High Grown Arabica Coffee Beans
Arabica coffee beans are characterized by a distinctive flavor. Arabica is more susceptible to pests and disease than its low-elevation cousin Robusta.
The arabica variety that is high-grown is the one sought-after by specialty roasters and
premium arabica coffee beans for espresso coffee shops. What makes this coffee so unique? Scientists have uncovered the reason behind this: altitude.
High Altitudes
Coffee has a long history that stretches from Ethiopia to Yemen and the lower part of Africa. It is now a major part of the world's production. While low-elevation beans can be sold commercially, and make up the instant coffee found in grocery shops, true coffee aficionados prefer specialty arabicas grown at high altitudes for greater complexity in taste.
The mountainous regions of the world's top coffee producing countries - Central and South America, Southern Asia and some Pacific Islands, and mid to southern Africa provide ideal growing conditions for the high-quality arabica beans. The high-elevation climate conditions are frost-free and offer a temperate climate with an average annual temperature between 64 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooler temperatures in the mountains slow down the coffee plant's growth cycle and permit a longer maturation process. The coffee beans are able to absorb flavors from the surrounding environment, resulting in a unique flavor. The extended maturation helps to stop the coffee bean borer, which is a tiny beetle, from infesting and eating the beans. It also helps to keep out the coffee leaf miner, a flies, which blocks photosynthesis and decreases productivity.
Combining these elements creates the
best arabica coffee beans flavor profile and taste compared to coffees grown at lower elevations. Coffee that is grown at higher altitudes is a better source of sweet flavors, including citrus, vanilla and fruit, while being richer and smoother than lower elevation counterparts. Roasters prefer this bean due to its sweetness, richness of flavor and consistency.
<img src="https://cdn.freshstore.cloud/offer/images/778/7134/cafedirect-fairtrade-machu-picchu-whole-bean-arabica-coffee-227-g-pack-of-6-7134.jpg
