Coffee Varieties
There are more than 60 different varieties
of coffee, but the Arabica and Robusta are
the most important. Arabica is a well-flavored,
aromatic coffee with less caffeine than Robusta,
which has a somewhat unrefined, earthier taste.
The various types of coffee are distinguished
by the variety and origin (highland or lowland),
the flavor and the aroma.
Highland coffees have a particularly fine
aroma and are cultivated on plantations at
an altitude of 1980 feet to 5940 feet above
sea level. Lowland coffees have a different
flavor and originate from plantations at lower
altitude. In general the higher the altitude,
the more superior the quality of coffee produced.
However, this is not always the case, since
plantations at lower altitude can also yield
very good quality coffee. One can recognize
the skill of the producer by the flavor of
the coffee. The producer is able to influence
the quality of the product firstly through
the selection of the green coffee beans and
secondly through the preparation of various
blends and the roasting of the beans at varying
temperatures.
