Arabica Coffee
Of the 25 species of coffee that exist, only 3 are considered worthy of consumption; of those three, the most popular by far is Arabica. Also known as Coffea Arabica, this species of coffee is believed to have originated in Central Ethiopia. Arabica coffee accounts for about 75 percent of the world coffee production, because it is considered the most flavorful and best tasting of the coffee species.
Arabica coffee exhibits a variety of flavors and characteristics; region, soil, altitude, temperature are some of the factors that affect the quality of the resulting coffee bean. Arabica coffee trees grow at altitudes as high as 7,000 ft above sea level and usually take up to 7 years to fully mature. The higher the altitude at which the coffee is grown, the slower it matures to develop richer and more concentrated flavor within each bean. However, when Arabica coffee is cultivated at lower altitudes, it matures much faster and requires the protection of shade trees to slow the growth. Delicate and susceptible to a variety of pests, diseases, as well as weather conditions like drought and frost, Arabica coffee trees require a lot of care and attention in order to attain their full potential.
Since they are well-suited to warm, tropical climates, Arabica trees flourish when the air is heavy with humidity. An Arabica tree can yield anywhere from 1 pound to 11 pounds of coffee per growing season, and it does best at temperatures of 59-75°F. With the ability to self pollinate and develop sweet smelling flowers, it takes about 9 months for the fragrant flowers fall off to reveal ripe cherries that are ready to be harvested.
Here at One Great Coffee, we carry a wide variety of Arabica coffee beans. After meticulous inspection, we ensure that all of our gourmet coffee is of excellent quality and then freshly roasted for each of our customers.