Arabica, the foundation of coffee quality ©George Howell Coffee Company 2008

The genus Coffea belongs to a family of flowering plants called Rubiaceae. Two other well-known plants in this family are the Gardenia and Cinchona, whose bark contains quinine.

There are over fifty species of coffee, all in tropical Africa , covering an extensive range of ecological micro-niches, from arid to wet, from high altitude to low, with the caveat that there be no frost. As one travels in an arc from west central Africa on the Atlantic coast eastwards up towards the highlands of Ethiopia and then south all the way to Madagascar in the Indian Ocean native species of coffee become progressively less caffeinated. Several species in Madagascar , which was once connected to Africa , have no caffeine but are quite unpalatable. For many years now natural cross-breeding experiments have been conducted to create hybrids from such plants for reduced caffeine and for disease resistance. Opus 1 from Daterra Farm in Brazil , combining Arabica with a different species of Coffee, is the first successful result that I know of. Its beans have a third less caffeine than pure Arabica coffee while retaining the sweetness of a fine Arabica.

Arabica is unique. Most coffee species are diploid, meaning that they have two sets of 11 chromosomes. Arabica is the only coffee tetraploid, having 44 chromosomes in each cell. Coffee Arabica is the only tetraploid species (2n = 4x = 44) in the genus, while other species are diploid (2n = 2x = 22). Arabica is also self-pollinating, unlike Robusta. It is estimated that bee pollination accounts for an added 10% production. Arabica can still be found wild in its birthplace - the mountain forests of southwestern Ethiopia , 3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. There it grows to about 15 feet high in the semi-shaded understory of the forest. The diversity of the Arabica plants in Ethiopia is too great for one to speak of varieties there. It is only when cultivated outside of Ethiopia that stable varieties, or cultivars, selected over several generations, have developed.

When roasted, brewed coffee was first becoming popular in the Arab culture in the late 15th and 16 th centuries it was cultivated in Eastern Ethiopia and later in the mountains of Yemen on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, just across the Red Sea . As coffee's popularity spread to Europe and demand multiplied access to seeds of popular plant was jealously guarded. So it was that each time coffee plants made it outside of this area it was in very small number – a handful each time, in fact. The few plants that were brought to Java and Sumatra by the Dutch in the early 18 th century multiplied and through selection developed into the Typica variety, while another handful of plants, transported by the French around the same time from Yemen to the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, called Bourbon in those days, developed into the Bourbon variety. Both varieties have distinct growth patterns and produce distinctly shaped beans, the Typica being slightly larger and more elongated while the Bourbon is rounder. They produce different beverages as well, the Typica tending towards more floral notes and lighter body while the more productive Bourbon leans towards a heavier, grainier bodied beverage. From these two heirloom varieties came most of the myriad cultivars available to farmers today. Only in the 20 th century would new blood from Africa be introduced into the very narrow genetic base of Arabica plants that had by then, covered tropical Asia and the New World grinding Ethiopia's and Yemen's production into commercial insignificance. In our next newsletter we will explore Arabica's cultivars and the choices the farmer must make.

Premiere – Bolivia Cup of Excellence 2007 Presidential Award winner (over 90 score), San Ignacio Farm, full flavor roast: Juana Mamami Huanca from the San Ignacio cooperative is a first generation coffee producer. She began producing coffee on her farm at the age of 16 and now at only 23 years of age she has earned second place in the Cup of Excellence in Bolivia . Juana participated in the 2005 competition but did not manage to take home a Cup of Excellence award. For the past two years she has worked to improve quality always with an eye towards competing again. Her farm covers fifteen acres of lush hillsides in the Carrasco La Reserva region of the Caranavi province at an altitude of approximately 4,900 feet above sea-level. “I always planned to participate [in the competition]” she said, “and now I plan to increase my production and my quality of life.” She is now working to establish an additional acre of coffee. The farm has an abundance of shade trees. Production is carried out without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides but does not have organic certification. – text from Cup of Excellence. The lack of certification is typical for very small farmers: it has been beyond her means. The price we paid should go a long way towards correcting that. Certification takes at least three years to get. The price is $34.95 per 8 ounces. Click here to order or call 866 GHH-JAVA.

Daterra Farm low-caffeine Opus 1, full flavor roast – another Premiere!

Daterra has spent twelve and a half years developing a low-caffeine hybrid coffee plant; it is naturally bred and has about one third less caffeine than other Arabica varieties (under 1% compared to 1.2 to 1.9%). The coffee is delicate, with rich malt, distinct almond, clean fresh fruit notes, excellent sweetness and refined aftertaste. The plant has very low productivity and consequently we have a limited supply. $16.95 per 8 ounces. Click here to order or call 866 GHH-JAVA.

The first on our list is the wonderful , brand new crop -

Daterra Special Reserve, Cerrado, Brazil

New crop! The best it has ever been! A discovery even for Daterra fans...

On Sale Now $11.95, regularly $13.95 Click hereto purchase and for full description.

 

El Descanso, Huila, Colombia

Ripe, elegant and velvety, the cup is medium-bod ied, suggesting honeyed citrus, plum, and pomegranate mingling with soft streaks of aromatic ripe pear, wintergreen, vanilla rounded with chocolate truffle. Colombia has a huge number of terroirs. El Descanso embodies the characteristics found in the state of Huila.

On Sale Now $14.95, regularly $16.95 Click here to purchase and for full description.

 

Kangocho Cooperative, Nyeri, Kenya

Sumptuous creamy mouthfeel and sweet b lueberry notes, melding harmoniously with the classic grand Kenya riot of blackberry and black currant flavors from one of the great Kenya small farm coffee cooperatives ( a Coffee Connection favorite!).

On Sale Now $13.95, Regularly $15.95 Click here to purchase and for full description.

Daterra, Brazil, Calabria style espresso:

I am in love with this espresso which we have just developed - liquid deep dark sweet voluptuous chocolate acce nted with marzipan, caramel and cherry - and with very little bitterness. This coffee is excellent for French Press as well!

On Sale Now $11.95, regularly $13.95 Click here to order.

 

Daterra, Brazil, North Italian style espresso:

Our classic lighter roast espresso. Elegant, creamed-honey textured, sweet coffee with milk chocolate and a fine marzipan-vanilla aroma.

On Sale Now $11.95, regularly $13.95 Click here to order.