An Overview of Coffee and How to Make a Great Cup

Coffee is one of the main pleasures in life for a large number of people and some people swear by it to get them started each day. It is important to learn how to make a decent cup. There are several different types of coffee available such as decaffeinated and coffee beans.

Most coffee is sold roasted although rarely some people prefer to roast their own beans. One of the best ways to make a decent cup of coffee is to buy a coffee grinder and grind your own favourite types of beans. It is worthwhile buying a model that you can set at different speeds and this way you avoid burning the beans. A cup of coffee made by a coffee grinder and a top quality coffee machine is exactly the same as a coffee made by a coffeehouse.

If you wish to create a more exotic cup of coffee then consider adding syrups such as hazelnut and creams instead of milk or buy a milk frother to whisk up your milk. This can work out much cheaper in the long run than drinking expensive gourmet coffee regularly from a coffeehouse.

Countries Where Coffee is Cultivated

Coffee is mainly grown in Africa but it is also cultivated in countries such as Brazil and Indonesia. Coffee is one of the most important commodities in the world, mainly because of how popular the product is as a beverage worldwide. It is estimated that almost seven million tonnes are produced annually. Drinking coffee is thought to have some health benefits such as possibly reducing cirrhosis of the liver and this beverage may also reduce the diabetes mellitus type 2. Let us now look at the two main different types of coffee.

Robusta Coffee

Robusta coffee comes from western Africa and can be also known as Conillon. It is significantly cheaper to produce than Arabica hence why it is used in instant coffee products and decaf. Robusta coffee is also used to add to the taste of espresso and to promote the production of the cream, a reddish foam, on the top of espresso coffees. Robusta can also be grown in areas where other coffee plants would not be able to survive. Italian coffee is created from the Robusta bean hence their popular cappuccino and flavoured coffees. However there are some more upmarket brands of Robusta coffee available such as the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona coffee varieties.

Robusta coffee plants
Robusta coffee trees growing in Laos. The high elevation of Bolaven Plateau helps Laos to produce some of the best tasting coffee in the world. Photograph by thomaswanhoff.

Arabica coffee

The other variant of coffee is Arabica. Arabica coffee beans are considered to be much higher in quality than Robusta beans and are used to create continental blends of coffee. Arabica beans are commonly found in Ethiopia and it is believed to be the first species of coffee ever cultivated, having been grown in Ethiopia for over a thousand years. The plant takes seven years to mature; harvesting times depend upon where the bushes are grown. Arabica beans were typically named according to which port they were shipped from such as Mocha and Java. You may wish to read further into the cultivation and harvesting of Arabica beans.

Freshly made Arabica coffee
Freshly brewed Arabica coffee ready to be tasted in Uganda by sarahemcc.

To enjoy a great cup of coffee, it is advised to purchase a coffee grinder and a coffee machine, and make your own drink after trying a variety of different coffee beans to find your own favourite. You may wish to add syrup or whitener to your coffee and then sit back and relax.