The growing areas within this coffee bean belt have steady moderate temperatures of around 20˚C or 70˚F. The soil is porous and rich in nutrients and adding the steady supply of rain and sunshine, you have the perfect conditions for the coffee plants. This coffee plant is often the economic rock in many areas and is almost as revered as oil. For the most part, Arabica coffee beans are the most harvested with about 65-70% of the exportation with Robusta beans accounting for the rest.
The top ten coffee producing countries are (1997/1998 according to the National Coffee Association of the United States): Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico, Ethiopia, India, Guatemala, Cote d’Ivore and Uganda.
Coffee beans are usually mixed together to create a coffee blend. Different flavours are blended together to create one good mixture of coffee beans from different origins. Flavours of coffee beans are very complex and conditions like region, soils, country, altitudes, amount of rain and sunshine, and processing of the coffee beans all affect the flavour of the beans.
Most of the coffee beans in a blend come from countries like Brazil, Mexico, Peru or any other origin that has a non-overbearing flavour. These beans are somewhat neutral but still contribute to the body and sweetness of the coffee.
To add body, acidity and flavour to a blend, smaller amounts from Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela are often used.
Coffee beans from Ethiopian Harrar, Kenyan, Yemen Mocha, Zimbabwe, and Zambian add complexity and brightness to the blend.
Coffees from the Asian Pacific are often used to add more richness and body to the blend.
Kona coffee beans comes from the fertile, volcanic fields plantations in the north and south Kona district in Hawaii. The special cycle of bright sunny mornings, cloud-covered rainy afternoons and mild nights create an ideal growing condition for coffee trees, which results in special medium bodied, fine acidity coffee with very distinctive aroma: a buttery characteristic with a hint of cinnamon and cloves.
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