Category: Step 1: Discover Different Types of Coffee Beans

Is Sustainable Coffee possible? Is sustainability a real challenge
for coffee farmers, suppliers & consumers?

PurelyCoffeeBeans reckons we have enjoyed good coffee at very reasonable prices from a burgeoning industry that supplies perhaps one of the world’s favorite drinks for years.

But there are challenges on the horizon for different types of coffee beans on many fronts to the future of our favorite drink.

To bring yourself up to speed… check out these links:

What will I learn about…?

• What is sustainability in coffee farming?
• What is FairTrade coffee?
• Tell me about four other kinds of sustainable coffee
• Is growing coffee in Taiwan possible?
• How can I buy sustainable coffee?

Coffee Sustainability: what is sustainable coffee exactly?

The concept of sustainable coffee is rather nebulous at best, however. I shall attempt to define it in three broad categories:

• I. the cultivation and process of green beans
• II. purchasing, distribution, processing of those beans
• III. final destination preparation for coffee drinks and dry coffee

This article hopes to explore the issues of coffee sustainability and ask what we can do to make sure that everyone can continue to enjoy this wonderful product.

It also looks at the role of humans and whether coffee is sustainable for coffee farmers!

What is FairTrade Coffee?

FairTrade Coffee helps to bridge some of the gap between the farmers and the consumer, like you and me. The general goal is to help farmers and their workers earn equitable rates for coffee beans. But it’s not just for farmers’ incomes, FairTrade coffee aims to support both producers and appropriate practices.

In European countries, many coffee drinkers put considerable effort into buying what are known as Fairtrade coffee brands. It’s a simple concept: that by buying FairTrade Beans, you will end up putting more money into the hands of the farmers than via conventional purchasing systems or the free market.

FairTrade Origins

Fairtrade Coffee is a social movement that is market-based, helping small independent growers of various crops and producers of crafts and other handiworks.

It is intended to help these people become economically independent by supporting their businesses in the growing stages.

This program pays its suppliers a higher price than is usual in order to encourage responsible environmental practices and social standards.

FairTrade Certification

When you buy organic fair trade coffee it will be labeled either “Fair Trade Certified Mark” or “International Fairtrade Certification Mark”. It is required to come from “Flo-Cert” inspectors and producers who are certified through specific standards.

Fairtrade certified products must not come from child labor, unsafe workplaces or any violation of the United Nations charter regarding human rights. These coffee beans are grown without destroying forest canopy, thus preserving an important part of our global environment.

Early Coffees: *Ahem*

Though wrapped up in the issues and history of social injustice, the results of the first FairTrade coffees were less than spectacular. The coffees that were initially sold just did not match the regular quality standards, in terms of packaging, product quality, and distribution.

This may have been the result of the inexperience of organizations, like Oxfam, in procuring, preparing and selling coffee-related products. (Personally, I wanted to like FairTrade Coffee in the 1990’s… but couldn’t bring myself to.)

Organic Just Tastes Better 

Then in the 2000’s many well-known coffee companies in Europe started to purchase and sell much higher quality FairTrade Coffee. With higher quality blending and roasting, these brands have found far greater acceptance in the marketplace. The quality problems, even for me, have been solved to the benefit of FairTrade Farmers everywhere.

Organic fair trade coffee is shade-grown and free of harmful chemicals or pesticides. Many coffee lovers say that they can discern the difference in body and flavor. They like the fact that not only do they get a superior cup of coffee but by paying the farmers a fair wage they are contributing to the farmers’ local communities.

Because they can get a fair price for their goods, these producers are able to educate their children and afford access to health care and decent shelter. With more money, too, the farmers can also invest in their own businesses for the first time. Meaning even better coffee beans.

FairTrade: From Farm to Coffee Cup

After hand-picking the coffee beans, growers sell them to a roaster who also meets Fair Trade requirements; they live up to working and wage standards outlined by Fair Trade Certification.

The FairTrade Coffees then end up in your favorite coffee shops where you can buy them in your favorite drinks, or take them home and make great coffee at home.

When you see the product on your stores’ shelves, you know that you are getting ground coffee and coffee beans that are completely natural and free of many of the harmful practices of large corporate coffee plantations.

Now, doesn’t FairTrade Coffee leave a much better taste in your mouth when you know the coffee growers and roasters get a decent price, too? Especially, if some of the recent coffee you’ve been drinking has a more bitter taste of coffee fraud.

