No one knows how all coffee beans are grown! Each continent, country has a specific way to grow their coffee beans. Hawaii the only true place in the USA where coffee is grown is on Volcanic Ash or soil! It is known around the world as Kona Coffee. The elevation, air flow, sunlight and soil determine the taste of its coffee. Often said to be some of the best in the world.
Now back to the coffee of the world, each area has an elevation, airflow, heat and soil that determines what their coffee tastes like in your cup. Coffee does come from roughly 10 degrees above and 10 degrees below the Equator. Thus the heat needed for proper coffee growing. The height of the Arabica coffee growing ranges from 3,000-6,000 ft above sea level. At Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters, we only sell the Arabica coffee beans. Most large International coffee companies use the Robusta beans in their businesses. This is a poorer tasting and a cheaper coffee bean that people have come to love when adding flavors and sugars to brighten their taste. With the Arabica beans we provide, growing at a higher elevation, produces a denser, richer bean because there is less oxygen, the plants grow slower giving the beans more concentrated flavor. The coffee we roast at Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters taste very good without adding flavors and sugars as there is no bitterness or bad aftertaste in our coffee. Adding creams and sugars is perfectly fine and should be based on your specific wants and needs.
In some countries, the coffee trees are planted under banana trees. This gives the young coffee trees protection from the harsh sunlight and weather that may affect them. Other countries openly grow their coffee trees. The elevation also determines the type of beans they are growing. Many times the trees are planted on the sides of hills and mountains.
People often ask us for a specific taste to their coffee. Hazelnut and vanilla are common. Coffee grown in certain regions, at certain elevations with certain soils will actually give the coffee their notes. The notes, being what you may taste in the cup you brew. One example is our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Grown from 1770-2200 meters above sea level. The land and soil there determines the notes we get from this fine coffee. Our Yirgacheffe specifically has notes of Lemon, Blueberry, Orange, Rose with a tea-like finish!
Something important to remember, The taste and notes you receive from your specific coffee is based on all the information we have listed here. Soil, elevation, air, heat and how it was processed. Once we receive this coffee, we roast it according to what is required by our roaster. The heat, airflow and time determines the taste this coffee will portray in the cup. Last but not least, the coffee shop or cafe will grind and or make the coffee that went through this whole process. They have the final work to make it just right to bring out the notes that were created through growth and roasting. If the Barista makes it properly, adding the right ratio of coffee to water, water temp and time to make it, it will be done properly. If everything has been accomplished as needed, you will love the taste of your coffee.