Understanding Countries And Their Different Coffee Beans

There's more to drinking coffee than just walking into a shop and asking for a small, medium, or large cup of whatever the house blend is. The amount of time and effort it takes to grow and harvest coffee beans around the world deserves a little more respect from the average consumer, especially since the delicate taste you get has nothing to do with the barista at Starbucks, and more to do with faraway volcanic slopes and mountain ridges.

Yes, what really makes coffee taste great are the beans themselves, or the special regions in countries around the world where the weather gets together to create the perfect growing environment. To learn a little bit more about the world's different coffee producing regions, as well as the most popular beans, you needn't look any further than this handy guide, which will teach you how to make the best possible pot of coffee around just by learning which brands to select.

Sulawesi Toraja Kalossi One of the most popular and rare varieties of Arabica coffee around, these coffee beans grow at extremely high altitudes on the island of Sulawesi. The coffee is full-bodied, slightly more acidic than the similar Sumatra blend, and known for its fruit and dark chocolate undertones. As far as Malaysian coffee goes, this is one of the finest beans coming out of the area, and it commands high prices.

Kape Barako One of the types of coffee grown in The Philippines, not many people are familiar with Kape Barako, because of an infestation of Coffee Rust in the 1990s that almost wiped out the plants forever. A type of Liberica species, the coffee, when available, is popular with gourmets, who enjoy a blend where it's mixed with Arabica to get the best tasting coffee with a distinct aroma.

Costa Rican coffee Not as well known as Columbian coffee by any means, Costa Rica has long been a country where coffee was a hugely important cash crop. The most popular varieties of beans are West Valley, Tres Rios, and Tarrazu, which are known worldwide for their very good body and aroma, as well as a level of acidity that's rather manageable. These coffee beans are used in blends frequently.

Kopi Luwak Always wanted to try a coffee made from beans that have already been eaten and digested? Well, you might have done that inadvertently, with Kopi Luwak coffee beans. Grown in Java, the coffee is some of the most popular around, all thanks to Asian Palm Civits, which love the coffee beans, eat them, and then digest them in a remarkable process that adds more flavor for us humans later. Apologies in advance if coffee was just ruined for you forever.

Remember, while different countries all produce different types of beans, it doesn't mean that the names on this list are the only type of coffee bean grown in that particular country. Furthermore, it is possible that many of these beans have shown up in different names and varieties through United States importers.

Now that you know the history of some of the world's more popular types of coffee, including the coffee beans they're made from, you can hold your own at a number of dinner conversations, as well as make a more informed choice in the grocery store. Best of all, you'll be able to choose beans that lead to a greater cup of morning coffee, for yourself and your family.

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Tags: Beverages, coffee, Drinks, food and beverages, food and drinks, health, leisure, nutrition

June 07 2010 07:47 am | coffee

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