Is growing Coffee in Taiwan possible?
Taiwan’s History, Environmental & Cultural Challenges

Surprising to many, including PurelyCoffeeBeans, is the fact that Taiwan has a history of coffee growing. During colonial times, regular shipments of coffee to the Japanese market took place. Rediscovering coffee has coincided with a greater interest in 3rd Wave Coffee trends, which focus on natural roasting, fruitier flavors, simpler extraction processes.

After Taiwan’s political control was handed back to the Republic of China and the arrival of a new political class with different tastes, coffee production switched over to tea production or the coffee plants were ripped up in favor of other crops.

These days, coffee growing in Taiwan is slowly increasing though total volumes are minuscule by comparison with formal coffee regions. Still, there is an upsurge in coffee growing here, and much of the mountain tea growing areas may be suitable to growing coffee, too!

Miniscule Volume: High Prices

But overall coffee volumes are minuscule compared to even third tier coffee producing countries. And if you buy ‘Taiwan coffee’, it’s may be mixed with beans from Indonesia and/or Vietnam so it’s hardly pure!

Drying coffee here presents a challenge due to the high levels of humidity; and blending/roasting are still not on a par with international levels. However, Taiwanese are very inventive, creative, and hardworking. Standards are rising fast.

https://taiwan-scene.com/coffee-in-taiwan-how-an-island-of-tea-drinkers-came-to-love-the-bean/

The coffee growing regions currently include:

1. Taichung,
2. Pingtong,
3. Nantou,
4. Yunlin,
5. Taidong,
6. Chiayi,
7. Hualien,
8. Kaohsiung, and
9. Changhua

… as Taiwan Scene notes. For a little more on the history of coffee growing in Taiwan, check out the article in Taiwan Topics from the American Chamber of Commerce, “Taipei Coffee Culture” by Jules Quartly.

https://topics.amcham.com.tw/2015/01/taipei-coffee-culture-rich-robust-and-satisfying/

I was surprised to find farmers attempting to grow coffee here in Lowland Tamsui despite the challenges. There’s a farmer who only lives about 20 kms from my home! And I’m told that my brother-in-law has tried to grow some in the mountains.

Who knows, eh? But serendipity is amazing. Just on the morning this post appeared, my wife came home with about 2lbs of coffee cherries from her garden near our home. So we are looking for ways to dry coffee beans quickly to avoid mould issues in Taiwan’s typically humid atmosphere.

Specialist Coffee Shops in Taipei

In the meantime, you can find some excellent (if expensive) coffee from around the island at the following coffee shop in Datong District.

San Coffee (森高砂咖啡館) is located at No. 1, Section 2, Yanping North Road, Datong District, Taipei City, 103. It’s near the Dihua Shopping Area, so a trip there can easily be combined with a fine coffee! I should really add it to my recent post about cafes in Taipei!

Coffee Exhibitions & Trade Shows

There is an upcoming Coffee Trade Show that I plan on attending. It’s well worth visiting to discover what is going in the Taiwan coffee scene.

The local coffee scene is a fast developing one with vast improvements in both quality and availability of coffee everywhere. Of course, you can still stumble upon the nastly stuff… but there is less excuse now than ever when a decent coffee shop is often less than a few minutes away by MRT!

Tell me about Four Other Kinds of Sustainable Coffee

Organic Coffee: Sustainable Coffee

Organic Coffee aims to avoid using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other compounds commonly used in modern farming. Organic means that the coffee is 100% naturally sourced, naturally grown, and produced.

Shade Grown

Shade grown coffee plants were originally grown in the shade of trees, but with recent advances in coffee plantations, more hardened coffee plants were introduced, with the inevitable increase in unsustainable practices. Shade grown coffee is a throwback to traditional techniques.

Non-GMO

Coffee rust disease has been decimating coffee crops across Latin America for years. GMO varieties have been cultivated for increasing coffee plant yield, fighting disease (like coffee rust), and to deal with water shortages, cold in the higher elevations, insects, and help with weed killer. Naturally, customers are apprehensive about the Franken coffees, and seek out non-GMO coffee sources.

Natural Process: Sustainable Coffee

Most coffee cherries, once picked, are wet processed to remove the outer fruit and skin. Dry processing involves letting nature take its time to dry out the beans, and it doesn’t require advanced machinery or power. It is often done in areas where there is less chance of rain, too.

