is columbian coffee different than arabica coffee beans?

3 Comments

1. ramarao p says:

   September 30, 2009 at 8:57 pm

   yeah..the names suggest the same
2. Nancy C says:

   September 30, 2009 at 8:57 pm

   I think columbian coffee comes from columbia and arabica coffee beans come from arabia
3. wry humor says:

   September 30, 2009 at 8:57 pm

   Basically there are only 2 types of coffee beans available on the commercial market – aribica and robusta. Either can be grown in Columbia, Hawaii, Mexico, or any other place that is hospitible to the coffee plant. The difference is in the soil (nutrients), water (minerals) and temperature range. The aribica bean is considered the better of the 2 beans by most coffee drinkers. However, a robusta coffee bean grown under ideal conditions will make a better coffee than an aribica bean grown under poor conditions. The coffee growing region of Columbia presents a very favorable invironment to either coffee plant. Most of the coffee grown in Columbia is the aribica variety. Because the robusta plant is hardier and easier to grow, many if not most of the less expensive coffee on the market is either all robusta or a blend of robusta and aribica. In general, if the coffee package/can does not say 100% aribica it is either a blend of aribica and robusta or it is robusta only. Just because the coffee is advertised as 100% aribica, there is no guarantee it will be a good coffee. Then there are the variations that occur within a plantation due to soil variance and micro-climates and the rain year. This is much the same as vintage years for grapes. Coffee makers send people who are skilled at grading coffee beans to the grower’ markets worldwide. These people select the coffee beans that will be prepared for the various brands and roasts produced by a coffee company. They do this to insure consistancy of product within the company’s market image. Columian coffee has an image of being a good coffee, due mostly to advertising. There are people who will argue that coffee grown in other parts of the world are equal to or better than Columbian coffee. It is all a matter of personal taste. Personally I prefer Costa Rican aribica coffee. But I also enjoy grown-in-the wild robusta coffee from Ethiopia in Africa. I have an uncle who will drink nothing but Kona (Hawaiian) aribica coffee. Go figure.