Coffee 101: Arabica and Robusta

Arabica and Robusta are the two main branches of the coffee family tree.

There are more than 500 genera and about 6000 different species in the Rubiaceae plant family all around the globe; one of these is the Coffea species. Although botanists regard all seed-bearing plants that are part of the Rubiaceae family as what we know as coffee trees, the coffee trade is composed by just two species.

These coffee species of utmost importance are the Coffea arabica and the Coffea canephora. Let us explain, the coffee that we consume is divided into two main types, Arabica and Robusta; but speaking in botanical terms, Arabica has two main varieties on its own, Typica and Bourbon, and the most common form of Canephora is the variety Robusta.

When coffee shopping, you may have noticed that some coffee bag labels brag about the fact that their coffee beans are “100% Arabica”, for example. These taglines refer to the type of coffee species that the beans belong to.

Dear That Coffee Roasters: what’s the difference between Arabica and Robusta?

Dear reader, this is, no doubt, one of the most common questions when talking about coffee. Let’s divide the differences into areas for you.

Taste: Robusta coffee is described as having a more raw, unrefined taste than Arabica coffee, which is more delicate to the palate.

One reason that the Robusta taste isn't as good as Arabica’s, is that it has more caffeine compared to the later. Robusta bean has 2.7% caffeine content, almost double the 1.5% of Arabica. Thus making Robusta capable of giving you an extra buzz of energy but also bringing that extra bitter flavor to it.

Lipid and/or sugar content: in chemical terms, Arabica contains almost 60% more lipids and twice the concentration of sugar that Robusta has. This factor also probably has a big impact on why we prefer the taste of Arabica, due to the fact that we tend to crave sweeter flavors.

Shape: Robusta coffee beans are much more circular in their shape, whereas Arabica is more oval.

Plant height: Arabica coffee trees usually grow between 2.5 and 4.5 meters compared to the 4.5 to 6-meter height of the Robusta species.

Economics: from a price/costs perspective, the green beans of the Robusta variant are about half the price of Arabica green beans on the commodity market, making it more affordable for the masses.

Also, Robusta is easier to tend and grow, because it has a higher yield and is less sensitive to insects, in fact, the extra caffeine of this species is a chemical defense for the coffee seed as the quantity in the Robusta is toxic to bugs.

Nowadays, the Robusta variant is not the most common in your coffee shops brews. It can be found on instant coffee, but a mixed batch is what you can taste in your morning espresso. Robusta is still most often used as part of espresso blends, Italian style blends for the most part since it’s said to help to improve the Crema.

It’s fair to note that despite the popular association with Arabica being of a higher quality, and Robusta having the fame of being inferior in quality, it’s not always the case.

Specialty Robusta (Like South American) coffee will usually taste as good as or better than a low-end Arabica. However, a high-end Robusta batch isn’t often easy to find. Robusta is usually used as a filler or cost reducer for a bigger bag then being sold as a batch of its own.

Voilá! Who would have known that the world of coffee could be so interesting? That’s why That Coffee Roasters brings a different perspective to our dear coffee lovers. Did you enjoy our article? Do you have any questions about it? Then follow us on our social networks and leave your comments and questions in the section below.

These two types have their respective purpose and specific recipes and brew.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

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Turkish Coffee: Everything You Need to Know

Cultures have different takes on things, and coffee is no exception.

Turkish coffee (in their language, “Türk kahvesi”) plays an important role in Turkish society (as much as tinto for the Colombians). It comes from an interesting past when coffeehouses were the place to meet fellow countrymen and have long conversations about politics, religion, social and even scientific matters (places visited only by men according to Turkish tradition). But even today, almost 500 years after coffee was first introduced in Turkey, it still fulfills an important role in Turkish social life.

Coffee was first brought to Istanbul back in 1555 by two Syrian traders, and around the mid-17th century, it became an essential part of the Ottoman Court’s elaborate and elegant ceremonies.

The sultan was served coffee by his coffee makers with much parsimony, and these coffee rituals also played a role in marriage-associated customs to an extent that women in the harem received thorough training in the matter of how to prepare the perfect brew for his master. As such, potential husbands could judge a woman by her Turkish coffee-making skills. Even today, when a prospective husband’s family asks the girl’s parents for her hand in marriage, the fiancee is supposed to serve Turkish coffee to his husband-to-be.