The beans are turned occasionally to ensure that they dry out properly. It may take four weeks to dry out the beans properly. The farmers are waiting for the right level of moisture in the beans for proper storage and further processing into coffee.

How can I buy sustainable coffee? What is the future for sustainable coffee?

Other kinds of sustainable coffee available in the marketplace also include Rainforest Alliance, and Direct Trade. You can find them from good retailers, large Internet stores, and local roasters, too.

Links

• Deutscher Kaffee-Verband e.V. (DKV)
• Developing a sustainable coffee economy
• European Coffee Federation (EFC)
• International Coffee Organization
• Kiva Loans Change Lives
• SCAA

What are the different types of coffee beans, find out here!

If you love the freshest and best coffee in your cup, you need to buy the best coffee beans that you can. Nothing else will do! Right?

Just going to your local supermarket and buying coffee beans isn’t always enough if you’re wanting to buy the best coffee beans — in fact, you could be sabotaging your coffee when you buy some coffee brands.

So what are you going to do to make sure you are buying the best coffee beans?

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What will I learn about how to buy the best coffee beans?

• 1. When I buy the best coffee beans, should I only buy freshly roasted?
• 2. Which is the best? Arabica or Robusta?
• 3. Is single origin coffee or a multi-origin coffee blend better?
• 4. Free trade or Fair Trade?
• 5. What is the difference between regular coffee and organic coffee?
• 6. Is it better to buy whole bean or ground coffee?
• 7. What is the benefit of grinding your own coffee?
• 8. If you buy the best coffee beans, how can you tell if the coffee beans are still good?

1. When I buy the best coffee beans, should I only buy freshly roasted?

While coffee can be kept for several years with the proper storage, it is quite perishable once it is roasted. This is because roasting extracts the oils that give coffee its flavor, body and aroma.

To buy the best coffee beans, ensure that they are freshly roasted so you get the full bouquet and flavor of the finished product. The easiest way to get the best coffee beans is to find a store that roasts on a daily basis.

What type of roast makes the best coffee beans?

What type of roast do you prefer? Dark roasts such as Italian or French roast can be quite good but all too often large commercial manufacturers dark roast for purely financial reasons. Lighter roasts allow more of the flavor to emerge, particularly in the fruity, aromatic coffee beans from Africa.

For the very best cup, be sure the beans are freshly roasted and don’t discount their appearance or their aroma.

Ask your knowledgeable barista if you want to buy the best coffee beans

An expert barista or coffee expert should tell you when the beans were roasted, where they are from and how the coffee will taste. Most shops will allow you to sample their fresh roasts if you’re not sure whether you would like it.

If you can’t find such a specialty shop and must depend on your local supermarket, you can still buy good beans. Avoid purchasing from bins that have beans that are broken, cracked or visibly impaired.

Bins should have a date on them that tells you when the roasting was done; pre-packaged bags of beans usually list the date on the bottom of the bag.

… or why not to buy pre-ground coffee!

Actually, most of this article presents arguments not to buy pre-ground or prepackaged coffee in the supermarket, or indeed anywhere. It’s similar to buying a car from a magazine or a pair of shoes on the Internet… You can’t always be sure what’s actually in the bag when you open it!

Should I buy green coffee beans?

If you are buying green coffee beans yourself to roast at home, pay as much attention to the quality of the beans as you can. Though green beans do keep longer than roasted beans, it’s important to make sure that they are stored well and aren’t discolored (due to molds or damp), damaged by poor handling or insufficient drying of the beans.

Photo by (c) Coffee Geek on Unsplash

Also, after roasting, you’ll notice that the weight of your coffee is less due to the removal of moisture from the green coffee beans. Roast Magazine’s article, “BAKED BEANS: Observations on Water Content During Coffee Roasting” by James Davison,” suggests weight loss of around 12.5%, about 80% of which is due to water loss.

If you purchase approximately 15% more green coffee beans, that should give you 1lb or 1kg of light roasted coffee beans. You should read much more about how to buy green coffee beans at Buying Green Coffee Beans.

2. Can I buy the best coffee beans? Are they Arabica or Robusta?

However, if you have tried Arabica Coffee Beans, you’ll know that they generally produce a smoother, lower caffeine, lower body, and (perhaps) a more refreshing coffee with more delicate flavors.

