S2: Episode 3: Why Arabica Is So Special To Specialty Coffee
Ever wondered about the significance of the word ‘Arabica’ on your coffee packet? In this episode we take a look at why Specialty Coffee is all about Arabica, and why Arabica coffee is so special. This week’s FACQ wonders where the plant came from in the first place and how it rose to dominate the coffee world.
Check out the Robusta episode from Season 1 here:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcast
On the Blue Sky Coffee website
Check out the coffee brewing equipment episode here:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify Podcast
On the Blue Sky Coffee website
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Email: thecoffeedrinkersguide@gmail.com
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Lusona Publishing and Media Limited website: https://www.lusonapub.co.uk
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Hello and welcome to The Coffee Drinker’s Guide, a podcast for the coffee curious where I explore and explain the world of specialty coffee to make your daily coffee better and more satisfying.
I’m Angela Holder a coffee roaster and writer on a mission to fight back against bad coffee by giving you the knowledge you need to help you get good coffee and a happier (coffee) life in coffee-break sized episodes. So grab your coffee, pull up a chair and take a break…
This week's episode is a deep dive into the mainstay of the Specialty Coffee industry - namely Arabica coffee…and later I’ll be answering a question about where Arabica came from originally - which is not as obvious as perhaps you may think - and how it came to dominate the coffee drinking world, so stay tuned to find out…
There is enough for coffee consumers to get their heads around when buying coffee without having to worry about which species of coffee beans they should buy too - but it does actually matter. Back in season 1, episode 10 was all about the coffee species Robusta. This may have surprised some listeners as this podcast is all about Specialty Coffee which Robusta is most definitely not. The term ‘Specialty Coffee’ is reserved for high quality coffees with exceptional and distinct flavours and in the 50 years since it was first coined, Specialty Coffee has been synonymous with Arabica. So lets find out why…
When appropriate I mix up the order of the usual segments, so firstly Arabica and the bean
Arabica coffee beans are the seeds of a plant from the species Coffea arabica which has been grown commercially for hundreds of years. Other coffee species such as Liberica and Excelsa were also grown for profit in the past, but by the end of the Twentieth Century the commercially significant coffee species were Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora which is widely known as Robusta. I’ll put a link to the Robusta episode in the show notes, if you missed it. Of these two species Arabica is the coffee of choice for Specialty Coffee roasters due to the fine, complex and varied flavours that can be produced from its many varieties. Arabica coffee trees grow best above 800m and can grow up to altitudes of around 2000m. In fact the higher the better, as the slower growth of the cherries at higher altitudes allows the development of sugars and organic acids which produce the complex fruit flavours of the best Arabica coffee. The plant is not hardy being susceptible to frost, pests like coffee berry borer beetle and diseases such as coffee leaf rust. Its ideal temperature range is 15-24°C or 59-75°F - so extremes of temperature will also impact its growth. Global warming and the rapid spread of the coffee leaf rust disease across many growing regions in this century are delivering a double whammy to Arabica coffee farmers, affecting both the quality and yield of their coffee harvests. The future of Arabica coffee is on a knife edge. Appreciate it while you can.
Next Arabica and the brew
As noted in last week’s episode on brewing equipment the vacuum brewing method is the best way to show off an Arabica coffee’s fine flavours and complexity as it produces the purest and cleanest brew - but for me it can be too squeaky clean. Personally I prefer the filter or pour over method which, while still enabling you to discern the nuances of the bean, provides a better body or mouthfeel to the coffee. The filter paper holds back finer grounds from the liquor giving a cleaner taste to the brew than you would get from cafetière brewing, but allows enough through to deliver more body than vacuum brewing achieves. But this is not to say that these are the only ways to brew Arabica coffee by. Because of the range of flavours and beans available, there is an Arabica coffee to suit any method of brewing and any palate. At one time it was believed that all espresso coffee needed to be dark roasted and blended and had to include Robusta beans for its body and crema. Third Wave roasters in the early 2000’s challenged this belief and now light roast, single origin Arabica espresso is widely available. Although I have to admit it's an acquired taste!
Finally Arabica and the taste
In much the same way as with wine varieties or single malt whisky, the flavours of different Arabica coffee beans are a reflection of the plants’ terroir, botanical variety and processing method. These flavours can range from chocolate, nuts and spice through fruits of all kinds (tropical, berries, citrus and stone fruit), to the floral and herbal. They can be light and delicate or heavy and punchy. The very best Arabica coffees are complex, sweet and balanced. Whatever your personal taste preferences there will be an Arabica coffee out there for you. Even hardened tea drinkers with a professed dislike of coffee have been won over by the delicate jasmine, bergamot, tea-like qualities of washed Arabica coffees from Southern Ethiopia. Arabica beans in general are less bitter and have half the amount of caffeine as Robusta. Word of warning though - as with any agricultural product the quality of the flavour of a favourite coffee can vary from year to year. Also not all Arabica coffee is created equal or is equally good. There is poor quality Arabica coffee out there which can taste like an old, earthy, composted paper bag or worse, sadly. To increase your chances of experiencing the lovely flavours I mentioned earlier be sure to buy the best grade you can from a good roaster.
And now its time for a Frequently Asked Coffee Question…
And this episode’s question is…
Where did Arabica originate and how did it spread around the world?
Although Arabica is now grown throughout the tropics and subtropics the species first grew in East Africa, probably in Southern Ethiopia. This is why the Ethiopian coffee culture is the oldest in the world. Eventually coffee seeds were taken to the Arabian Peninsula leading to the first commercial production of coffee in the Yemen and the creation of the world’s first cafe culture. The name ‘Arabica’ actually comes from the early (mis)understanding that the plant was originally from Arabia. From the 1600's onwards European colonial powers ‘obtained’ coffee seeds for themselves and started planting coffee as a cash crop in places like India, Indonesia, the West Indies and the Americas in order to break the Arabian coffee monopoly and the global coffee industry was born…
Thank you for listening to this episode of The Coffee Drinker’s Guide and that was all about Arabica. I do hope that you found this interesting. Do you have a favourite Arabica coffee? If so, what is it that you like about it? ‘Send me a text message’ by clicking the link in the show notes to let me know. In the next episode we are exploring an important aspect of coffee flavour that could fairly be said to define Arabica coffee, and that is its acidity. Make sure you hit follow to subscribe so that you don’t miss it. Also if you know someone who loves coffee as much as you do, tell them about the show and rate and review this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts to help other coffee curious people find the show too. If you have a question about coffee or a topic that you would like me to cover please get in touch. I’m on Instagram @thecoffeedrinkersguide or email me at thecoffeedrinkersguide@gmail.com. Thanks to my executive producer Viel Richardson at Lusona Publishing and Media Limited. You can find him at lusonapub.co.uk. Until next time I’m Angela Holder thanks for sharing your coffee break with me - the best way to tackle life is one coffee at a time and here’s to better coffee!
The Coffee Drinker’s Guide is a Blue Sky Coffee Project