However, there are other types of coffee.

Typically, there are four main types although some of these can be divided into subtypes. The four main ones are:

  • Arabica (Coffea Arabica)
  • Robusta (Coffea caniphora)
  • Liberica (Coffea liberica)
  • Excelsa (Coffea excelsa)

Oftentimes, when you hear the way they are classified and marketed, you usually will hear things like source or origin and roasting profiles. Although this information is helpful when identifying the type of coffee, it does not tell the complete story.

Below, we take a look at the Arabica type and see why it is unique. In the meantime, you can read about the different types here https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/types-of-coffee/.

Arabica

As previously mentioned, this is the most common type of coffee available and it is the most heavily marketed. The reason for this is because it is sweeter, less acidic and has a more delicate flavor than Robusta and other types.

Arabica beans are typically cultivated in places that have high elevations above sea level where it rains a lot. Brazil with its lush rainforest remains the foremost exporter in the world.

The Arabica plant is fairly delicate and requires constant attention and pruning. Due to their small size, they are easy to care for. They usually do not grow taller than 6 inches and this makes harvesting easy too.

The plants however are quite prone to diseases therefore cultivating them in large quantities can be a challenge. This in turn makes the price costly in the global market. Nevertheless, lots of drinkers do not mind paying the difference because of its sweet and soft taste.

As for the characteristics of the bean, good quality Arabica beans will have a bright body. It will possess an adequate amount of acidity and multi-layered complexity of aromas and flavors.

It is worthy to note that the taste of Arabica gets slightly diminished when served with milk or creamer and when served cold. It is typically best served hot. For the best results when brewing, you should look for one with full body and low acidity.

How to Buy Arabica

There are several brands of Arabica available and of course, they all have different flavors and tastes. This is because they come from various places and the process of roasting the beans differ from place to place.

However, despite the differences, you will always find great-tasting Arabica coffee filled with awesome flavors and aromas. Below are some factors that you should consider when trying to buy Arabica.

It Must Be 100% Arabica

One good indicator of premium quality Arabica coffee is that it must carry a “100%” label. This means that the package does not contain any form of Robusta coffee therefore, you will enjoy its full flavor.

The reason why this is important is that a lot of roasters blend Robusta with Arabica. This helps to meet production volume and also reduces costs.

Quality

Preferably, it is best to buy organic Arabica coffee beans that are packaged in one-way air-valve bags. This helps to prevent oxygen from getting into the coffee. It also slows down the release of carbon dioxide and thus lengthens its shelf life.

The beans should appear glossy and it should be indicated where it is from and how it was roasted. These include the country, farm and variety of the beans.

Roast Level

Various roast levels produce various tastes. You can buy one based on the roast level you prefer. It can be lightly roasted, medium, or dark roasted with dark having the strongest flavor and the most intense punch.

Certification

Certifications help to assure you of authenticity. It means that it was made with the best methods and practices. This does not mean uncertified ones are bad, it only serves to assure you and help you decide easily.

Roast and Best By Date

Arabica Coffee is perishable and the roast date typically determines its freshness. Although it can be consumed beyond its best by date, it is something you should watch out for. Make sure to check the roast and best by date to ensure that it is still fresh.

Conclusion

Arabica coffee is best enjoyed when it is of high quality. With this, you can savor all its flavors and aromas. To get the best, you have to be intentional. You can know the brands that offer high-quality coffee using the various factors discussed above.