But its Robusta Coffee beans cousin has a higher coffee caffeine content, more pronounced ‘boldness’, and a better price. Some blends, such as the Brazilian coffee or Espresso even dare to mix the two beans.

3. Is single origin coffee or a multi-origin coffee blend better?

Is it single origin or blend? What’s the difference? Well, in short, single origin beans will come from a single locality and be mixed with other beans from the nearby farms.

Though the definition can be flexible because it could refer to a single farm, region or even country, the flavor of single origin coffee tends to be more defined and distinctive than the more multi-origin or ‘generic’ mixes.

For example, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe or Guatemala Fuego would be regional single-origin beans.

Multi-origin coffee is the latest buzz word for blends, though the choice of individual blends may be more carefully done than the larger brands would choose. Multi-origin coffee may even come from different continents as beans are matched for their qualities to produce a more balanced drink.

French Roast, for example, often incorporates beans from several origins, but since the roast is very dark, the flavor of the beans can be overpowered by the roasting flavors.

Good multi-origin coffee brands will detail the individual beans as well as why they complement each other. Look for hints on the packets labels or ingredients labels to find out the beans’ origins.

It’s really difficult to say whether buying single-origin beans equates means that you can buy the best coffee beans. In fact, many popular choices for coffee incorporate other beans to balance, add flavors, or tone down unpleasant overtones. A good coffee roasting company will be able to blend much more favorable mixes of coffee beans, so I’d encourage you to try both of these!

4. Which is better for coffee farmers? Free trade or Fair Trade?

Nowadays, many coffee drinkers put considerable effort into buying what are known as organic Fair Trade Coffee brands, as their attempt to find the best coffee bean. The concept is that by buying Fair Trade Beans, you will end up putting more money into the hands of the farmers than via conventional free trade.

It’s an attractive idea to know that the coffee your sipping has not only made a great drink, but that you have done your part to improve the lot of coffee growers!

Though wrapped up in issues of social justice, the results of the first Fair Trade coffees were less than spectacular as the coffees that were initially sold in European countries just did not match the regular quality standards, both in terms of packaging and product quality.

This may have been the result of the inexperience of organizations, like Oxfam, in procuring, preparing and selling coffee-related products. (Personally, I wanted to like Fair Trade Coffee in the 90’s… but couldn’t.)

In 2000’s many well-known coffee companies in Europe started to purchase and sell much higher quality Fair Trade Coffees. With higher quality blending and roasting, these brands have found far greater acceptance in the marketplace. The quality problems, even for me, have been solved to the benefit of Fair Trade Farmers everywhere.

5. What is the difference between regular coffee and organic coffee?

Coffee purists often reckon the best coffee bean is, in fact, organic. While the definition of organic isn’t precisely defined in law, some organic farming associations emphasize organic farming techniques, standards and abstinence from artificial pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.

Brands of Fair Trade coffees are often (but not always) organic beans, so check that category when you’re shopping. In 2006, the organic crop was estimated at 1% of the full coffee crop. You’ll likely find prices higher, and you may not always find a wide selection of beans that are organic. But ask if you don’t see what you want.

6. Is it better to buy whole bean or ground coffee?

If you are buying ground coffee, you’ll find many choices of roast, bean type, organic and even Fair Trade that may qualify for ‘best coffee beans’. But you’ll need to take care of the ground coffee so that you can preserve the most flavor in your cup. Some general tips include

1. Keep the coffee in an airtight canister to prevent flavor loss
2. Put the ground coffee in the refrigerator (NOT the beans!)
3. Don’t buy packs that are too big, or you will find that the even the best coffee bean tends to become tasteless as time goes by
4. Try to use the coffee within about 2 weeks at the very most once opened
5. Buying smaller packs is the best way to keep the freshest coffee

Do try different flavors of coffee, types of beans, and grades of roast as you experiment to find what flavors suit you!

7. What is the benefit of grinding your own coffee?

Of course, I much prefer to buy decent whole coffee beans and well-known coffee brands, and spend the time grinding them myself. This delivers a more satisfying flavor and much fresher, too. After all, that’s what this site is all about!

