Coffee: A Primer For All

Coffee is today a buzzword for all ages in India. An excuse to meet for the youth, a quick business chat for the professionals, and a light invigorating drink for those who want a rush of adrenalin to cope with the tasks ahead with concentration.

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Suddenly its all over the place, once the best-kept secret of the south India or one that few knew about. Few people knew that such a variety existed in the types of variations the coffee offered.

Coffee is one beverage, which has seen the transformation no other beverage has seen in recent times. From a status symbol or elites' drink - branded for centuries - it has undergone a metamorphosis into a mass drink, the drink of the youth of today. In fact, coffee has created a genre as far as lifestyles are concerned.

Simple, flavoured, brewed, with or without milk, as part of a cocktail drink or a health drink Coffee is transformed into new avatars in many places.

Sipped in whatever form, today's coffee is the result of centuries-old rich & traditional history in which it has seen several ups & downs. History apart the entire process of coffee from a plant to bean to the cup is as invigorating as the drink itself. From the early pilgrims who discovered this pep-up drink, coffee making has gone a dramatic change. Commercial production of coffee that goes right into the cup is long story. The equipment and processes are as varied as the brew.

Types of Coffee (Species)

Though there are approx sixty different varieties of beans, there are only two species which have commercial importance - Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta.

Arabica

Arabica coffee represents three-quarters of the worlds coffee production. Arabica plants thrive in nutrient-rich soil and, because they are sensitive to heat and humidity, Grow best at high altitudes - at least 3000 ft. and above the sea level. Arabica beans produce a flavourful, full-bodied beverage with sharp taste.

Arabica Beans are flat and elongated in shape.

Robusta