The Ways of Turkish Coffee

Coffee: according to the tradition, coffee was cooked on red-hot charcoal embers. Since this is no longer possible in the modern life, the fire of the stove is supposed to beset to the bare minimum. The quantity of coffee is also a precise manner, two teaspoons of coffee per person.

Sugar: the amount of sugar is up to each personal liking, so it’s expected to ask your guests before you start making the coffee. “Sade” is coffee without any sugar, while “orta” is a medium level of sugar, (one teaspoon or a cube of sugar will do), and şekerli is very sweet (two teaspoons or cubes of sugar). Brown sugar can be used, yet white sugar provides more foam, which is a very important feature for many Turkish people.

Water: Turkish only use bottled drinking water, since the chloride in the tap water will spoil the taste and the aroma of the brew. Measure the amount of water by using the coffee cups (one cup per person is the standard).

Coffee pot: in the past, only copper coffee pots or cezve were used, but in these modern times you can find them also in metals like steel or aluminum. Most Turkish kitchens have a set of different sizes of coffee pots to have the perfect match available for the amount of Turkish coffee to be made for their guests.

Fortune Telling is a Thing with Turkish Coffee

The reading of a Turkish coffee cup is a very popular method of fortune telling in their folklore, where the shapes left by the coffee grounds represent the past and future of the drinker. The drinking ceremony is over when a thick layer of grounds appear at the bottom of the cup; when this happens, they often close the cup with the saucer, make a wish, and turn it over. Once the cup has cooled, the shapes it leaves on the side of the cup can be read, usually at a Falcı or fortune teller, many of which can be found all around Turkey.

As you have read, That Coffee Roasters brings a different perspective to the world of coffee. Did you enjoy our article? Do you have any questions about it? Then follow us on our social networks and leave your comments and questions in the section below.

"I orchestrate my mornings to the tune of coffee." - Harry Mather

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

African Coffee: A Whole New World

It is said that Africa is the cradle of every civilization, and what civilization would be complete without coffee?

Africa is a huge continent, that’s quite obvious. It's over 30 million kilometers; that's bigger than the United States, China and India combined. So when That Coffee Roasters says “coffee from Africa” let's remember that we're talking about many different regions.

In fact, while Ethiopia and Kenya are well-known as coffee producers, countries like Angola, Burundi, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo are amongst some of Africa's many producers.

In general, African coffees are known for being fruity, sweet and floral. This means that from African coffee, you might get all kinds of notes from blueberries to citrus. These are the kind of coffees that make you think, “can coffee taste like this?” Some people like to refer to it as the special “sparkle” that you taste in these coffees.

Ethiopia: The Cradle of Coffee

The coffee plant, Coffea arabica, originates in Ethiopia. According to the legend, the 9th-century goat herder Kaldi discovered the coffee plant after noticing the energizing effect the plant had on his flock, but the story didn’t appear in writing until 1671 and is probably apocryphal.

Ethiopia is the world's seventh largest producer of coffee, and Africa's top producer, with 260.000 metric tonnes per year for the last decade. Half of the coffee is consumed by Ethiopians themselves (known as “local consuming”), and the country leads the continent in domestic consumption. The most prominent markets for Ethiopian coffee are the EU (about half of exports), East Asia (about a quarter) and North America. The total area used for coffee cultivation is estimated to be about 4000 km2, the size is currently unknown due to the fragmented nature of the coffee farms. The way of production has not changed much, with nearly all work, cultivating and drying, still done by hand.

Being the birthplace of coffee, it's no surprise that Ethiopia has a strong culture of both coffee production and consumption. There are over 1000 heirloom varieties in Ethiopia. As always, processing changes the flavor, and because Ethiopia produces both natural and wet method coffee (being partial to sun drying due to climatic conditions), the flavor profiles can be different.

Washed coffees are a bit lighter, with more floral notes, like jasmine, while the natural (or dry processed) ones tend to be a bit heavier, fruitier and syrupy, with tastes like blueberry.

Black Insomnia: African Coffee that Breaks Records

Breaking news for the world of coffee! A new coffee from South Africa has been called the strongest in the world and has now gone on sale in the United States.

The beans can be purchased online in the US, but those willing to try this intensely strong coffee should thoroughly consider the amount of caffeine they are about to put in their bodies. Although interestingly and ironically, since going on sale, the beans are now labeled “unavailable”.

A cup of the appropriately named “Black Insomnia” contains 351 mg of Caffeine. To put this into perspective, a regular single shot of espresso contains from 50 to 90 mg caffeine. Now, that’s a lot of caffeine.