If you are grinding, remember:

1. Don’t grind too much at once
2. Don’t overgrind the beans or you’ll get coffee sludge
3. Keep the beans in an airtight canister
4. Match your grind with your brewing method
5. Use a decent grinder to get the best quality grind

Once you’ve experimented with different coffee products, beans, roasts, and grinds, you’ll find that the days of the instant coffee jar are long gone! And all for the best, wouldn’t you say?

But your quest for the best coffee bean may not be over yet? Have you considered these…?

8. If you buy the best coffee beans, how can you tell if the coffee beans are still good?

If you are buying the best coffee beans that you can see – they are unbagged, or in clear containers, ask the barista or store owner if you can inspect a small sample of beans. You will be able to see the beans’ color, quality and condition with your own eyes:

Check for the following signs of bad quality:

• Broken, mashed or shreds of beans may indicate either over-roasting of the beans or poor storage. In either case, you won’t be getting the best out of these beans!
• Check for uneven roasting or discoloration of the roasted beans. In short, the beans should ‘look’ delicious and enticing. If they aren’t, put them back!
• You can also smell the beans in your hand: look for a roasted smell. If you smell stale beans, or there is no smell, then the beans will not make a decent cup of your favorite brew, for sure!
• You can even taste the beans if you want to. It’s not harmful, and the beans will release some of their flavor or aroma in your mouth. Of course, it won’t taste like a cup of coffee, but at least if it tastes bad, you’ll know!
• Also, check the size of the beans is similar (esp. if you think you are buying beans from one locale.
• Lastly, determine the roasting date. You don’t want beans that have lain about the store for months in the summer heat or that haven’t been stored properly! Each day that passes means that roasted beans lose a little more of the flavor that makes them so desirable!

Once you have experienced the smell, colors, feel and taste of the best coffee beans, you will know what to look for, and what to avoid in your choice of coffee beans!

Where can you buy the best coffee beans?

Still no luck? Then see some of the best whole coffee beans available, ask around, check out some gourmet coffee shops for advice, and keep looking! And don’t despair, we’ll help to guide you away from some of the worse mistakes, or at least we’ll try our damndest to help you buy the best coffee beans!

What are the different types of coffee beans, find out here!

Amazing Facts About Coffee Caffeine Content in a nice infographic

PurelyCoffeeBeans shares important facts on about coffee caffeine in your mug of joe! If you’re drinking too much caffeine or if you would like more! Includes suggestions on where to find low levels of coffee caffeine, and introduces an amazing coffee infographic.

What can I learn about my coffee caffeine limit?

• Are you looking for higher levels of coffee caffeine? Challenging your coffee caffeine limit?
• Why is Robusta the poor cousin? Why does Arabica have too little coffee caffeine?
• Which coffee has caffeine with a kick?
• Which coffee has lots of robusta beans?
  • It’s in the Espresso!

How much coffee is too much for me?

• So how much is too much coffee caffeine?
• Discover amazing facts about coffee from PrintWand!
  • Printwand Graphic

Are you looking for higher levels of caffeine in your coffee?

Challenging your coffee caffeine limit?

So if you’re looking for higher levels of coffee caffeine than you may typically find in Arabica based coffee, you may wish to refer to the Robusta coffee beans page.

This contains information about robusta coffees which typically have higher levels of caffeine than their Arabica Beans cousin, and also check the map on the types of beans page to find countries where Robusta is grown more commonly: typically, Africa, Vietnam, and Brazil, to name just three.

Why is Robusta the poor cousin?

In general, Robusta beans are considered the poor cousin of the coffee bean, because they tend to have a much poorer taste, perhaps even making coffee unpalatable.

However, Robusta is widely grown, and consumed, and is found in many coffees, esp. cheaper instant coffees. Read “What coffee has the most caffeine?” from the Examiner (link missing). They are used in coffees when the coffee roaster needs either a cheaper product or a stronger coffee with more kick.

It’s typically used in brands of coffee that advertise to those challenging their coffee caffeine limit!

Which coffee has caffeine with a kick?

You will find many of the cheaper coffees in the supermarkets are made mostly from Robusta varieties of coffee beans. That includes freeze-dried or instant coffees, as well as the packs of ground coffees from popular brands such as Maxwell House or Folgers or any of a dozen other coffee brands.

Why? Simply, because of cost. These large companies can order huge amounts of coffee beans, to resell to consumers at lower prices.

Though you will find the prices very attractive, it’s doubtful that you will enjoy what you get because the beans are often over-roasted, giving the beans a burnt or even bitter taste. Much of the character of the coffees has been roasted away in favor of the brand flavor.

