Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia during the 10th century. Over the years through trade and colonization, its use spread throughout the Middle East. Then on to Europe and eventually to the rest of the world. There are two major types of coffee trees; Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica trees produce high quality beans, grown at altitudes of 4,000 to 6,000 ft. Robusta trees on the other hand produce generally poorer quality beans. Grown at altitudes from sea level to 2,000 ft. True gourmet coffee is produced from the Arabica tree!

The pulp of the coffee cherry is sweet, it was first eaten alone or with the seeds (beans). In some places, the green unroasted coffee beans were ground up and mixed with animal fat. This mixture was then pressed into small lumps and was used for energy. Arabs being the first to use the green coffee beans alone. After removing the pulp and skin, they would crush the green beans and mix them with water to make their coffee drink. It was not until the 14th century that the current method of roasting coffee became popular. The coffee drink and the grounds were consumed together.

Green coffee beans are roasted at temperatures ranging from 370 to 450 degrees for up to 20 minutes. During this time they lose 18 to 23% of their weight and increase in size by 35 to 60%. They change color from a light straw green color to medium brown or dark brown, depending upon the degree of roast. The bean splits open and brings out the rich aroma of the coffee.

Fresh beans, if properly stored, will last up to 3 weeks and retain most of their fresh roasted flavor. On the other hand, ground coffee, once open from a can or vacuum pack, will last about a week before losing its fresh flavor. Whole beans stay fresher longer.

Roasting coffee is usually considered an art form and a science, requiring years of experience and the right type of roasting equipment. This can normally be considered a true statement unless the machine being used is a fully automated Java Master® Coffee Roaster.  Roasting is the "cooking" of the bean. How much the bean is roasted is what is called the degree of roast. The less it is cooked, the "lighter" or "milder" the roast.

Higher quality coffee that is lower in caffeine than Robusta and grows at elevations of 4000 to 6000 feet and above, where frost is rare.  The Arabica tree is not as hardy as the Robusta, and a single Arabica tree typically yields only 1 - 1 ½ pounds of green coffee beans per season.

Coffee is actually a fruit. Coffee branches form delicate white, blossoms that last for a little more than a day. These blossoms give way to coffee "cherries" that are red and round and very much resemble our own native cherries.  It takes 3 to 5 years for the plants to begin producing and that is possible only with the proper combination of climate, rain, sunshine and shade. Arabica coffee plants do best in rich, volcanic mountain soil. The higher elevations cause the coffee bean to grow more slowly, which in turn leads to a more aromatic and flavorful coffee.

Harvesting is done either by hand-picking or by machine stripping. When done by hand, cherries are picked off the tree or from the ground. Since only the ripe coffee cherries are picked, each tree can be picked numerous times during a season.  The stripping method strips the tree of all its cherries at once and is done when most of its cherries are ripe. Most coffee is still picked by hand. The ultimate secret is the twin coffee beans inside the coffee cherry.

Coffee cherries must be processed soon after harvesting to prevent the pulp from fermenting around the bean. There are two types of processing known as dry and wet processing which causes less damage to the bean than dry processing. Once the coffee beans have been processed, they are sorted by size and looks, then bagged ready for shipment.

Sometimes called "unwashed" or "natural" processing. Cherries are spread outside for 15 to 20 days. The cherries are exposed to the sun and stirred regularly to help them dry evenly.  The dried cherries are then hulled by hand or by machine, removing the dried out pulp and parchment.

Or "washed" processing. A few hours after the cherries are harvested, the pulp is removed from the cherries. The beans are then washed in a process that involves cycles of fermentation and rinsing.  Small amounts of fermentation don't hurt the bean but softens the remaining pulp and skin, making them able to be easily rinsed off.

Decaffeinated coffee or "decaf" is coffee that has had most of the caffeine removed. By weight, the amount of caffeine found naturally in coffee is only about 1% for the Arabica and 2% for the Robusta coffee beans.  When you read "97% Caffeine Free", 97% of that 1% or 2% has been removed.