insideKENT Magazine Issue 71 - February 2018 | Page 74

FOOD+DRINK
THE WORLD OF Coffee cont.
Types of Coffee
OVER THE PAST 1,000 YEARS OR SO, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF NEW AND DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COFFEE
THAT HAVE COME INTO EXISTENCE. MOST COFFEE, HOWEVER, NO MATTER HOW FANCY OR TASTY COMES FROM
JUST TWO TYPES OF BEANS – ARABICA AND ROBUSTA.
ARABICA
You can find arabica bushes all over the world, which could be why 70
per cent of all coffee is made from arabica beans. This particular bean
contains less caffeine than other types and tends to have a more punchy
flavour. However, the actual flavour of the final product does depend
on where and how the arabica bush was grown, since the beans will
take on the attributes of the soil, the sunlight, the weather, surrounding
foliage, and the growing methods – much like grapes do in a vineyard.
Ethiopian arabica beans, for example, are known to be smooth with a
flowery finish. Kenyan beans are more bitter, and have a nutty flavour.
Beans from Colombia are rich and deep, and those in the know can
detect the taste of walnut.
ROBUSTA
Robusta beans are a lot more bitter than arabica beans, which is due to
the fact that they contain less oil. These beans have a higher caffeine
content – sometimes as much as 50 per cent more than arabica beans
– so they are often used to make espresso-based drinks. You are most
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likely to find robusta coffee bushes in Asia where they are harvested
through a labour intensive process, roasted, and then sent on around
the world. Some of the most expensive gourmet coffees in the world
stem from robusta beans, including Sumatra and Komodo coffee, or
the more well known Java variety.
GREEN
Green coffee beans are simply beans that have not yet been roasted.
They can be used for making a drink, but are more commonly used as
a weight loss supplement (which has, reports say, limited success).
COMBINATION
It is possible to enjoy a wide range of different coffees that are a mix
of arabica and robusta beans. In some coffee shops, you can even
combine your own, to make the ideal blend for you. Remember that
robusta is more bitter and higher in caffeine, whereas arabica beans
are smoother. Depending on how much of each you use, you can
create some memorable and interesting flavours.