Which coffee has lots of robusta beans?

While I cannot give you a definitive answer about how much coffee caffeine you will find in the robusta beans in your coffees, (most manufacturers prefer to boast the percentage of Arabica beans!) or which coffees may contain more caffeine, you could try different espresso or Italian style roasts (some of which make good french press coffee, too), or you could simply add more coffee to the coffee maker.

Try doubling up on the amount of coffee you use, since most coffee drinkers tend to follow general guidelines that result in a weaker brew. This works as long as the amount doesn’t overaccentuate other tones, such as bitterness or acid tones in the coffee.

It’s in the Espresso!

Oddly enough, you may wish to try some of the espresso roasts which are darker roasted as these will typically include a percentage of robusta beans, and perhaps more caffeine to provide a European type ‘kick’ to the morning cuppa. Few coffee companies display the amount of caffeine per 100g on the side of packets, which would certainly help you.

My last suggestion: go to a coffee roaster or serious coffee lover’s coffee shop, and just ask. They may be able to direct you to specific blends/estates/regions that present a coffee more suitable to your requirements.

So how much is too much coffee caffeine? What is your coffee caffeine limit?

If you are looking for ‘less caffeine’ in your coffee, you should be looking at medium roasts of Arabica coffee, for the most part. Don’t be purchasing espresso roast or dark Italian roasts unless they are stated to be 100% Arabica, like Lavazza’s Qualita Rossa, or similar. Most espresso bean coffee contains amounts of extra Robusta for the flavor and extra ‘kick’ it provides.

Amazon’s search did throw up a few good suggestions, but no clue on the actual caffeine content, click if you want to see the results.

Which Asian coffee has lots of robusta beans?

Both Vietnam and India grow quite a lot of coffee, usually robusta beans, so you may wish to try those blends. However, as I said, robusta is usually blended with better tasting coffee to tone down the roughness and caffeine content, so it’s difficult to find a purely robusta coffee.

Six Caffeine Facts

After reading how much Mr. Annapurnaiah Kolluri from the Indian Coffee Board drinks, I realized that there really isn’t such a thing as too much coffee, is there?

Health advisers flip back and forth with their highly qualified opinions about how much is too much. And it’s not really about coffee, but rather the caffeine content that we choose to drink (see Caffeine Content found at PurelyCoffeeBeans.com).

There are some surprising caffeine facts that makes people think they are drinking just large amounts of coffee…

Caffeine Fact #1

Espresso has less caffeine per cup than regular cup. But if you find that you are irritable, or feeling nervous (twitchy!), you may want to switch to decaf in the afternoon or early evenings. Even a coffee lover has to slow down sometimes.

Caffeine Fact #2

The ‘strength of the coffee’ as perceived by many drinkers often relates to three factors: the darkness of the roast, the amount of coffee used, and the amount of caffeine in the particular varietal.

Caffeine Fact #3

Coffee, black or espresso, is a very low calorie food that stimulates the body for a short period after consumption. Typically, the caffeine is processed by the body within an hour or so after consumption, meaning that the effects of a cup of coffee are largely very limited to that initial ‘hit’.

Caffeine Fact #4

One surprising fact: darker roasts don’t necessarily contain more caffeine than lighter roasts.

Caffeine Fact #5

Another: Arabica beans are generally lower in caffeine than Robusta beans.

Caffeine Fact #6

Check out this coffee infographic that introduces a wide range of details about coffee — including its origin, its diverse varieties, and the ways that people drink it.

PrintWand Coffee Infographic

Ever hear of Kopi Luwak? At upwards to $600 per pound, Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world—and it’s made from an animal’s feces. Kopi Luwak is made by feeding ripe coffee beans to a palm civet (a mammal that lives in southern Asia). The creature’s leavings are later processed into a pricey variety of coffee with a unique taste.

That’s just one of the facts you’ll find in this coffee infographic from PrintWand. It explores a wide range of details about coffee — including its origin, its diverse varieties, and the ways that people drink it. Read on to learn things about your favorite beverage that you never even thought to consider.

For technical reasons, I’ve split it into a gallery. But…

You can view the full infographic here (it’s large!)

So what is your coffee caffeine limit? How much do you need? Would you like more or less? Drop me a line!

What are the different types of coffee beans, find out here!

