by Gail Bertram

Created on: August 08, 2008   Last Updated: December 02, 2011

Whether it is a morning mug of instant to sweep away the cobwebs of sleep, or a subtle elite blend to help relax, there is no doubt that coffee is one of the world's favorite hot beverages. In America alone, more than half of all adults consume at least one cup of coffee every day, so it is no wonder that there are big bucks to be made from the bean!

However, the journey from plant to cup is long and arduous. Gone are the days when primitive coffee drinkers would steep the ripe berries of the Coffea plant in hot water and drink the result. Now, every coffee bean is subjected to a precise method of processing and quality control to ensure that even instant coffee has that fantastic taste that so many people love.

Coffee Plants

There are two main cultivated species of coffee plant: Coffea canephora, which produces Robusta coffee, and Coffea arabica, which results in the more common Arabica blend. Coffea arabica accounts for approximately eighty-percent of world coffee production. Other coffee variants include more geographically isolated crops, such as Coffea esliaca and Coffea liberica, which are used as ingredients in blends rather than marketed as stand-alone coffees.

Grown predominantly in equatorial and sub equatorial regions of Africa, the Americas and parts of southern Asia, the Coffea plant is a small evergreen tree that produces crimson "cherries" approximately half an inch long. Robusta coffee beans lives up to their name, with a greater tolerance for warm conditions and low altitude than the Arabica plant. It also has a higher level of immunity to diseases. As a result Robusta coffee is often used as a cheap equivalent in stronger blends, such as espresso, as it is easier to produce. However, because of the bitter taste and higher caffeine content, Robusta blends take second place to Coffea arabica.

Cultivation

To successfully cultivate Arabica coffee beans the climate must be carefully considered. In sub-tropical locales such as Brazil, Mexico and the Caribbean, the plants thrive at altitudes up to 36,000 feet. Wet and dry seasons need to be well defined in these climates for a successful growing and harvesting period. Typically plants in these conditions will produce one yield per year. In equatorial regions such as Kenya, Columbia and Ethiopia, Coffea arabica grows successfully at lower altitudes, and benefits from the frequent rainfall, which leads to almost constant flowering. As a result the plants can yield two crops in a year.

The traditional

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