Other brands have made similar claims as being the strongest coffee in the world, so the makers of Black Insomnia sent samples of their beans and others for scientific testing at a Swiss-based laboratory, to prove that their coffee is the strongest. These tests, done via liquid chromatography, found that the former strongest coffee named “Death Wish” contains 13.2 grams of Caffeine per kilogram, and its predecessor “WodFee” coffee, which up till now had also been a contender for the strongest coffee title, contains 13.8 grams per kilogram. Black Insomnia, however, was found to contain 17.5 grams per kilogram, beating the two other brands.

It’s official, That Coffee Roasters confirms it, Black Insomnia is the strongest coffee in the whole world. What do you think? Follow us on our social networks and talk about it in the comment section, we love to read and know all your different opinions.

Africa is famous for its variety of coffee brands and brews.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

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The Top 5 Best Countries to Grow Coffee

Where do coffee farmers do better?

Picking the best coffee producing countries is no easy task. As we’ve discussed before, coffee beans are highly susceptible to the climate conditions and soils in which they grow. For example, most of the great quality coffee come from lands that are close to the Equator, because of the warm temperature. Coffee also has very specific harvest seasons and depending on the country where it’s produced, different characteristics and flavors will flourish in your cup.

So yes, it’s also a matter of taste and preferences, but when it comes to defining which countries produce the best coffee, we need to consider quality, profiles, how much they produce per year, among other factors. There is no official list, but considering what we know from each region and how much they’ve grown over the last years, you should definitely keep your eyes open for coffees that come from these places.

Kenya

Kenya has definitely made itself a place among the world coffee industry and producers. It produces around 750,000 bags per year, and they’re known for their high-quality and acidity. Coffees from Kenya have a unique profile, they’re sweet and bright, leaving a lingering tingle on your lips. This is in part because its primary coffee production regions are on deep, fertile and acidic volcanic soils, found in highlands between 1,400 to 2,000 meters above sea level.

However, despite being famous for its high-quality coffee, Kenya hasn’t been able to recover from the decline in the commodity prices during the 80s. Kenyan producers have to fund coffee research, and there’s still much work to be done to increase the effectiveness of cooperatives.

Honduras

Honduras is an example of how coffee can help a country’s economy grow exponentially over the decades. In the last 25 years, coffee production has become a story of hard work and success for Honduras. In 2011 it became Central America’s most prominent coffee producer, and in 2012 it ranked seventh in the world and was the second-biggest exporter of high-quality Arabica beans on the planet, competing ably with heavyweights such as Colombia and Brazil. Quite impressive for a country that has historically struggled with poverty and violence. It has fairly earned a place on our list.

There are now around 110,000 coffee producers registered in the country, 92 percent of which are classified as small producers. So when it comes to artisanal coffee, Honduran single-origins are very popular among the specialty coffee lovers. Honduras produces around 4.2 million bags of coffee per year, and their coffee is known for their hazelnut and red currant flavors.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is pretty much a bastion of progress and environmental policies in Central America; it’s also home to some great specialty coffee. Costa Rica produces around 1.4 million bags of coffee per year and its beans are known to have a medium body and sharp acidity, enough to balance flavors like honey or toasted nut, so the coffee is never too sweet or too dull.

In Costa Rica, small estates and cooperatives have been developing relationships with coffee buyers for years, which allows them to work together to focus on quality, increased production, and environmental sustainability. Over the last years, Costa Rica has transformed itself from a volume producer of average quality coffee to a significant producer of high-market specialty coffee. Worth a try, huh?

Colombia

As many people know, one of the greatest things about Colombian coffee is its diversity. The country’s different micro-weathers allow coffee production to be unique and nuanced all across the land. Here you can find both low and high acidity coffees, as well as fruity and nutty notes. Colombia was also responsible of producing 11 million bags of coffee in 2013, and due to its close location to the Equator, many regions experience two harvest seasons, giving us the opportunity to have fresh Colombian coffee all year round.

Colombia has also been ranking high regarding sustainable production, and many small-scale producers are thriving in Colombian coffee culture. Craft, handiwork and great climate conditions explain the extraordinary flavors of Colombian coffee.

Ethiopia

This list wouldn’t be complete without the birthplace of our favorite beverage. Ethiopia has the perfect climate and biological conditions for coffee. Wherein other countries, coffee is “produced,” in Ethiopia coffee naturally grows. Ethiopian coffee tends to be bold and full-bodied, although flavors differ according to how the bean is processed.