Kenya coffee is quite a bit different at least in the way the Kenyans conduct their coffee business. Most coffee producers in other countries grow their crops and take them to market to sell. This is part of what makes them a little different from other types of coffee beans.

What will I learn about Kenya Coffee blends?

• Is Kenya Coffee Robusta or Arabica? Is it good?
• What does Kenya coffee taste like?
• Research and Development
• How much does Kenya Coffee cost?
• Is it still worth buying coffee from Kenya?
• “I’m looking for reasonably priced Kenya coffee, but where?”

You may be familiar with Kenyan coffee from your local coffee shop or coffee roaster. Kenyan coffee beans are high quality and totally worth trying. But don’t skimp on the price! Otherwise you may be disappointed by the blend. That’s how many of the African coffee blends find their way to your coffee cup.

Is Kenya Coffee Robusta or Arabica? Is it good?

In Kenya, lots are auctioned off to the highest bidder and sometimes the prices can be driven quite high! They can demand high prices because they are sticklers for quality control and their farmers are very precise in their agricultural methods.

What does Kenya coffee taste like?

Coffee from Kenya is a very bright coffee. This is, it is acidic enough to affect your entire palate. The coffee has wonderful fruity flavors, sometimes with a touch of spice.

Some coffees are wine-like or fruity and some are bright and clean. Kenya’s rich volcanic soil and high mountains of East Africa give its coffee a flavor you can find nowhere else in the world.

Kenya coffee is graded according to strict standards. The grades are important because they indicate the size of the bean; a larger bean will have more of the oils that give coffee its flavor and aroma. Therefore, the highest grades are the largest and most delicious beans. From largest to smallest the grades are AA, AB, PB, C, E, TT and T.

Size is not the only factor used in grading coffee, however. The Kenya Coffee Board also sorts it according to classes based on the quality of the beans. It begins with 1 for the highest quality and goes to 10 for the lowest.

You probably won’t see this number on your package of beans but if you can buy from a retailer that knows the quality grade it is to your taste advantage to do so!

Because of these two rating systems, you could buy Kenya AA beans but get a poor batch because it was rated a 4 on the quality scale.

Research and Development

Kenya engages in a lot of research and development in an effort to produce the best coffee in the world. One of their discoveries has been Ruiru 11, a hybrid coffee that is resistant to disease.

It was considered a breakthrough when first discovered but the Coffee Board’s promotion of it has been marred by rumors of its inferior flavor characteristics. It remains to be seen whether Ruiru can live up to Kenya’s stringent standards for its coffee products.

How much does Kenya Coffee cost?

Coffee from Kenya, like that of many other countries, has price swings according to the country’s weather and political occurrences. In 2006, for example, there was a big shakeup in the local Coffee Board who had some members who were not making sure that financial incentives made it to the farmers.

In 2008 there was a drought whose intermittent rains forced the coffee plants to bloom at inappropriate times and subsequently most of the crop was lost. There are many circumstances that affect both the quality and the price of Kenya coffee.

Is it still worth buying coffee from Kenya?

Nevertheless, Kenyan coffee is a good buy at any price. That kind of flavor is well worth paying extra for if one has to!

Reader Query #1 (Updated 5/16)

“I’m looking for reasonably priced Kenya coffee, but where?”

by Myong from USA

“I am looking for reasonably priced Kenyan coffee. Could you help me to find one or more sources to get the delicious coffee. Costco don’t carry any more.”

Thank you for your query, Myong, to PurelyCoffeeBeans.com in which you wrote that you were missing a discontinued line of coffee beans from Costco Wholesale.

I have the same problem with Costco as more & more customer buy those (wretched) one cup systems, Costco’s range of coffee beans seems to grow ever smaller. I can’t find some that I used to love. Pity.

The other odd thing about your email was that I bought some lovely Kenyan AA a couple of weeks ago, freshly roasted from an Artisan roaster here. They weren’t particularly cheap, but well worth the price, I feel. I’ve also enjoyed some nice Kenyan from Gloria Jeans Coffee (pictured above).

But I’ve never seen any in Costco, I’m sure I’d have bought it by now, but I do know product ranges differ from region to region, store to store, and season to season.

If you would like, check out my links to Amazon.com, who have a decent range of coffee beans generally.

Best Wishes
Kenneth

@ PurelyCoffeeBeans.com

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