Ethiopian beans come both natural (where the fruit covering the grain is dried before being removed) and washed. Ethiopia produces around 6.6 million bags of coffee a year, making it one of the world’s greatest coffee producers. Because of being a natural plantation to these lands, it rarely incites climate or disease-born chaos. Coffee still grows wild all over Ethiopia, and there are thousands of undiscovered varietals, it’s a real coffee paradise.

Have you tried cups of coffee from any of these countries? Which one is your favorite? Tell us what you think! At That Coffee Roasters, you can find coffee roasts and products coming from all these countries. Contact us and start living an authentic coffee experience!

Sources: Solidaridad Network, Thrillist, The Daily Meal, Telegraph, Huffington Post, Time, Agriknowledge, Business Daily Africa.

Have you ever thought about having your own coffee farm?

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Legends and Secrets Behind Coffee: The Man Who Escaped Death Thanks to a Mysterious Drink

He was proclaimed a saint when he came back to his village.

Last week, we started to explore the relationship between coffee’s secrets and religion. Coffee didn’t really start in India, as we read last week in the story of the saint who brought it to those lands. In ancient times, all the events that radically changed society and culture were often explained by supernatural or spiritual tales. The origin of coffee was not left out of this tradition, especially in the very religious region where it first came to be known. There are two legends for how coffee originated: one comes from Ethiopia and the other from Yemen. It’s actually a heated discussion, as there is no clear consensus of coffee’s true birthplace and you’ll get a different answer depending on who you ask.

You’ve probably heard of mocha coffee (it’s also spelled mocca, moka or moca). It’s a very popular type of coffee, known for its chocolate-like flavors, that comes from Mocha, a Yemeni city that became famous during the XV and XVII century for being the greatest coffee market in the world. Well, it’s also the home to our Islamic legend. Preserved in the Abd-Al-Kadir manuscript, tells the story of Sheikh Omar, a disciple of Sheikh Abou’l Hasan Schadheli, patron saint and legendary founder of Mocha.

In the year of the Hegira 656, Schadheli went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Arriving at the mountain of the Emeralds (Ousab), he turned to his disciple Omar and said: "I shall die in this place. When my soul has gone forth, a veiled person will appear to you. Do not fail to execute the command which he will give you." After his death, Omar saw in the middle of the night a gigantic specter covered by a white veil. “Who are you?,” Omar asked and Schadheli revealed himself under the veil. He miraculously dug water from the ground and asked Omar to fill a bowl with it. He told Omar he had to proceed on his way and not stop till he reached the spot where the water would stop moving. That’s how he reached Mocha, the city where the water stopped moving.

Both a doctor and a priest, Omar became very well known in Mocha, since a plague then ravished the city. His practices included both traditional medicine and prayers to Allah. The daughter of the King of Mocha fell ill, and her father had her carried to the home of Omar. He was captivated by the princess’ rare beauty, and after having cured her, the good dervish tried to carry her off. The king did not fancy this new kind of reward. Omar was driven from the city and exiled on the mountain of Ousab, with herbs for food and a cave for a home. The legend says that on the brink of starvation, Omar didn’t have much choice but to eat everything he could find.

The fruit of salvation

"Oh, Schadheli, my dear master," cried the Omar one day; "if the things which happened to me at Mocha were destined, was it worth the trouble to give me a bowl to come here?” Waiting for an answer, he heard a song of beautiful harmony, and a bird with extraordinary feathers came to rest in a tree. Omar sprang forward quickly toward the little bird, but when he got there, he saw on the branches of the tree only flowers and fruit. Omar laid hands on the fruit and found it delicious. Then he filled his great pockets with it and went back to his cave. As he was preparing to boil a few herbs for his dinner, the idea came to him of substituting for this sad soup, some of his harvested fruit. From it he brewed a savory and perfumed drink: it was coffee.

He felt immediately revitalized and found an energy he hadn’t experienced before. When news of this new strange medicine got to Mocha, many people started to travel to his cave to seek medical advice. Eventually, he was called back and received with honors. His followers insisted that his exile was a religious sign and the authorities proclaimed him a saint. Both the plant and the black drink were named Mocha to honor this event.

That’s how Yemeni people remember it at least. The Ethiopian people have a whole different version of events that we’ll be exploring next week! Make sure you’re following us on That Coffee Roasters’ social media to stay updated!

Source: web-books.

They first used coffee for its healing properties.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters